Patrol Officer

JOB SUMMARY

This position performs a variety of routine-to-complex specialized police work, which includes but not limited to patrolling Columbia College property, responding to routine calls for service, responding to all emergency situations on campus, settling public disturbances, assisting stranded motorists, responding to vehicle accidents, issuing parking tickets, issuing warrants and state summons, apprehending and arresting suspects, fingerprinting suspects and job applicants, transporting prisoners, directing traffic flow, and providing security escorts. This position also ensures the safety and well-being of the College students, faculty, staff, and the public; enforces the College's rules, regulations, policies and guidelines as well as local, city, county, state, and federal laws; and performs related duties as assigned. This class works within a general outline of work to be performed and develops work methods and sequences under general supervision.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Responds to emergency or high-risk situations, ensuring proper implementation of the College Security plan and College Emergency Plan procedures.
• Secures crime scenes and assists in criminal investigations.
• Assists the FBI, SLED, county/local law enforcement and other agencies in special criminal cases, narcotics cases, crisis situations and special events.
• Prepares case files for court; provides court testimony as requested.
• Prepares and submits all reports in a timely manner.
• Assists in conducting background investigations of job applicants.
• Assists in providing protective services for visiting/travel dignitaries with various state and federal agencies.
• Remains abreast of all Columbia College rules, guidelines and regulations as well as local, city, county, state, or federal ordinances and laws.
• Attends required periodic training sessions and seminars; participates in required physical fitness activities; maintains required level of proficiency in the use of firearms.
• Will be on-call at all times for emergency situations.
• Works under stressful, high-risk situations.
• Receives and reviews several documents and reports including warrants, booking reports, fingerprint cards, severe weather reports, incident reports, accident reports, summons, parking tickets, shift reports, various logs and routine reports, etc.
• Interacts and communicates with various groups, organizations and individuals including the immediate supervisor, co-workers, all College administrators, faculty, staff, visitors, visiting dignitaries, crime victims, suspects, witnesses, SLED, FBI, local law enforcement agencies, emergency medical and rescue personnel, fire personnel and the general public.
• Operates and maintains police vehicles and other College vehicles and equipment; utilizes a variety of equipment and tools including a telephone, two-way radios, firearms, radar unit, restraint devices, chemical agents, fingerprint kit, drug kit, camera, camcorder, tape recorder, body mic, NCIC and personal computers and other general office equipment, hand tools, etc.
• Performs computer data entry to record and retrieve departmental information.
• Assists with the release of vehicles; tows vehicles as necessary.
• Maintains all equipment, vehicles and supplies issued.
• Provides general public information and assistance as requested.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS TO PERFORM WORK:

• High school diploma or GED.
• Must complete required training and education at the S.C. Criminal Justice Academy, and certification in basic law enforcement; may require other certifications as determined by the department.
• Must possess a valid state driver's license.
• Must be physically able to operate a variety of machines and equipment including firearms, restraining devices, automobile, office equipment, telephone, etc.
• Must be physically fit and able to defend oneself from attack or physical assault; must be able to restrain, lift and/or carry individuals of varying weights.
• Must be able to read and understand a variety of laws and regulations, policies and procedures, crime reports, etc.
• Must have some skill in the use of Microsoft Office Suite, utilizing Outlook, Word, Excel and Microsoft Teams, or related software programs.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Ability to prepare shift reports, logs, etc. with proper format, punctuation, spelling and grammar, using all parts of speech.
• Ability to speak with and before others with poise, voice control, and confidence.
• Ability to apply rational systems to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists; to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagrammatic or schedule form.
• Ability to learn and understand relatively complex principles and techniques; to make independent judgments in absence of supervision; to acquire knowledge of topics related to primary occupation; ability to comprehend and interpret received information and to understand and implement basic office and police-issued machinery functions.
• Ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, to follow verbal and written instructions; ability to communicate effectively and efficiently with persons of varying educational and cultural backgrounds and in a variety of technical and/or professional languages including law enforcement, fire, emergency, medical, etc.
• Ability to add and subtract totals, to multiply and divide, to determine percentages and decimals and to determine time; ability to use practical applications of fractions, percentages, ratio and proportion.
• Ability to inspect items for proper length, width, and shape and visually read various information.
• Ability to coordinate hands and eyes using office and special machinery; to operate motor vehicles.
• Ability to handle a variety of items, keyboards, office equipment, control knobs, buttons, switches, catches, firearms, etc.
• Ability to differentiate colors and shades of color.
• Ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions; adaptable to performing under stress when confronted with emergency, unusual or dangerous situations, or in situations in which working speed and sustained attention are make or break aspects of the job; may be subject to danger or risk to a significant degree, or to tension as a regular, consistent part of the job.
• Ability to talk and hear; expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words; perceiving nature of sounds by ear.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Work requires the ability to lift 40 to 50 pounds and the ability to exert 30 to 40 pounds of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects. Must be able to remain on feet for periods of time, frequently bending, squatting, standing, reaching, climbing, kneeling, stooping, crawling, lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, walking, running, and occasional sitting. May be required to occasionally work in small, hard to reach spaces. Work is performed both inside and outdoors in all weather conditions. Some hazardous situations may exist based on work to be performed.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Work environment may risk exposure to bright/dim light, dusts and pollen, extreme heat and/or cold, wet or humid conditions, extreme noise levels, vibration, fumes and/or noxious odors, moving machinery, electrical shock, heights, disease/pathogens, toxic/caustic chemicals.

EOE M/F/D/V