Police Officer Trainee (Non Academy Graduate)

Police Trainee

Under direct supervision, this At-Will classification must attend and successfully pass the State of California POST Basic Police Academy. Incumbents in the trainee-level classification are non-sworn employees. Incumbent must learn to perform law enforcement and crime prevention work; participate in community based policing activities, learn to patrol an assigned area for the prevention of crime and the maintenance of law and order; learn to perform investigative work and other special assignments; and learn to perform a variety of technical law enforcement tasks as assigned by the academy and or department.

Receive direct supervision from assigned shift Police Sergeant, supervisor and responsible POST Academy personnel. Technical and functional supervision may be provided by other higher-level police department personnel.

This is a non-sworn entry-level training classification in the City's police service. Incumbents are hired from entry-level eligible lists and are sent to a basic police academy. During training incumbents do not have police powers. Trainees are subject to both the regulations of the police department and the police academy. On days when Trainee is not in attendance at the Academy, trainee may be required to perform a wide variety of non-sworn duties to further the mission of the police department. Duties may include but are not limited to, traffic direction, working in police records and assisting with other non-hazardous duties. Promotion to a sworn Police Officer position is contingent upon successful completion of the basic police academy and obtaining the basic academy graduation certificate and final review by the Chief of Police. Upon promotion to a Police Officer, the employee will begin a one-year probationary period as a regular status employee.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices. Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Successfully complete the required State of California POST Basic Police Training Academy and obtain the Certificate of Completion.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

The following generally describes the knowledge and abilities required to enter the job and/or to be learned within a defined short period of time in order to successfully perform the assigned duties. Ability to:

• Learn the laws of arrest, search and seizure as well as, pertinent local, County, State and other laws.
• Learn law enforcement methods and procedures, including patrol, crime prevention, traffic control, investigation and identification techniques, and police records and reporting.
• Learn, interpret, and apply criminal laws, codes, ordinances, and policies and procedure with particular reference to apprehension, arrest and custody of persons committing misdemeanors and felonies, including rules of evidence pertaining to the search and seizure and the preservation of evidence in traffic and criminal cases.
• Learn and practice the safe use and care for firearms, equipment, tools and supplies; think and act quickly and safely in emergencies, exercise safety in the performance of all law enforcement work; and administer first aid and CPR as required.
• Observe and accurately recall critical details, including names, facts, faces, numbers, incidents, places, and able to judge situations and persons accordingly;
• Learn standard broadcasting procedures of a police radio system;
• Understand and carryout oral and written instructions in an independent manner;
• Meet the physical requirements necessary to safely and effectively perform the essential functions/duties of this job classification;
• Present oral reports and accounts, prepare thorough, accurate and detailed reports in written form and in pre-structured format;
• Utilize and apply good judgment in a variety of typical and/or unusual situations;
• Work cooperatively with others, including coworkers, members of the residential and business communities, community groups, and officials from other agencies, the general public, and those contacted in the course of work.
• Learn the basic operations, philosophies and practices of a law enforcement agency.

Education, and Experience Any combination of experience and education that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be: Education: High school diploma, GED, or other equivalent educational courses. Ability to successfully complete a POST – certified basic academy. Experience: None required. License and Certification: Possession of a valid California driver's license at time of appointment.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions

Typical office and field tools and equipment include: Computer, Keyboard And Monitor; Variety Of Printers And Copiers; Telephone Or Cell Phone; Pager; Print Kit; Calculator And 10-Key Adding Machine; Facsimile Machine; Two-Way Radio; Patrol Car, Including Computer And Printer; Paper Shredder Or Cutter; Specialized Computer Software; Car Radio; Gasoline Pumps; R.A.D.A.R. Guns; Taser Or ECD Devices; Hand-Pack Radios; Handguns, Shotguns, And In Some Cases, Rifles; Bullet Proof Vests; Ammunition; Eye, Ear, Hand And Head Protection Equipment; Handcuffs; Flashlight; Uniforms; Batons And Collapsible Batons; Chemical Agent Weapons; Chemical Reagents; Narcotics Test Kit; Citation Books, Report Forms, Pencils And Pens; Cameras/Tape Recorders/Video Cameras; Keys To A Variety Of City Locks, and other assigned equipment and tools necessary to successfully and safely perform responsibilities.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job classification. Work of all sworn personnel may be dangerous. When performing Police Officer duties, may go from being seated in a docile position in a police car to a highly energized position, and then return to the docile position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Standing: Typically, incumbents stand while taking police reports, communicating with citizens and while directing traffic. They also stand at the scene of traffic accidents, crimes and often stand while awaiting information at a hospital after a traffic accident has occurred. Incumbents stand while booking prisoners in a jail or detention facility or while confronting suspects/citizens during the normal course of duty.
• Walking: Typically, incumbents walk while going to a home, business or site of an incident where they take reports. Incumbents also walk while returning to their patrol cars. Incumbents walk while in the police facility on police business such as filing a report, attending briefings or during training.
• Sitting: Typically, incumbents spend a great deal of time sitting while driving a patrol car or other police vehicle. Most of the officer's time may be spent sitting in a police vehicle. Occasionally, people will invite incumbents to sit down while they are taking a report. Incumbents may also sit while waiting at a hospital during the treatment of an arrested person or while attending training or performing office tasks and report writing.
• Stooping/Bending: Typically, stooping and bending are necessary if incumbents are at the site of a crime in progress. Stooping or bending may also be needed to take a position of cover or concealment. Incumbents may find it necessary to pick up an uncooperative prisoner or may find it necessary to assume awkward positions in order to place a person under arrest and/or in a patrol car.
• Lifting: Incumbents may have to pick up prisoners if the prisoner is not cooperative as in the case of a prisoner under the influence of drugs or alcohol. On occasion it might be necessary to assist another officer in carrying a prisoner and they may have to lift and/or drag up to 165 pounds. Items such as evidence or recovered stolen property like television sets, computers, stereos, or bicycles may also be lifted on occasion.
• Carrying: Incumbents may have to carry a prisoner if the prisoner is not cooperative or incapable of walking on his/her own. They also carry weapons on their duty belts which may weigh up to 30 pounds when equipped with portable radio, handcuffs, batons, flashlights, and extra ammunition. This extra weight increases the fatigue factor of an officer on duty. Incumbents may need to carry barricade equipment, car video equipment, spike strips, briefcases or other materials during the course of their shift or while attending a court hearing.
• Pushing/Pulling: Incumbents may find it necessary to push stalled cars out of the roadway to avoid traffic hazards. Pushing and pulling might also be involved while dealing with uncooperative or combative prisoners or when attempting to gain entry.
• Balancing: Incumbents need to be able to balance while walking on a roof or fence or while going over ledges when trying to apprehend a criminal suspect. Incumbents may also find it necessary to climb ladders. In addition, Incumbents have to demonstrate balance as part of a field sobriety examination associated with suspected drunk drivers.
• Climbing: Incumbents may find it