Community Service Officer

Position Summary

Under general supervision, a Community Services Officer I (CSO I) performs a wide variety of technical tasks to support the Willits Police Department Staff’s delivery of law enforcement services to the community. It is necessary that CSOs be available to work a variety of shift assignments including day, swing, and graveyard shifts, weekends, and holidays.

General supervision is provided by the Police Sergeant.

This is a journey level non-sworn classification in the Police Department and is expected to work directly with the Sergeant. The incumbent is also responsible for performing a variety of highly confidential duties in support of the Chief of Police.

• Greets telephone callers and visitors to department; screens and handles inquiries of a general or specific nature; takes messages.
• Investigates and prepares reports on burglary, petty theft, lost and found property, missing persons, property damage, accidents, City Ordinance violations, abandoned vehicles, and other incidents.
• Transports prisoners to County Jail and other locations.
• Operates teletype and computer terminals and a variety of other office equipment.
• Assists with administering parking citation program.
• Provides general clerical and telephone support for the Department.
• Processes and serves subpoenas.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge of:

• Correct English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• General office practices and procedures.
• Modern police practices and methods.
• General functions and activities of municipal government.

Ability to:

• Work effectively with the public.
• Tactfully and effectively deal with various racial, ethnic, and economic groups.
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Learn and understand laws, codes, and procedures.
• Understand and follow verbal and written instructions.
• Prepare reports in accordance with required standards.
• Maintain detailed logs and records.
• Operate teletype and computer terminals and typewriters.
• Learn the organization and operations of municipal police departments.
• Learn general office, record keeping, and filing methods and systems.
• Learn Department rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Learn basic photographic methods.
• Learn basic computer skills.
• Ability to legally possess and use firearms during course of employment.

High School Diploma or equivalent;
Completion of a POST or STC certified 832 PC course or ability to complete the course within 180 days of employment in the position; any combination equivalent to one (1) year experience in public contact work environment, preferably in a law enforcement agency.

• Possession of a valid California Class C driver’s license.
• Excellent physical condition: free from any disqualifying conditions cited in the document “Medical Screening Manual for California Law Enforcement”, published by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.
• Achieved an acceptable rating in the City’s psychological evaluation prior to initial hiring.
• Vision:
  Both eyes corrected to 20/20 or 20/40 uncorrected.

Frequent walking, running, crawling, twisting, grabbing, fighting, wrestling, struggling, climbing, sitting, standing, walking on uneven and/or slippery surfaces, carrying an 80 pound object or dragging a 150 pound object for 80 feet; occasional squatting for hiding, kneeling, laying in a prone position, jumping; must be flexible, have a static-explosive-dynamic-trunk strength in order to overcome combative suspects, good coordination and equilibrium; arm and hand steadiness for shooting firearms and doing articulate evidentiary collection;

good hand dexterity and coordination for computer and other related duties; good vision both far and near as well as color; good hearing; good physical conditioning for stamina, mobility and effort utilized on the job.