POLICE Officer - Entry Level, BLEA Certified, and Lateral Transfer

Description

Performs law enforcement, crime investigation, and crime prevention work. Primary responsibility is for the protection of life and property through enforcing statutes and laws. Duties normally consist of patrol and traffic activities in the city on an assigned shift in a patrol car, on a bicycle, or on foot and answering calls for service. Duties include investigation of crimes and traffic accidents.

Patrol officers work assigned cases from preliminary investigation stage until logical conclusion. Employees may be delegated assignments in specialized areas such as major investigations, training, or officer-in-charge in the absence of a Police Sergeant. Work involves an element of personal danger and employees must exercise individual judgment and discretion in meeting emergencies and enforcing ordinances and laws. New hires will be required to successfully complete an 18 month trial period prior to permanent appointment.

During the trial period, new officers are expected to apply formal classroom and on-the-job training experiences to actual work situations. Initial training consists of formal classroom course work at the police academy unless prior certification provides the ability to continue certification in the state of Washington or law allows equivalency certification. All newly hired police officers must successfully complete field training under the direction of an experienced officer or shift commander.

Officers are hired at trainee status until successful completion of basic academy certification requirements. As experience and training is gained, the employee is eligible to progress to first class police officer status. Qualified lateral entry officers may be eligible for 3rd class officer status (mid pay range) upon employment. Direct supervision of other employees is not a responsibility of positions in this class unless delegated officer-in-charge duties.

Reports to a shift commander (Sergeant) who reviews work performance for quality of reports written and law enforcement activities.

ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Engages in preventive patrol to determine the existence of actual or potential troublesome crime related situations.

Conducts investigations regarding possible law violation, obtaining and verifying factual information from involved persons; interacts with families of suspects, victims, or offenders to obtain and provide information; acquires and protects all evidence including recording observed and verbally reported data in relation to possible crime related violations; verbally interacts with witnesses and victims, suspects, and offenders to obtain information.

Determines existence of probable cause, identifies, and takes suspects and offenders into physical custody; conducts examinations of persons, vehicles, premises, or areas to determine the presence of individuals or illegal activities or articles; takes necessary steps to locate, identify, and impound property taken from rightful owners; takes suspect or offender into custody and delivers them to appropriate confinement location, maintaining security and safety of individuals being moved from one place to another;

transfers or accepts custody of suspects or offenders and participates in completion of required jail intake procedures.

Is assigned an active case load requiring follow-up investigations and continues with assigned investigation, unless relieved of the case by a supervisor, until the investigation leads to a logical conclusion.

Initiates public service activities and responds to requests from persons for information and assistance; seeks to resolve disputes between family members and disputes between two or more persons; controls small or large groups of people involved in potential or actual disturbance situations including civil disorders; meets with citizen groups in programs directed toward understanding of law, crime prevention, and the criminal justice system.

Attends work on a regular and dependable basis.

Ability to implement the Pullman Police Department mission statement, “Policing our community with compassion and professionalism” on a daily basis…