CopJobs report · Q4 2026 · as of Oct 20, 2026
California police hiring, Q4 2026
752 sworn jobs were open at 323 California departments on Oct 20, 2026. See them all.
Open sworn jobs
752
as of Oct 20, 2026Departments hiring
323
as of Oct 20, 2026Median starting pay
$87,336
departments' own postingsJobs offering a hiring bonus
102 (14%)
as of Oct 20, 2026Lateral (certified officer) jobs
277 (37%)
of open sworn jobsStarting pay changes
3
since Jul 22, 2026Largest hiring bonuses in California
- Alameda Police DepartmentFor new officers · “$75,000 HIRING INCENTIVE” posting$75,000
- Hemet Police DepartmentFor certified laterals · “Police Officer (Lateral) - $60K Hiring Bonus Eligible” posting$60,000
- Yuba City Police DepartmentFor certified laterals · “*Lateral Incentive! $45,000**” posting$45,000
- Paradise Police DepartmentFor certified laterals · “One-time Lateral* Sign-on Bonus of $40,000” posting$40,000
- Napa County Sheriff's OfficeFor new officers · “Newly hired Deputy Sheriffs may receive a signing bonus of up to $30,000, with the amount determined by their term of service.” postingup to $30,000
Starting pay changes this quarter
| Department | Was | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Napa County Sheriff's Office CA | $105,810 | $109,242 source |
| Napa County Sheriff's Office CA | $111,072 | $114,691 source |
| Napa County Sheriff's Office CA | $122,574 | $126,568 source |
How these numbers are made
- Jobs. Open sworn police, deputy and trooper postings on Oct 20, 2026, read every week from departments' own hiring systems and state peace-officer boards. Civilian, dispatch and corrections-officer jobs are not counted; sheriff's jail deputy jobs are.
- Starting pay. The median of each department's starting figure for a new full-time officer, as its own posting states it. A state's median needs at least 5 departments.
- Hiring bonuses. Bonuses a current posting offers, in the posting's own words, until the end date it gives. Referral and retention pay are not counted.
- Lateral jobs. Postings only for officers already certified elsewhere.
- Pay changes. Starting-pay moves seen in the department's own postings over the last 90 days, with the posting linked.
Published by CopJobs. Every figure is as of Oct 20, 2026; the report is refreshed each week and published quarterly.