Lateral Police Officer

Police Officer

Under limited supervision, performs general or special duty police work. Non-exempt.

Tasks include patrol activities within the city, monitoring traffic for possible civil or criminal violations, prevention and discovery of the commission of crimes, apprehension of criminals and offenders, making presence known throughout the community in a manner that contributes to the deterrence and solving of crime, answering calls and complaints involving fire, vehicle accidents, robberies, domestic violence situations, neighborhood disturbances, and other misdemeanors, felonies, and service calls, administering first aid and CPR, securing crime scenes and conducting preliminary and full-scale investigations, gathering evidence, obtaining witnesses, and issuing citations or making arrests, interviewing witnesses, gathering information, preparing detailed reports, and preparing case files for court prosecution, participating fully in annual and other regular training programs in police methods and procedures, testifying in court proceedings, performing specialized duties on an assigned basis, participating in community service activities as a spokesperson for the department.

Knowledge of applicable case law in the areas of arrest, probable cause, and search and seizure, departmental policies and procedures, police methods, practices, and procedures, geography of the City of Sierra Vista and surrounding community, including the location of important sites.

Skill in dealing courteously and effectively with people, applying good judgment and making operative decisions under pressure, preparing clear, comprehensive, and accurate reports, administering first aid and CPR, the proficient use of all police equipment, communicating effectively, both orally and in writing, establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with city staff, other law enforcement agencies, and the public.

Other characteristics include performing work for extended periods of time in environments of extreme heat, cold, or wet conditions, performing the physical requirements of the work, maintaining a level of fitness to meet department standards, qualifying annually with the department-issued sidearm, and successfully completing annual firearms judgmental training.

The City of Sierra Vista recognizes prior law enforcement experience for lateral compensation designation effective 7/1/2018. The following schedule details the lateral appointment pay for applicable years of service as a sworn police officer. Applicants that do not have a minimum of an associate degree or 60 college credits but have a minimum of 1.5 years of experience as an officer, and a High School diploma or GED, will be hired in at 2% lower than the designated lateral appointment pay. If/when 60 credits or an Associate's degree is obtained, a onetime 2% pay increase will be received. Military joint service transcripts are accepted. Accepted credits must be indicated as L-lower, U-upper or G-graduate. Vocational credits are not accepted. Military joint service transcripts can be requested via the following links below: Military One Source – JST information American Council for Education – Military Guide

In addition to the minimum requirements, the successful candidate must meet the established requirements of each phase in the testing process in order to proceed to the next phase: Written Examination, Physical Fitness Test, Oral Board Interview, Background Investigation, Psychological Examination, Polygraph Examination, Drug Screening, Eye/Hearing/Medical Examination. Please note this process could take three to six months to complete.