Lateral Police Officer

Police Officer

Eligible for $50,000 signing bonus. Lateral signing bonus: New lateral police officers hired by the City of Chico Police Department are eligible for a signing bonus of $50,000. This agreement shall remain in effect through the end of the 2023-MOU-CPOA (June 30, 2026). A complete application for this position requires:

• Resume
• POST Basic Certification or higher (State of CA DOJ Basic (or higher) Certification which complies with the provisions set forth in Title 11, Division 2, of the California Code of Regulations. POST accredited police academy graduate certifications labeled "Basic" or "Basic Academy", etc. are NOT equivalent to the State of CA Basic Certificate as listed above.)

Written exam assessments are waived for Lateral candidates; however, this recruitment will include completing a rigorous physical agility process. Candidates who have successfully completed a standardized WSTB course within the last six months may be exempted from the required agility course. Please contact Human Resources, at View phone number on click.appcast.io, for more information on exemptions, if needed. Out of area candidates can arrange for the physical agility and oral interview process to occur on the same day, if needed. Please contact Human Resources, at View phone number on click.appcast.io, to coordinate. Salary placement upon hire: Employees may expect to be placed on the salary range between steps A - C; however, additional steps may be considered based on prior education and experience. Union: Police Officers are covered by the Chico Police Officers' Association (CPOA).

Job Description

Under supervision, to perform law enforcement and crime prevention work; to control traffic flow and enforce State and local traffic regulations; to perform investigative work; to perform related work as required. Examples of typical job functions (illustrative only):

• Patrol city in radio car, on bicycle, horseback, motorcycle or on foot; answer calls for the protection of life and property and the enforcement of City, County and State laws
• May conduct both preliminary and follow-up investigations of disturbances, prowlers, burglaries, thefts, holdups, vehicle accidents, death and other criminal incidents; make arrests as necessary; interview victims, complainants, witnesses and suspects.
• Gather and preserve evidence.
• Testify and present evidence in court.
• Administer first aid.
• Contract and cooperate with other law enforcement agencies in matters relating to the investigation of crimes and the apprehension of offender.
• Prepare reports of arrests made, investigations conducted and unusual incidents observed
• Serve warrants and subpoenas.
• While on patrol, stop drivers who are operating vehicles in violation of laws; warn drivers against unlawful practices; issue citations and make arrests as necessary; check buildings for physical security.
• Engages in community-based policing and collaborative problem solving in order to build trust and familiarization between law enforcement and community residents.
• Attend and police special events and other emergency or congested situations.
• Maintain contact with citizens regarding potential law enforcement problems and preserve good relationships with the general public.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Knowledge of:

• Community based policing, intelligence-led policing, and other similar practices used to develop relationships with the community in order to best identify and solve public safety problems;
• Law enforcement principles, practices and techniques related to patrol, traffic enforcement, crime scene control and investigation, protection of life and property, pursuit, apprehension and transportation of suspects;
• Applicable laws, codes, ordinances, court decisions and departmental rules and regulations;
• Courtroom procedures and techniques for testifying; safety practices and equipment related to the work, including the safe use and proper care of firearms, chemical agencies and impact weapons;
• Computer applications related to the work;
• Techniques for communication with, in English, dealing with and solving the problems presented by a variety of individuals from various socio-economic, cultural and ethnic backgrounds, in person and over the telephone, often when relations may be confrontational or stressed.

Ability to:

• Physically pursue and capture wanted persons;
• Observe accurately and remember names, faces, numbers, incidents and places;
• Use and care of firearms; think and act quickly in emergencies, and judge situations and people accurately;
• Learn, understand and interpret laws and regulations;
• Prepare accurate and grammatically correct written reports;
• Learn and use standard broadcasting procedures of a police radio system;
• Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with those contacted in the course of work;
• Understand and carry out oral and written directions.

Additional State of California requirements (§ 1031.5 GOVT CODE):

• Be at least 18 years of age.
• Be a citizen of the United States; or be a permanent resident alien and have applied for citizenship.

A person who has not obtained citizenship within three years after application for employment due to non-cooperation with the government agency processing the citizenship application, or a person who has been denied citizenship, is disqualified from being or becoming a police officer.

Education and Experience:

Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

Licenses and Certifications:

Possession of a valid California Driver License.

High school graduation or equivalent, supplemented by a valid Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Basic Academy certification.

Additional Information

Physical demands while performing the duties of this job include frequently sitting and talking and hearing. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or operate objects, controls, and/or tools listed above; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and taste and/or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move more than 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Use of police car, police radio, radar gun, baton, handcuffs, Intoxilyzer, cellular phone and/or pager, first aid equipment, handgun, Taser and other weapons as required, and computer related equipment in the field and office environment. Environmental conditions while performing the duties of this job include frequently working in outside weather conditions. The employee occasionally works near moving mechanical parts, in high precarious places, and with explosives and is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, extreme cold, extreme heat, and vibration. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.