Police Officer- Lateral In-State and Police Officer - Lateral Out-of-State

Police Officer - Lateral

The City of Mesa is excited to offer a hiring bonus for individuals hired as a Police Officer - Lateral (In State or Out of State). $2,500 will be paid after the successful completion of the lateral academy and $2,500 will be paid upon completion of the Field Training Program.

A Police Officer performs general duty police work or specialized police work in the protection of life and property. In carrying out the responsibilities of an entry-level Arizona Peace Officer, a Mesa Police Department Police Officer : interacts with a culturally and socially diverse population; employs discretion in solving problems; maintains public order; prevents crime; enforces laws and ordinances; conducts investigations; makes arrests; issues summonses / citations and warnings; assists the public; and may perform administrative support tasks. This class is responsible for performing related duties as required. Work normally consists of routine patrol, preliminary investigations, and traffic control duties in a designated area on an assigned shift. The employee's primary responsibility is to respond to public safety calls for service. Incumbents may work on an assignment, which necessitates specialized abilities and knowledge usually attained through experience as a uniformed officer. Police Officers may be assigned to : assist in the training and evaluation of Police Officer - Recruits; perform traffic control and enforcement on a police motorcycle or bicycle; handle high-risk tactical operations or hostage situations; handle hazardous devices; work with specially trained K-9 police dogs; conduct crime scene investigations for the detection of latent impressions and other physical evidence; work in the Criminal Investigations Division to perform detailed follow-up investigations and prepare cases for prosecuting; perform specialized investigations in the area of organized crime and maintain complex criminal intelligence files; and conduct aerial surveillance on assignment as a helicopter observer / pilot. Work assignments are made by a Police Sergeant or other superior. Work methods are checked through personal inspections, review of reports, and discussions. Work requires occasional physical exertion under adverse circumstances. A Police Officer is subject to rotating shifts, weekend, and holiday work.

A Police Officer - Lateral is an experienced Arizona peace officer who is not required to attend the Mesa Police Academy and is assigned to a Field Training Officer upon hire. A Police Officer - Lateral must successfully complete the Field Training Officer program. The length of training will be dependent on an incumbent's performance as determined by the police training staff. This class is FLSA nonexempt.

A Police Officer - Lateral Out-of-State is an experienced peace officer who is hired at the Police Officer Recruit starting salary while studying for, and taking, the waiver exams for Arizona certification. Upon successful completion of the waiver exams, the position will be criteria-based promoted to the position of Police Officer - Lateral. Lateral hires are not required to attend the Mesa Police Department Academy. Upon promotion, Lateral Officers are assigned to field training officers, and must successfully complete the program.