Police Officer

Requires successful post-offer completion of a background investigation, polygraph exam, psychological exam, physical exam, and drug test as a condition of employment with the City of Joplin.


Must be 21 years of age, a United States citizen, with no felony convictions or misdemeanor domestic violence convictions. Must be in compliance with department policy on tattoos, piercings and gauges. Must be able to work a variety of shifts; subject to call-in as needed. Successful completion of annual qualifications and department mandated training is required. Specialized assignments may require additional qualifications, certifications and licensure, based on the assignment.

Primary Purpose

Under general supervision, performs uniformed law enforcement duties within the city limits including business and residence checks, discovering and preventing the commission of crimes, and enforcing State, and City laws and ordinances.

Essential Job Functions
Management reserves the rights to add, modify, change, or rescind the work assignments of different
positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential
functions of the job. Regular and consistent attendance for the assigned work schedule is essential.

1. Patrols city responding to calls involving criminal and civil complaints, conducting preliminary investigations, and/or investigating assigned cases after initial response for presentation to prosecuting attorney for consideration of criminal charges.
2. Enforces traffic laws and ordinances by monitoring vehicular travel on city streets, issues warnings and citations when necessary, and documents enforcement activities.
3. Completes accurate and timely reports of criminal incidents, informational incidents, and traffic accidents. Provides report documentation to aid in the identification, apprehension, prosecution, and conviction of criminal offenders.
4. Responds to calls involving automobile accidents, robberies, assaults, fights, domestic disturbances, and other criminal/ activities and civil complaints. Secures the crime scene, identifies witnesses, conducts preliminary investigations, and generally re-establishes law and order at the scene.
5. Arrests, questions, and transports suspects and/or persons with outstanding warrants to the city jail. Ensures arrested persons are processed (booked) into jail in accordance with State and Federal guidelines and Police Department procedures.
6. Appears in court to present evidence and sworn testimony.
7. Serves, when assigned, in specialized roles which include: K-9 Officer, Certified School Resource Officer, Crime Prevention Officer, Traffic Officer, Court Bailiff, Training Officer and Field Training Officer.
8. Serves, when assigned, as Detective, investigating misdemeanor and felony crimes, responding to and processing crime scenes, building criminal cases for prosecution in a court of law by interviewing parties involved and presenting cases to prosecuting attorneys.
9. Prepares incident reports regarding activities to facilitate preparation of prosecutable cases.
10. Contributes effectively to the Police Department, communicates effectively with co-workers, both within the department as well as outside the department. Maintains satisfactory attendance to ensure duties are performed without negatively impacting co-workers or delivery of service to the public.

Other Duties

• Attends and participates effectively at departmental staff meetings.
• Maintains the confidentiality of file, records, reports as required by law, City policy and procedures.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications
Knowledge of: Federal, State, County, and City statutes, codes, and ordinances applicable to law enforcement; law enforcement principles and practices including investigation, identification, patrol, traffic control, records management, report preparation, and custody of persons and property; equipment used in law enforcement including weaponry, communications, and automotive equipment; location of streets and addresses in the city; Microsoft Office Suite.

Skill in: Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with other law enforcement agency and regulatory agency/organization staff, City officials, criminal justice system staff, and the public; understanding and interpreting complex statutes, ordinances, regulations, and standards; writing accurate reports and documenting the facts and actions regarding criminal/civil incidents; communicating using a standard two-way radio; customer service and conflict resolution.

Education: High school diploma or GED equivalent required. Accredited college coursework in law enforcement or related discipline is preferred but not required.


Experience: Prior law enforcement experience preferred but not required. Military service is preferred.


Licenses and Certifications: Possess and maintain a valid state issued driver's license and Missouri POST certification for Peace Officer or possession of POST certification from another state and eligibility to obtain Missouri POST certification prior to employment.

Physical Demands Requirements and Working Conditions
This position works in both indoor and outdoor environments. Working at or from a police station requires standing in work areas; walking between work areas may be required. In an indoor environment finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard or calculator and to operate standard office equipment; vision to read printed materials and a computer screen; hearing and speech to communicate in-person and over the telephone. This position may sit and operate a motor vehicle and equipment such as computers, radios, and phones inside the vehicle for a prolonged period during a shift.

Must possess the ability to stand, walk, or run for extended periods. Positions in this classification are required to bend, stoop, kneel, reach, push, and pull when making arrests. Employees may be required to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and objects weighing up to 100 pounds, or heavier with the proper use of equipment. Employees must maintain specific hearing and vision requirements to ensure safety to self and others. Employees must possess physical and mental stamina to fire weapons; react and move rapidly from sedentary to active conditions in response to environmental situations; assume a variety of bodily positions and postures necessary to cover or conceal during emergency situations; respond to a physical attack and subdue an attacker or request aid. The employee is occasionally exposed to wet/and or humid conditions; moving mechanical parts; fumes or airborne particles; toxic or caustic chemicals; outside weather conditions; risk of electrical shock; may be required to work with explosives. Employees may interact with upset members of the public or their representatives while enforcing departmental policies and procedures.