DeSoto Police Hiring 2026: Apply by Sep 25

The police keywords board this retrieval (2026-09-03) prints 2 jobs found: this entrance exam, and Police Officer Reserve 3619950 Regular Part Time $27.35-$39.93 an hour, open until filled. The reserve card is not the civil-service officer exam.

The City of DeSoto Compensation page names FY 2026 pay structures for non-exempt, exempt, police, and fire positions. The police table is DocumentCenter 891, filename 10012025-Police-PDF. Non-Certified (PNC) is $73,594.77 a year ($6,132.90 monthly, $2,830.57 biweekly, $35.38 hourly). Certified Police Officer (P1) Base is $79,590.60 a year. P1 step A is $84,366.04. P1 step B is $89,417.60. P1 step C is $94,793.67. Pay-table retrieval is 2026-08-22. Window re-read is 2026-09-03.

Prior NEOGOV 4448007 Job 01095 is still reachable. Opening date 03/28/2024. Closing date 5/16/2024 11:59 PM Central. SALARY $70,737.00. Test Date Saturday, June 1, 2024. Prior 2657516 Job 00656 opened 12/16/2019, closed 1/31/2020, reprints $59,670.00 and certified $61,200 plus a $10,000 incentive for TCOLE certified officers. The first Non-Certified academy-door cell on this page is $73,594.77. $73,594.77 is the 10/01/2025 PDF cell; $70,737 is the 2024 bulletin; $59,670 is the 2019 bulletin. Those are not the same cell. Certified P1 Base $79,590.60 is the 10/01/2025 PDF cell; $61,200 is the 2019 certified reprint. Those are not the same cell.

The DeSoto PD department listing binds Non-Certified PNC $73,594.77 from DocumentCenter 891. The DeSoto Fire Rescue listing still carries 67 sworn / 3 stations. A fire pay table still carries $65,184.70 cadet / $77,468.18 certified / $92,265.84 top from DocumentCenter 889. Those fire figures are not DeSoto PD pay.

DeSoto Fire Rescue hires on a separate schedule. DeSoto ISD Police is a different agency. Deputy City Marshal is Municipal Court, not this door. This page covers DeSoto PD.

The license is TCOLE's. The job is DeSoto PD's. Those are two gates. The Texas sequence is in How to Become a Police Officer in Texas. The license rules are in TCOLE peace officer license requirements. This page is drawn from live Compensation, live DocumentCenter 891, prior 4448007, prior 2657516, live Police, Recruiting Information, Employment, Civil Service, Selection Process, Physical Agility / Fitness Test, Benefits, the City NEOGOV board, live 5464640 (re-read 2026-09-03), TCOLE Statewide Vacancies, and the department listing.

Department listing: DeSoto Police Department. Pay comparison: Texas police salary by department. That salary page still keeps N=12. DeSoto's printed Non-Certified cell is sourced here and is not yet a row in that table. City hiring guides in this series: Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, Irving, Frisco, McKinney, Mesquite, Grand Prairie, Denton, Houston, Lubbock, Amarillo, Brownsville, McAllen, Waco, Killeen, Pasadena, Texas City, Pearland, League City, Sugar Land, Carrollton, Lewisville, Richardson, Allen, Flower Mound, Rockwall, Lancaster, Cedar Hill.

What DeSoto PD actually is

The live department hub is desototexas.gov/452/Police. Physical address 714 E Beltline Road, DeSoto, TX 75115. Police phone 469-658-3000. Emergency 911. Chief of Police Joseph W. Costa. About prints a nationally accredited law enforcement agency. History: when the City of DeSoto was incorporated in 1949, A.E. "Dot" Parks became the first City Marshal. The first Chief of Police, Richard Schwarz, was appointed in 1964. The department moved into its current 28,000 sq. ft. facility in May 2000. Apply on 5464640 before 9/25/2026 11:59 PM Central. Employment is desototexas.gov/727/Employment. Recruiting Information is desototexas.gov/780/Recruiting-Information. Civil Service is desototexas.gov/563/Civil-Service.

Filled sworn count, station count, and founding-year cells are unpublished on the officer sources. The 2025 annual report prints "over one hundred and ten thousand calls for service." That is not an exact cell.

The live apply door

Apply on Police Officer Entrance Exam 5464640. Re-read 2026-09-03. Closing date 9/25/2026 11:59 PM Central. Opening date 08/28/2026. Job Number 01344. Regular Fulltime. Department Police, Division Patrol. FLSA Non-Exempt. Salary $73,594.77 - $94,793.67 Annually.

The police keywords board this retrieval prints 2 jobs found. The second row is Police Officer Reserve 3619950 Regular Part Time $27.35-$39.93 an hour, posted 07/01/22, open until filled. Deputy City Marshal is Municipal Court, not DeSoto PD. Prior Police Corporal 5382540 opened 06/18/2026 and closed 7/24/2026. That bulletin required two years as a Police Officer with the City of DeSoto. It is promotional, not the entrance exam.

The Employment page, read 2026-08-22, printed that DeSoto PD is a civil service department, tests twice each year, and next entrance exam TBD. Civil Service, read 2026-08-22, sent upcoming examinations to the Job Opportunities page and still posted the Final Eligibility List for Police Entry Exam 05-02-2026. Those city pages, as read on 2026-08-22, disagree with the live board on 2026-09-03. Act on 5464640. Do not treat the 05-02-2026 list or Reserve 3619950 as this sworn-officer entrance door.

TCOLE Statewide Vacancies printed no DeSoto string on 2026-08-22.

Minimum requirements

Recruiting Information:

• Applicants must be at least 21 years of age and not over 44 years of age at the time of the entrance examination
• Possess a high school diploma; if you do not have a high school diploma, you must have a GED along with 12 hours of college credit from an accredited university with a minimum of 2 grade point average, or you must have 2 years full time military experience. No college credit hours are required if you possess a high school diploma

Posting 5464640 (re-read 2026-09-03) prints High School graduation or GED (those with GED Certification must also have completed 12 college hours from an accredited college or university with a minimum 2.0 GPA on 4.0 scale) OR 24 months minimum of active duty military with an Honorable Discharge. Recruiting Information names "2 years full time military"; the posting names "24 months minimum of active duty military." 24 months and 2 years are the same length. Active duty and full time military are not the same words. Both lines are published.

• Must pass written examination, physical fitness tests and medical tests, drug screen, and eyesight must be correctable to 20/20
• Must pass polygraph exam and psychological evaluation
• Be of good moral character as confirmed by a background check
• Possess a valid Texas driver license not in jeopardy of suspension or revocation
• Must not have ever been convicted of any offense above a "Class B" misdemeanor or its equivalent, or have been convicted of a "Class B" misdemeanor within the past five years
• If any previous military experience, must have been honorably discharged (veteran preference points with DD214 attached to the application)
• No illegal drug use for the past five years

The written civil service exam consists of 100 general knowledge questions. No police experience is necessary. The entire testing and background process takes approximately two to four months depending on where the applicant falls on the eligibility list.

21 to 44 at the entrance examination is DeSoto PD's hiring line. TCOLE's own floor is 21, or 18 with an associate's degree, 60 semester hours, or an honorable discharge after two years of active service (37 TAC 217.1(b)(1)(A)). TCOLE does not print a 44-year cap. Those are not the same measuring point. Read TCOLE peace officer license requirements.

Live recruiting does not print a citizenship sentence. Prior bulletin 2657516 printed "Must be a US citizen." TCOLE's matching rule is 37 TAC 217.1(b)(17): U.S. citizen, or a legal permanent resident who is an honorably discharged veteran with two years of service and has applied for citizenship. Both the silent live page and the 2657516 US-citizen line are published.

A valid Texas driver license is Recruiting Information's line. TCOLE does not require a Texas license. TCOLE's floor is not prohibited from operating a motor vehicle, 37 TAC 217.1(b)(8).

City Class A is conviction-only: never convicted of any offense above Class B, and no Class B conviction within the past five years. TCOLE's Class A bar is conviction or court-ordered community supervision, lifetime (37 TAC 217.1(b)(4), (b)(6)). Only Class B carries the ten-year lookback. City family violence is unpublished. TCOLE bars conviction or community supervision for family violence, 217.1(b)(7). The city line and the TCOLE floor are both published; a candidate has to clear both.

The test, PAT as printed

Selection Process: written Civil Service Test given by the Civil Service Director, then a physical fitness test. Ranking is by final test score. Veteran points are added after a passing score. Then: extensive personal history information statement, preliminary interview, background investigation, oral interview board, credit check, driving record evaluation, polygraph examination, psychological evaluation, physical/medical examination, interview with the Chief of Police. Fail any portion and you are removed.

Physical Agility / Fitness Test: the Civil Service Board approved a physical fitness evaluation. It is given to all candidates who pass the written entrance examination. It runs the same day as the written examination. Fail it, refuse it, or show up without workout clothing and you are out. Named events unpublished. This guide does not print a 2000m row. Not CPAT. Not DeSoto Fire's PAT.

Whether the 05-02-2026 sitting still feeds a standing list is unpublished. The live apply door is 5464640 through 9/25/2026 11:59 PM Central. The card does not print a sitting date.

Academy length

The city has not published a named recruit academy hour count. Recruiting Information: no police experience is necessary. Non-Certified PNC is $73,594.77. Certified P1 Base is $79,590.60. There is no cadet door at hire: you sit a civil service exam and attend a TCOLE academy if you are not already licensed. This guide does not print a week count.

See What to expect at a Texas police academy.

Laterals

Recruiting Information does not print a lateral table. Prior bulletin 2657516 asked whether you have two years as a Police Officer and for a PID. Prior Corporal 5382540 required two years as a Police Officer with the City of DeSoto. The live sworn officer entrance exam is 5464640, open through 9/25/2026 11:59 PM Central. This guide does not print a year-for-year lateral table.

Pay and benefits

Printed Non-Certified and Certified cells, DocumentCenter 891:

• Non-Certified PNC $73,594.77
• Certified P1 Base $79,590.60
• P1 A $84,366.04
• P1 B $89,417.60
• P1 C $94,793.67
• Corporal P2 $102,377.19 / $108,519.80 / $115,031.00

The first Non-Certified academy-door cell on this page is $73,594.77. Prior bulletin 4448007 reprints $70,737. Prior bulletin 2657516 reprints $59,670 / certified $61,200 / $10,000. Fire figures $65,184.70 / $77,468.18 / $92,265.84 are fire pay, not DeSoto PD.

DocumentCenter 891 additional monthly pay: Intermediate Peace Officer Certificate $50.00, Advanced $50.00, Master $50.00, Tactical Assignment Pay $125.00, Maximum Additional Monthly Pay $275.00. Benefits reprints Intermediate $50 / Advanced $50 / Masters $50 with a maximum of $150 per month, and does not print tactical. The PDF and the Benefits page disagree on the monthly max and on tactical. Both lines are published. Benefits also: officers paid biweekly, vacation and sick leave, paid holidays, retirement benefits, employee health insurance, uniforms and equipment provided, college incentive pay, longevity pay each December after the first year, overtime and compensatory time at time and one half.

Personnel Policy Manual section 11.01: regular fulltime employees are required to participate in TMRS, immediate upon hire. Vesting and contribution requirements are adopted by ordinance. The percent and the city match are unpublished on that page. Section 11.03: all employees are required to participate in Social Security. Optional deferred compensation is offered. Posting 5464640 (re-read 2026-09-03) prints Texas Municipal Retirement System at 7% contribution with a city match of 2:1, five years vesting, 20 years retirement at any age, and Social Security at 7.65% with matching city funds. The manual does not print those percents. The posting does. Both documents are published.

Promotions: position availability, time in service, and promotional examinations.

FAQ

Is DeSoto PD hiring police officers right now? Yes. Police Officer Entrance Exam 5464640 is open. Closing date 9/25/2026 11:59 PM Central. Job 01344. Regular Fulltime.

When is the written exam? The card is titled Police Officer Entrance Exam. It does not print a sitting date or a PAT date. The city Physical Agility / Fitness Test page, read 2026-08-22, says the fitness evaluation runs the same day as the written examination. Confirm the sitting date on the card or with Civil Service before you travel.

What does the job pay? The card prints $73,594.77 - $94,793.67 Annually. DocumentCenter 891 prints Non-Certified PNC $73,594.77 and Certified P1 Base $79,590.60 through P1 C $94,793.67. Those are the same band.

Is the reserve posting the same door? No. Police Officer Reserve 3619950 is Regular Part Time $27.35-$39.93 an hour, open until filled. It is not the civil-service officer exam.

The Employment page said next exam TBD. Which is true? The Employment page, read 2026-08-22, said tests twice each year and next exam TBD. The live board on 2026-09-03 lists 5464640 closing 9/25/2026 11:59 PM Central. Those two pages disagree. Act on the live board.

What should I do this week?

Open Police Officer Entrance Exam 5464640 and apply before 9/25/2026 11:59 PM Central. Finish early. Read Recruiting Information for the 21-to-44 age line and the 100-question exam. If you meant fire, stop here; DeSoto Fire Rescue hires on a separate schedule. Ready to Serve is the candidate tracker for certifications and application materials.

Sources, used 2026-08-22 and re-read 2026-09-03

• Compensation (FY 2026 pay structures for non-exempt, exempt, police, and fire; retrieved 2026-08-22)
• DocumentCenter 891 10012025-Police-PDF (Non-Certified PNC $73,594.77; Certified P1 Base $79,590.60 through P1 C $94,793.67; cert / tactical monthly; retrieved 2026-08-22)
• DocumentCenter 889 10012025-Fire-PDF (FNC $65,184.70 / F1 $77,468.18 / F1 C $92,265.84; retrieved 2026-08-22)
• Recruiting Information (21 to 44 at entrance exam; HS/GED path; Texas DL; Class B five-year; 100-question exam; retrieved 2026-08-22)
• Employment (civil service; tests twice each year; retrieved 2026-08-22)
• Civil Service (upcoming exams on Job Opportunities; Final Eligibility List for Police Entry Exam 05-02-2026; retrieved 2026-08-22)
• DocumentCenter 2025 (Police Entry Exam 05-02-2026 eligibility list; 200; retrieved 2026-08-22)
• Selection Process (written plus PAT; PHS through Chief interview; retrieved 2026-08-22)
• Physical Agility / Fitness Test (same day as written; named events unpublished; retrieved 2026-08-22)
• Benefits (cert $50/$50/$50 max $150; retrieved 2026-08-22)
• Police (714 E Beltline Road; 469-658-3000; Chief Joseph W. Costa; retrieved 2026-08-22)
• About (nationally accredited; retrieved 2026-08-22)
• History (1949 first City Marshal; 1964 first Chief; retrieved 2026-08-22)
• Personnel Policy Manual (TMRS required, rate unpublished; Social Security required; retrieved 2026-08-22)
• Police Officer Entrance Exam 5464640 (Job 01344; $73,594.77-$94,793.67 Annually; Opening 08/28/2026; Closing 9/25/2026 11:59 PM Central; Regular Fulltime; 7% TMRS / 2:1 city match on that posting; re-read 2026-09-03)
• NEOGOV police keywords board (2 jobs found; 5464640 and Reserve 3619950; re-read 2026-09-03)
• NEOGOV board (16 jobs and no entrance exam on 2026-08-22; Reserve 3619950 still listed 2026-09-03; retrieved 2026-08-22, board re-read 2026-09-03)
• 4448007 ($70,737; closed 5/16/2024; retrieved 2026-08-22)
• 2657516 ($59,670; closed 1/31/2020; US citizen; retrieved 2026-08-22)
• 5382540 (Corporal; closed 7/24/2026; retrieved 2026-08-22)
• TCOLE Statewide Vacancies (no DeSoto string; retrieved 2026-08-22)
• Adopted 37 TAC §217.1, effective June 1, 2026 (TCOLE license floor; retrieved 2026-08-22)
• desoto-pd (Non-Certified PNC $73,594.77; open door 5464640); desoto-fire-rescue (67/3)