When someone applies for a job with the UCLA Police Department, our Backgrounds/Training Division is there to help them through the process. More than just taking care of all the administration involved, they are dedicated to the success of each candidate who starts their career with UCPD.
Our Backgrounds/Training Division consists of Personnel and Training Sergeant Camille Brox and Background Investigator Luis Mercado. They oversee all hiring and training in the department except for student positions (Community Service Officers and Emergency Medical Technicians). Their responsibilities include conducting interviews and background investigations, facilitating mandated trainings, and hosting monthly hiring events.
The application for becoming a police officer opens twice per year and requires no formal training as that will be provided after hiring. Applicants only need to have a high school diploma, be at least 21 years old when they graduate from the academy, be physically fit, and have good moral character.
The benefits of working at UCPD include competitive compensation, paid time off, comprehensive medical coverage, and generous retirement options including an attractive pension plan. But they also include a supportive team environment according to Investigator Mercado.
“I love who I work with, they’re all my friends,” he says. “That’s one of the cool things about working for a small department, I get to know everyone and everyone knows me.”
For Sergeant Brox, it’s rewarding to see the personal growth of candidates as they go through the process of becoming an officer.
“The person that shows up to the (hiring event) is not the same person that you see when they graduate the academy,” she says. “They look different, they behave different, they sound different, they’re more confident, and they’re ready to take on the challenges they’re going to face in the real world.”
