Patrol Officer; Certified

PATROL OFFICER (CERTIFIED)

All Locations (New Castle, DE; Cape May, NJ; Lewes, DE)

2025 Certified New Hire Salary $67,876 (Annualized)

2025 FTO Completion $69,763 (Annualized)

Opening Date:
April 20, 2026 Closing Date:
Until Filled

The general responsibilities of a Patrol Officer include responding to calls for service, enforcing traffic and criminal laws, and operating police vehicles when on routine patrol.

• Engage in interpersonal communications with the public and co‑workers by promoting a professional and courteous environment
• Participate with co‑workers and supervisors in the advancement of the troop's goals and objectives
• Complete assigned and self‑initiated workloads
• Efficiently analyze and organize information and evidence obtained during traffic and criminal investigations for prosecution purposes
• Deliver emergency services to the public by responding to calls for service safely and promptly and by providing assistance to those in need
• Protect the public, co‑workers and themselves from harm and injury by following established safety and security practices and by correcting and/or reporting safety and/or security hazards or risks
• Responsible for the entire arrest procedure including examining, handcuffing, conducting a field search and guarding the arrestee to prevent escape or suicide
• Exercise discretion in the use of deadly and non‑deadly force
• Arraign a defendant and testify in court
• Make NCIC, DELJIS, SCIC and CAD inquiries and conduct a full traffic collision investigation (interview witnesses, sketch and measure collision scenes, determine contributing factors and identify violations, etc.)
• Enforce motor vehicle laws
• Maintain physical ability necessary to engage in physical confrontations using offensive and defensive tactics to subdue combative subjects
• Work a 12‑hour rotating shift and adapt to irregular working conditions
• Write reports of various types, including traffic reports, summonses and arrest reports
• Identify public utility problems and report other road hazards
• Assist motorists in need of assistance or in performing traffic direction and control
• Utilize a variety of equipment, including an automobile, communications equipment, baton, breath testing instrument, computer terminal, fire extinguisher, flashlight, handcuffs, portable radio, police car radio, radar/laser unit, semi‑automatic pistol, shotgun, body armor and photographic equipment
• Instruct suspects on obtaining an attorney, enforce court orders, respond to civil disputes, and testify in Family Court
• Prepare search warrants, collect evidence, and inventory stolen property
• Stand/walk continuously for more than half the work shift and walk on narrow, elevated surfaces as required
• Prepare interdepartmental memorandums and daily operational reports, and maintain daily logs
• Clean and inspect firearms and perform random equipment inspections
• Provide superior customer service by responding in a courteous and efficient manner

• Knowledge of laws and departmental rules, regulations, and procedures as well as other resource materials
• Knowledge of weapon craft and demonstration of usable knowledge of court decisions
• Skill in the use of firearms and non‑lethal weapons
• Ability to drive in both emergency and non‑emergency conditions
• Ability to communicate orally and in writing, cope with stressful situations, evaluate a situation, respond correctly and apply appropriate discretion and common sense; provide excellent customer service

• Must be a United States citizen
• Must be at least twenty‑one (21) years of age
• Must possess a high school diploma or a GED equivalent
• Minimum uncorrected vision not greater than 20/200 in each eye and correctable with lenses to 20/20 in each eye; able to distinguish between the colors of red, green and amber
• Height and weight in proper proportion; must be in excellent cardiovascular physical condition

• One (1) year of satisfactory employment as a full‑time Certified Police Officer; two (2) years preferred

• Completion of at least sixty (60) college credits from an accredited…