Police Officer-Lateral or Academy Graduate

Police Officer

Qualified applicants must be a lateral officer or an academy graduate.

The Police Officer is an entry / journey level class responsible for performance of the full scope of assigned law enforcement duties and responsibilities under general supervision. New incumbents may have limited related experience but are expected to learn the full range of duties and responsibilities, perform duties with minimal direct supervision, and exercise sound judgment and discretion in making decisions. This classification is distinguished from the next higher classification of Police Sergeant in that the latter is responsible for performance of the more complex and difficult tasks, as well as the supervision of assigned law enforcement activities.

The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and / or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.

• Patrols assigned areas of the City by car, motorcycle, bicycle, or on foot to preserve law and order, discover and prevent commission of crimes, and to enforce traffic and other laws and ordinances; maintains awareness of and remains alert for wanted suspects, known criminals, stolen vehicles, missing persons, traffic violators, and crimes in progress; issues warnings and citations.
• Responds to calls for the protection of life and property, the enforcement of laws and ordinances, general public service calls, and complaints including those involving automobile accidents, traffic hazards, misdemeanor and felony incidents, domestic disturbances, health code and local ordinance violations, property control, civil complaints, and related incidents; responds to and provides assistance at a variety of public service type calls that are non-criminal in nature.
• Conducts initial and follow-up investigations at scenes of incidents to which summoned or incidents observed; determines what, if any crime has been committed; collects, preserves, processes, photographs, and books evidence; locates and interviews victims and witnesses; identifies and interrogates suspects.
• Prepares and serves search and arrest warrants; apprehends and arrests offenders for crimes committed under federal, state, and local laws and codes; controls and mitigates people under the influence of drugs or alcohol or other potentially hostile situations.
• Directs traffic at fires, special events, and other emergency situations; provides traffic and crowd control at parades, festivals, riots, and other events.
• Serves as liaison and public relations officer for the assigned area; establishes and preserves good relationships with the general public; may develop reliable informants and provide intelligence information to divisional and / or departmental personnel.
• Contacts and cooperates with other law enforcement agencies in matters relating to the apprehension of offenders and the investigation of offenses; may respond to requests for assistance from agencies outside the City for mutual aid in the suppression of civil disturbances, apprehension of criminals, or other related requests.
• Performs a variety of administrative and other types of duties in support of law enforcement services, programs, and activities; attends meetings; maintains and calibrates specialized equipment.
• Prepares a variety of reports including those on activities, operations, arrests made, and unusual incidents observed; prepares investigative reports and case information.
• Testifies in juvenile, civil, traffic, municipal, and criminal courts, and parole and DMV hearings; prepares and presents evidence; responds to mandatory court calls during irregular hours.
• Assumes responsibility for the care and custody of detained persons; assists in receiving, searching, booking, fingerprinting, and transporting prisoners.
• Conducts property and building checks for burglary and other criminal activity.
• Administers CPR and first aid in cases of emergency.
• Conducts chemical, drug and alcohol testing.
• Responds to questions, concerns, and requests for service from the general public; answers questions from the public concerning local and state laws, procedures, and activities of the department; provides information as appropriate and resolves complaints.
• Participates in continuous training to enhance law enforcement skills including defensive driving skills, apprehension and arrest techniques, investigative skills, and general law enforcement skills.
• May serve as officer in charge or in a variety of special program areas including the Special Enforcement Team, K-9, traffic safety, school resource officer, detective, multi-agency task forces, and administration.
• May train and assist less experienced personnel as assigned; may serve as a Field Training Officer; documents trainee progress and prepares evaluations; serves as acting field supervisor as assigned.
• May assume responsibility for monitoring and scheduling training for Department personnel; determines, with direction from the training manager, training requirements for assignments and schedules training for employees.
• When assigned as Detective, performs specialized police investigative work involving the detection, investigation, and prosecution of criminal offenders; participates in special operations including covert surveillances and crime suppression details; reviews and investigates cases associated with suspected drug activity, criminal street gangs, sex registrants, parolees, probationers, and other issues / cases.
• When assigned as School Resource Officer or Youth Officer, serves as law enforcement officer, law related counselor, and law related instructor at assigned school; provides crime prevention and intervention services; provides information and assistance to local school staff and students; makes group presentations and conducts law related education classes on campus; attends committee / commission meetings and provides support to related activities / events; participates in after school programs; administers Juvenile Diversion Program contracts and supervises clients in the program; serves as liaison between the school and the Police Department; maintains program statistics and reports.
• When assigned as Canine Handler, assumes responsibility for the health, cleanliness, and suitability of assigned canine; attends required training sessions with the Department's canine trainer and trains regularly with the canine; assists other officers in conducting searches for people, narcotics, or evidence; responds to calls requiring canine team services including tracking for a person, conducting an area or building search, and related services.
• When assigned to Traffic Safety Unit, contacts and educates the public regarding traffic safety in order to reduce overall injury and non-injury vehicle collisions; enforces vehicle code and other laws pertaining to vehicles; conducts special enforcement and problem solving in areas where traffic issues are of concern; monitors and performs safety checks of commercial vehicles traveling through the City; investigates collisions; plans, organizes, and staffs sobriety checkpoints.
• When assigned as Corporal, serves as the first level of established supervision within the Police Department; performs law enforcement and crime prevention work of a more difficult and complex nature; acts as an assistance supervisor to a Patrol Sergeant; in the absence of the assigned Sergeant, serves and assumes all duties of a Police Sergeant; serves in specialized departmental roles as assigned; provides information and assistance to the public.
• When assigned to the Special Services Team, contacts and educates the public regarding quality of life issues; collaborates with city, county and state personnel to provide long term solutions; enforces vehicle, municipal, and business code violations; coordinates and conducts special enforcement and problem solving in areas where traffic issues and quality of life issues are of concern; monitors and performs safety checks of our homeless and transitory population; maintains open lines of communications with businesses and addresses concerns; assists Code Enforcement, Park Ranger with criminal enforcement and solution planning; attends City functions promoting the police department and its positive relationship with the community; other duties as assigned.
• Performs related duties as required.

The following generally describes the knowledge and ability required to enter the job and / or be learned within a short period of time in order to successfully perform the assigned duties.

Knowledge of :

Ability