Employment at MUPD

If you have ever considered a career with a police department?  The Miami University Police Department may be the place for you.

Miami University is a mid-size, state university located in Oxford, Ohio, about 40 miles north of Cincinnati. Noted for its beautiful campus, the University has a student enrollment of approximately 16,000, with a resident population of about 7,000. In addition, the University employs some 2,850 full time faculty and staff. The University consists of 3 square miles, including a nature preserve located adjacent to campus.

The Miami University Police Services Center is located on State Route 73 at the edge of campus. The department is composed of 28 sworn police officers, commissioned by the State of Ohio, and unsworn staff.  Sworn personnel are organized into three sections: administration, investigations and uniformed patrol. Patrol officers are encouraged to be independent generalists, following up on problems they handle and using creative means to solve them. One position in investigations is a rotating assignment for which all patrol officers are eligible. University police officers perform a variety of tasks during a typical tour of duty. They are assigned to patrol the campus by foot, patrol car, or mountain bike while also performing these and other duties:

  • Respond to complaints and other calls for service, and take appropriate action to resolve them.
  • Take police reports, and follow up on them when appropriate.
  • Investigate violations of State statutes and University regulations.
  • Arrest those found in violation of State laws.
  • Issue citations for parking and traffic violations.

The Miami University Police places a strong emphasis on community-oriented policing. Officers are expected to reflect this philosophy in the daily pursuit of their duties.  Unsworn personnel include emergency dispatchers and records personnel. 

Requirements

To be eligible to apply for a police officer position, candidates must:

  • Be at least 21 years old at time of application.
  • Possess a high school diploma or equivalent.
  • Possess a valid driver's license and good driving record.
  • Possess current OPOTC certification.

A college education is preferred, but not required. Applications are generally accepted each spring to form an eligibility list that is valid for the next year, as provided by Ohio Civil Service rules. A test will be administered to rank applicants; applicants who are currently employed as a police officer by a public agency in Ohio, and have been employed at that agency for at least two years, may be eligible to waive the test requirement.

Eligible candidates must successfully complete a series of oral interviews, a thorough background investigation, computerized voice stress analysis interview, and a psychological assessment before being appointed. Applicants who are not required to test will be ranked on the eligibility list based on their performance on the initial oral board interview. Officers serve a one-year probationary period. A prior criminal record may be grounds for disqualification.

For all positions, the status of our application process will be updated on this web page when it changes, all applications must be submitted online through PageUp or from a link on this page when the department is accepting applications to form an eligibility list. Specific questions concerning jobs with MUPD may be answered by emailing police@miamioh.edu 

Benefits

Miami University offers a competitive salary to its police officers, rewarding continuing education and higher education with both permanent salary increases and annual bonuses. MUPD also offers prior service credit, allowing experienced police officers to start at a higher rate of pay. Officers work ten-hour days on assigned shifts with rotating off days. The ten-hour schedule provides officers with two or three days off per week, depending on where they are in the rotation. In addition, the department has a flexible leave policy that includes two weeks of paid vacation per year after the first year of service.

Special assignments and promotional advancements are available within the department, as well as numerous off-site training opportunities. Some of the special assignments that the Miami University Police Department offers to patrol officers include bike patrol, police K-9 handler and positions on the multi-agency Special Response Team (SRT).

Staff also receive a tuition waiver when attending classes at Miami University; this waiver extends to immediate family members after three years of service. Miami University police officers participate in the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System—Law Enforcement (PERS—LE) retirement program. Unsworn staff participate in the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) You can read about other benefits available to Miami University employees on Benefits and Wellness.

Miami University is a diverse community and seeks to reflect this in its police officers; thus, women and minorities are encouraged to apply. Miami University is an equal opportunity employer.