Village Public Safety Officer

Village Public Safety Officer (VPSO)

Job Description —
Tlingit and Haida employees VPSO in the following Southeast Alaska Communities:
Angoon, Hydaburg, Kake, Kasaan, Klukwan, Pelican, Saxman and Thorne Bay. While we actively recruit continuously, certain locations may be filled and not currently needing placement. If you are interested in a VPSO opportunity in any one of these communities, we encourage you to apply; our VPSO recruitment team will reach out to start the discussion on VPSO opportunity in Southeast Alaska!

Job Class: Village Public Safety Officer

Department: Public Safety

Salary Grade(s): Starting at $36.29

Location of Work: Southeast Alaska

Status: Active

Type of Position: Non-Exempt

Covered Position: Yes

Employment Category: Regular

The Village Public Safety Officer (VPSO) is responsible for ensuring public safety within the community. Primary responsibilities include law enforcement, fire prevention and suppression, emergency medical response, probation and parole monitoring, search and rescue operations, and other related public safety services.

Reports to:

Public Safety Coordinator and RPSOs

• Respond to calls for services, secure scenes, and gather evidence.
• Interview victims and witnesses.
• Enforce state laws and local ordinances through patrol duties.
• Investigate felony and misdemeanor crimes along with traffic violations.
• Assist Alaska State Troopers as needed.
• Complete required reports and documentation.
• Implement crime prevention and community policing strategies.

• Develop and provide training for the volunteer fire department.
• Operate and maintain firefighting apparatus and vehicles.
• Conduct home and public building fire safety inspections.
• Maintain inventory and schedule maintenance for firefighting equipment.

• Conduct bi-monthly personal contact with assigned probationers and parolees.
• Obtain and document urine samples, reporting results to the District Probation Office (DPO).
• Provide updated photographs of supervised sex offenders annually or upon physical appearance changes.

• Maintain EMT I or ETT certification as required.
• Administer basic first aid and CPR when needed.
• Operate and maintain emergency medical vehicles and equipment.
• Coordinate with EMS teams and participate in emergency medical response efforts.

• Develop and participate in community-wide Search and Rescue planning.
• Establish contacts with external agencies such as Alaska State Troopers and the U.S. Coast Guard.
• Serve as a liaison for search and rescue operations.

• Participate in public safety training and development initiatives.
• Maintain detailed logs and reports related to VPSO activities.
• Work a minimum of 37.5 hours per week, including office hours, patrol duties, fire inspections, and school visits.
• Remain on call 24/7 unless alternative arrangements have been approved.

• Ability to work effectively in a cross-cultural environment.
• Maintain confidentiality regarding programming matters.
• Adhere to the APIA Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual.
• Comply with Alaska State Troopers VPSO SAR Manual.
• Perform additional duties as assigned by the Community Services Program Coordinator.

• Must be a U.S. citizen or a resident alien with intent to become a citizen.
• Must be 21 years of age or older.
• Must possess good moral character.
• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Must pass a medical evaluation confirming physical, visual, and hearing ability to perform VPSO duties.
• Must hold a valid Alaska Drivers License.
• Must pass a thorough background and a psychological evaluation.

• Any felony conviction.
• misdemeanor conviction within the last five years.
• A misdemeanor involving dishonesty or moral turpitude.
• A misdemeanor assault conviction within the past ten years related to domestic violence.
• A history of illegal controlled substance use (excluding marijuana use over one year ago).
• Two or more Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) convictions.
• Previous denial or revocation of VPSO…