Public Safety Aide

The City of Falls Church is recruiting for a permanent, full-time (40 hours per week) Public Safety Aide. Public Safety Aides are unarmed, civilian Police Department employees with no arrest powers who are primarily tasked with parking enforcement and school crossing duties.

The Falls Church Police Department is seeking dynamic and goal-driven employees who are motivated to take on challenges, are passionate about making a difference in their community, and focused on achieving our mission: to ensure the highest quality of public safety services with the utmost regard for the sanctity of life through integrity and respect for human rights, the Constitution of the United States, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and its laws.

The successful candidate will be responsible for working shiftwork of intermediate difficulty in performing paraprofessional and technical duties within the Police Department.

The Public Safety Aide is primarily responsible for traffic safety, customer service, parking enforcement, and school crossing duties. Specific responsibilities include:

• Issuing tickets to vehicles violating City and/or state laws, which may include diffusing tense interactions with members of the public while enforcing parking regulations.
• Ensuring safe, clear, and lawful passage for public school students and regulating vehicular traffic at designated school crossings during arrival and dismissal times;
  Assisting bus drivers, parents, vehicle operators, police, and school staff to ensure a safe and orderly school ingress and egress process; and taking appropriate action with drivers or pedestrians who fail to cooperate and reports such action as required.
• Assisting sworn public safety officers with traffic control at special events and crash scenes; transporting, deploying and retrieving traffic cones and portable traffic signs in designated areas; coordinating vehicle impoundment and release; and reporting traffic hazards or violators to the Police Department.
• Operating an assigned motor vehicle, with or without towing equipment trailer, and walking several blocks at a time.
• Bending, lifting, carrying, and deploying portable traffic signs or traffic cones (weighing 40 pounds or more) along the roadway.
• Working outdoors in all types of weather for extended periods.
• Attending meetings, giving statements, providing reports, and appearing/testifying in traffic court as necessary.
• Performing miscellaneous Police Department or City Government duties, such as assisting with security and customer support functions at City facilities.
• Capturing accurate citations and summons data when writing tickets and reports.
• Utilizing public safety communication equipment, including radios.
• Exercising considerable independent judgment and initiative.
• Performing related tasks as required.

• Must be at least 18 years old.
• High School Diploma or GED; vocational school or additional higher education preferred.
• Must be a United States citizen or be a permanent U.S. resident who is eligible and in the process of acquiring U.S. citizenship.
• Possess a valid motor vehicle operator’s license with at least one year of driving experience. (
  
  Note:
  
  Applicant’s privilege to operate a motor vehicle must not be suspended or revoked at the time of appointment, must have no “Driving Under the Influence” convictions three years previous to the date of applicant’s date of appointment, must have no Reckless Driving convictions three years previous to the date of applicant’s date of appointment, and or no negative driving points higher than four points on the applicant’s driving record from any state maintaining a driver’s license record of the applicant prior to the date of appointment of the applicant.)
• Be of good moral character and have never been convicted of a felony; or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, perjury, or false statement.
• Successfully complete a background investigation.
• Pass a physical exam, including testing for the presence of unlawful drugs.
• Must have the ability to obtain Virginia Criminal Information Network (VCIN) State Operator Certification.
• Be able to successfully complete the Public Safety Aide training and certifications and maintain all requirements for the Public Safety Aide position.
• Have at least one (1) year of experience working with the public (preferred).