Police Officer

Police Officer Trainee

The City of Morgan Hill is the best community for people to live, work, visit, and operate their businesses. Located in the southern part of Silicon Valley, Morgan Hill's thoughtful planning has made it one of the most desirable communities in Santa Clara County. With a growing population of approximately 44,000, Morgan Hill provides the ideal balance between jobs, housing, recreation, and open space. The City has optimum housing options, abundant shopping, regionally recognized wineries, and an historic Downtown with award-winning restaurants, and charming boutiques. Morgan Hill is a family oriented, vibrant, and progressive community where residents and visitors enjoy a wide range of outdoor and indoor activities. The City is known for its regional, world-class recreational facilities that attract over 1.3 million visitors annually. The community enjoys public art, many local street fairs, summer music festivals, and holiday parades. Downtown Morgan Hill has become a destination for popular events, including the Mushroom Mardi Gras, Fourth of July parade and fireworks, Taste of Morgan Hill, and the Friday Night Music Series. With an average temperature of 70 degrees, Morgan Hill offers abundant year-round recreational activities including cycling, golfing, swimming, and boating. Nestled next to Henry Coe State Park, Morgan Hill provides easy access to over 79,000 acres for camping, backpacking, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding. Just 15 miles inland from the Pacific Coast, Morgan Hill is surrounded by the Santa Cruz Mountains to the west and the Diablo Range to the east. Morgan Hill is just minutes away from the big city amenities of San Jose, and a short one-hour drive to the redwood forests and beaches of Santa Cruz and the spectacular Monterey Peninsula. Caltrain runs weekdays through Morgan Hill and connects commuters both to San Jose's light rail systems and to BART throughout the Bay Area.

Under direct supervision of a Police Sergeant, the police officer provides all aspects of general law enforcement services to the community. Class characteristics include response to emergencies, general and directed patrol, investigation of crimes and other non-criminal incidents, traffic enforcement and control, assisting in crime prevention activities, and other law enforcement services and duties as required. A significant degree of initiative, independent judgment, and discretion is required of incumbents to develop, maintain, and successfully perform in a community oriented, problem solving approach to policing.

Police officers who have completed their probationary period and develop superior skills in a variety of law enforcement functional areas may also be assigned to special duties in addition to their principle duties. Special Assignments include specific functions which require increased training, responsibility, and accountability to maintain skills to produce specific services to the department and the community. There is also an increased expectation that officers may be subject to call out to perform these duties.

If you are interested in this exciting opportunity, please apply immediately as this announcement may close without notice.

Please apply on-line at and submit the following:

• Completed application
• Responses to the supplemental questions
• Copy of P.O.S.T. Entry-Level Law Enforcement Written Test Battery T Score Certificate with a minimum t-score of 48 (required)
• Copy of P.O.S.T. Physical Agility Work Sample Test Battery Certificate with a minimum score of 320 points (required)
• Cover letter
• Resume

Additional Step G included in the salary range listed above are available to employees in this job classification after an employee has completed ten (10) years of service which includes five (5) years of service in the bargaining unit for City of Morgan Hill, in addition to the normal requirements for step advancement. Placement in the Step A - Step F portion of the salary range is based on years of directly related police officer work experience.

The following duties are performed personally, in cooperation with the Police Sergeant, and/or in coordination with other City staff and community groups. Additional duties may be assigned.

1. Patrols a designated area in a radio vehicle to ensure the security of life and property.
2. Answers emergency calls regarding law enforcement matters, enforces City, County or State laws and ordinances or requests assistance as required.
3. Secures information from parties at an incident scene and follows through on investigations.
4. Makes arrests and collects and preserves evidence at a crime scene.
5. Maintains accurate records and writes accurate and timely incident or crime reports.
6. Works with other investigative and legal personnel and presents evidence in court.
7. Answers citizen inquiries and attempts to resolve problems or refer citizens to other agencies or individuals who can provide desired assistance.
8. Directs traffic at emergency or congested situations.
9. Serves warrants and subpoenas.
10. Assists with crime prevention, public education, and acts in collaboration with other community organizations.
11. Utilizes computer equipment to access information and complete reports.
12. Contacts and cooperates with other law enforcement agencies in matters relating to investigation of crime and the apprehension of criminals.
13. Provides information to and answers inquiries from the general public.
14. Examples of special assignment duties include but are not limited to: Designated to provide field training to recruit officers, structured training to department personnel. Designated to conduct complex investigations involving major crimes or traffic incidents which are beyond the scope of the principle duties of a police officer. Designated to provide special enforcement and customer services to intervene in special community problems such as crime in the schools, youth gangs, narcotics trafficking and the like.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Education & Experience:

1. Graduation from high school or the equivalent AND completion of 60 semester units of college with major course work in police science, police administration, public administration or another field related to the work.
2. One year experience as a Police Officer or Reserve Officer may be substituted for 30 semester units of the required education.
3. Completion of the Police Officer Standards and Training Basic Academy.

Licenses & Certificates:

1. Possession of a valid California Class C driver's license in compliance with adopted City driving standards.
2. Must possess a valid first aid/CPR certification.

Police Officer- Lateral Requirements:

1. Currently employed as a Police Officer for a California law enforcement agency OR
2. Formerly employed as a Police Officer for a California law enforcement agency within the last 12 months; and
3. Successfully complete a P.O.S.T. approved field training program.

Other Requirements:

1. Must be 20 ½ years of age at time of appointment as a police officer.
2. Must be a U.S. citizen or a resident alien who is eligible and has applied for citizenship.
3. Must be able to meet written, physical, psychological, and background standards set by P.O.S.T.
4. Must be willing to work various hours, rotating shifts, weekends and holidays, and be available for callback. Officers designated to special assignments may be required to work flexible schedules.
5. Bilingual English/Spanish highly desirable.

Knowledge of:

1. Basic law enforcement terminology and concepts.
2. Techniques for dealing with varied groups of people, particularly in circumstances where relations may be strained.
3. Standard record keeping and report writing procedures and techniques.

Skill in:

1. Observing and accurately recalling places, names, faces and incidents.
2. Understanding and following oral and written directions.
3. Interpreting and applying complex laws, procedures and policies.
4. Use of common office software including Microsoft Office and specialized law enforcement software.
5. Making rapid, sound independent judgment within legal and procedural guidelines.
6. Providing outstanding customer satisfaction (internally and externally).
7. Proficient use of firearms, two-way radios, and other specialized law enforcement weapons and equipment.
8. Maintaining accurate records and preparing clear, concise and competent reports.

Ability to:

1. Quickly learn the policies, procedures and performance standards pertaining to the work.
2. Think and act quickly in emergencies and evaluating situations and people accurately.
3. Quickly learn and retain complex laws, codes and case law pertaining to law enforcement duties.
4. Use discretion effectively to determine a proper course of action consistent with a community-oriented, problem solving approach to policing.
5. Establish and