Police Sergeant

The Police Sergeant is a first-line supervisory position within the Forest Heights Police Department. The employee provides direct supervision, leadership, guidance, and support to assigned sworn and civilian personnel while continuing to perform the full range of duties associated with a sworn law enforcement officer.

The Sergeant assists in maintaining the effective day-to-day operation of the Department by directing personnel, monitoring performance and conduct, reviewing reports and other work products, enforcing Department standards, and ensuring that assigned employees comply with applicable laws, Town policies, Department General Orders, and lawful directives.

This position requires sound judgment, professionalism, discretion, accountability, and the ability to effectively lead personnel while providing responsive and community-oriented police services.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provides direct supervision, leadership, coaching, and mentoring to subordinate employees and monitors employee performance, productivity, conduct, and quality of work.

• Supervises personnel during regular shifts, emergency incidents, special assignments, community events, and other Department operations.

• Conducts roll calls, communicates assignments and relevant operational information, and relays directives issued by command staff when assigned.

• Reviews incident reports, arrest reports, forms, case files, and other work products to ensure accuracy, completeness, professionalism, and compliance with Department standards.

• Provides subordinate personnel with direction regarding calls for service, investigations, arrests, enforcement activity, use of discretion, Department procedures, and other operational matters.

• Assists with employee performance evaluations, counseling, training, corrective action, and other supervisory functions as assigned or authorized.

• Identifies personnel, training, equipment, staffing, performance, or operational concerns and communicates those matters through the appropriate chain of command.

• Ensures that assigned personnel comply with Department General Orders, Town policies, applicable laws, training requirements, equipment requirements, and lawful directives.

• Patrols assigned geographical areas by motor vehicle, motorcycle, bicycle, or on foot to provide police services and maintain a visible law enforcement presence within the community.

• Responds to emergency and non-emergency calls for service and, when appropriate, coordinates or assumes supervisory responsibility at significant incidents.

• Enforces applicable federal, state, and local laws and ordinances, including traffic laws and regulations.

• Conducts traffic enforcement, operates speed detection equipment, investigates traffic collisions, and facilitates the towing or impoundment of vehicles when authorized.

• Responds to roadway hazards, directs motorists and pedestrians, manages traffic conditions, and assists with restoring the safe and orderly movement of traffic.

• Apprehends, arrests, searches, transports, and processes offenders and prepares appropriate charging documents and related reports.

• Conducts preliminary and follow-up investigations with tact, sound judgment, proficiency, and professionalism.

• Interviews and, when appropriate, interrogates victims, witnesses, complainants, and suspects in accordance with applicable law and Department procedures.

• Protects and secures crime and incident scenes and identifies, collects, packages, preserves, labels, and maintains the integrity of evidence in accordance with established procedures.

• Records facts, statements, observations, enforcement activities, investigative actions, and case dispositions accurately and thoroughly.

• Prepares organized case files and provides testimony in court, administrative hearings, and other judicial or official proceedings as required.

• Completes reports, forms, memoranda, and other official records in a manner that is accurate, factual, clear, concise, legible, and consistent with prescribed formats.

• Conducts security checks of closed businesses and other properties and performs lawful searches of commercial, residential, and other structures when circumstances require.

• Remains attentive to suspicious persons, vehicles, activities, conditions, roadway hazards, public safety concerns, potential criminal activity, and other circumstances requiring police attention.

• Uses two-way radios, mobile data terminals, computers, law enforcement databases, body-worn cameras, and other Department-issued technology and equipment in the performance of assigned duties.

• Identifies community concerns and works with residents, businesses, community organizations, Department personnel, and other stakeholders to develop appropriate solutions.

• Participates in community policing initiatives, youth programs, crime prevention activities, public engagement efforts, Town events, and other Department-sponsored programs.

• Provides emergency assistance within the employee's level of training and certification, including first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

• Promotes discipline, accountability, readiness, and professional standards among assigned personnel.

• Protects confidential information and appropriately handles sensitive law enforcement, investigative, personnel, and other protected information.

• Models professional conduct and leadership while promoting integrity, accountability, teamwork, respect, and positive community relations.

• Performs other law enforcement, supervisory, administrative, emergency, or related duties as assigned by the Chief of Police or designee.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

The Police Sergeant must possess working knowledge of law enforcement practices and principles, applicable federal, state, and local laws, investigative techniques, traffic enforcement, arrest and search procedures, evidence handling, report preparation, community policing, and first-line supervision.

The position requires the ability to effectively supervise and lead personnel; communicate clearly in writing and verbally; make sound decisions during stressful or rapidly changing circumstances; resolve conflicts; protect confidential information; manage competing responsibilities; and interact professionally with employees, government officials, partner agencies, and members of the public.

The employee must also be capable of effectively using Department-issued vehicles, communication systems, computers, law enforcement databases, speed detection equipment, body-worn cameras, preliminary breath testing devices, and other equipment required to perform assigned duties.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Duties are performed in both office and field environments. The employee may encounter adverse weather, hazardous roadway conditions, emotionally charged incidents, communicable diseases, physical confrontations, criminal activity, and other hazards ordinarily associated with law enforcement work.

The position may require work during days, evenings, nights, weekends, holidays, overtime assignments, emergency call-backs, special events, and other schedules established according to the operational needs of the Forest Heights Police Department.

The Police Sergeant must maintain the physical capability and operational readiness necessary to carry out the essential responsibilities of both a sworn law enforcement officer and first-line supervisor.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

The employee must maintain all licenses, certifications, training, qualifications, and other requirements necessary to serve as a sworn law enforcement officer and Police Sergeant in the State of Maryland and with the Forest Heights Police Department.

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work associated with the position. Nothing contained herein limits the Town's authority to assign, reassign, modify, or otherwise change duties and responsibilities according to the operational needs of the Town or Police Department.