Chico Police Internship Program
The Chico Police Department takes pride in providing internship opportunities for our local college students each Spring and Fall semester. The department hosts between 5 and 15 interns each semester, many returning for several semesters of service to the department.
At the beginning of each semester, interested candidates are requested to e-mail the Internship Coordinator (early August or January, depending on the semester) with their resume. When an e-mail of interest is received, the coordinator will then provide the applicant with an Internship Packet to complete and submit to the coordinator for review.
Upon review, the Internship Coordinator will contact qualified applicants and schedule an interview session. Upon completion of the interview process, the interview panel will provide feedback to the applicant, providing a learning opportunity that the applicant may utilize to improve upon future employment pursuits. After all interviews are completed and reviewed by supervising staff, selections will be made, and the applicants will be notified if they have been selected or not.
Chico Police internship positions are often limited in number, and the interview process provides an opportunity for police department staff to determine the best “fit” for the department’s current intern needs. Individuals who are selected for an intern position will be required to be fingerprinted and successfully pass a background check. Once the background check is completed, the applicant will be assigned their position and meet with the department supervisor to discuss their duties and schedule. Interns may be placed in one or multiple departments based on availability and need.
Our interns need to be self-starters, as they often work independently. The department works around the intern’s schedule and allows them to pick the days and times when they are available to work (most interns work a minimum of 8 hours per week).
Evaluations are completed for the intern to provide opportunity for positive comment and, if necessary, areas for improvement and recommendations. Interns who are evaluated on a high level are often invited to continue their internship, allowing for exposure to other areas of the department and those assigned duties.
If you are interested in applying for an internship with the Chico Police Department, please e-mail your resume to Sarah Christensen at sarah.christensen@chicoca.gov at the beginning of August or January. Do not delay e-mailing your interest. Most often, resumes are accepted, and interview appointments are scheduled before the end of the month, allowing for placement by September or February.
Applicants that meet the requirements and are successfully selected for an internship may be placed in any of the following units
- Administration - Intern will work with Police Command Staff, Training Coordinator, Community Outreach units, and other Administrative staff on assigned projects. These assignments vary and include: creating spreadsheets, documents, PowerPoint presentations, filing, stocking, shopping, and many other projects, as assigned.
- Animal Services – Intern will work at the City of Chico Animal Shelter. There are multiple areas where interns are needed to include: answering phones at the front desk, entering data, assisting the Vet Technician and Rescue Assistant, doing laundry, dishwashing, landscaping, and cleaning.
- Detectives *Reserved for second-term Interns* – Interns will work with a Detective Sergeant on projects of his or her choice. This assignment allows the intern to experience the inner workings of the Detectives Bureau and Gang Unit. This assignment does require a more detailed background check to be completed prior to assignment.
- Property/Evidence - Intern will assist with District Attorney and Officer evidence requests, stock evidence supplies, file in Property/Evidence & Records, and assist the Property/Evidence Manager in purging property, case investigations, and data entry.
- Records – Interns will assist Records staff with multiple tasks to include data entry, creating cold calls, live scan fingerprinting, staffing the front counter, filing, scanning, purging and other projects, as assigned.
If pursuing a career in law enforcement, an internship at the Chico Police Department provides a great opportunity to learn the department's internal processes as well as develop relationships with police staff who may serve as mentors and advisors on your career path.
If you are interested in applying for a Chico Police Department Internship, please e-mail your resume to Sarah Christensen at sarah.christensen@chicoca.gov or call (530) 897-4957 for questions.
