Supervisory Police Officer

Summary

This position is located within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Salt Lake City Health Care System, Police Service (PS). The mission of the Police Service is to serve and protect Veterans, patients, employees, contractors, volunteers, affiliates, visitors, and others who frequent VA facilities.

Learn more about this agency

Duties

Help

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Approaches individuals/groups that may be fearful, skeptical or uncooperative in a tactful manner to gain cooperation/compliance.
• Revises work schedules to meet changes in workload considering factors such as peak loads, availability of manpower and processing time requirements.
• Directs subordinate Police Officers engaged in law enforcement responsibilities.
• Empathizes, engages, and communicates with all individuals encountered to ensure a positive and safe environment.
• Leads staff that functions as first line of defense during all crimes, terror attacks, potential threats to personnel and property at all classification levels.
• Plans work schedules and sequence of operations daily to assure an even flow and distribution of work and meeting schedules and deadlines.
• Prepares performance standards and performs staff performance evaluation.
• Receives and resolves formal and/or complex complaints of employees.
• Prepares formal requests/recommendations concerning promotions, reassignment, recognition of outstanding performance, and personnel needs.
• Analyzes logs and activity reports or other data to ascertain problems in accuracy, adequacy, procedure adherence, etc. and takes corrective action.
• Develops, implements and revises departmental policies and procedures.
• Makes independent decisions to take/direct/coordinate immediate steps to preserve life and property.
• Takes disciplinary action as deemed necessary and/or proposes to higher authority specific disciplinary action consistent with the problem and facts.
• Oversees investigations, prisoner transports, patient search and recovery, life-saving efforts, disaster response and recovery, asset protection during transit, training, and other matters.
• Formulates and issues written instructions and procedures and special instructions for non-routine or complex assignments or to clarify published guidelines.
• Investigates incidents and takes steps to mitigate further risk and resolve situations.
• Detects and intervenes in criminal activity, responds to calls for police assistance, irregularities, and unusual or suspicious circumstances.
• Identifies and preserves evidence, writes comprehensive incident reports, prepares case files, and testifies in court as it pertains to enforcing laws and regulations.
• Keeps abreast of policing best practices, the latest policing technology, and the latest criminal and policing laws, rules, and regulations to provide advice and guidance.
• Seeks, detects, seizes, and protects evidence and witnesses at the scene of an incident.
• Intervenes, when needed, to deescalate situations and determines when and how much force must be applied.
• Provides emergency response coordination as needed.
• Intervenes to deescalate active suicidal behavior and/or prevents suicides, when needed.
• Formulates training plans for all Police Officers to ensure proficiency in performance.
• Conducts formal/informal training to broaden employee skills and provide back-up skills through cross-training.
• Coaches and mentors Police Officers to ensure employees obtain the necessary training.
• Provides instruction to staff regarding situations such as drug and contraband intervention techniques, investigation techniques, searches and/or seizures of vehicle and property, etc.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

DESIGNATED DRUG-TESTING POSITION: Applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test result is received.

Work Schedule: Rotating Shifts to include nights, weekends and holidays

Position Description Title/PD#: Supervisory Police Officer/ PD99829S, PD99828S, and PD14694A

Physical Requirements: The work requires, on a regular and recurring basis, considerable and strenuous physical exertion such as running, frequent climbing of multiple flights of stairs, and carrying items weighing over 50 pounds. It requires stamina, physical agility, dexterity, and the strength to pursue, apprehend or detain persons who are often uncooperative, assaultive, and/or armed.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
• Subject to a background/suitability investigation
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• A complete application package; including Resume, Transcripts, etc. is required
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (
• Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must possess a valid state driver's license (in the state of residence) to operate government owned/leased vehicles.
• Must successfully complete the VA Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) Academy course and other mandatory training requirements set-forth by VA.
• Authorized use of a firearm, must meet the standards prescribed in the Lautenberg Amendment (PL 104-208) to the Gun Control Act of 1968 (18 USC 922).
• Required to achieve and maintain qualifications with agency approved weapons commensurate with assigned duties and responsibilities.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination, which includes standardized Color blindness test (Ishihara test).
• Successful completion of the 10 week VA Police Training at LETC.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

NOTE: Military Police Officer, to include having arrest authority in the performance of your duties. When Military service is used to meet the GS-083 minimum Qualification Requirements the applicant must have one of these Qualifying Specialties listed on their DD-214: ARMY - 95B, 95C, 31A, 31B, 31D; MARINE CORPS -5803, 5805, 5811, 5812, 5813, 5814, 5821; AIR FORCE -08111-114, 81110, 81170, 81172, 81130, 81150, 81112, 81132, 81152, 81199, 3P1-4, 3P011, 3P031, 3P051, 3P071, 3P091, 75011, 75031, 75051, 75071, 75091; NAVY - 9545, 0000MA.You may qualify based on your experience as described below:

GS-08 grade level: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes: knowledge of a body of basic laws and regulations, law enforcement operations, practices, and techniques and involved responsibility for maintaining order and protecting life and property. Specialized experience includes: supervising/leading and providing guidance/direction to law enforcement personnel at various levels on duties in response to potential threats of violence, detecting criminal activity, fire and other emergencies; enforcing federal, state, and local laws; coordinates or oversees off-station law enforcement activities, investigations or protection support; performs various administrative functions to include reviewing and overseeing daily and monthly police activity, crime and accident reports and plans, incoming correspondence, monitoring budget and/or budget requests, managing/overseeing personnel activity, etc.; may have served as Officer-In-Charge within a police department. Creditable specialized experience may have been gained in work on a police force; through service as a military police officer; in work providing visitor protection and law enforcement in parks, forests, or other natural resource or recreational environments; in performing criminal investigative duties; or in other work that provided the required knowledge and skills.

Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee -Official Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) noting your current position or most recently held position, tenure, type of position occupied (i.e., Excepted or Competitive), grade level and duty location. (Text version SF-50s or Request for Personnel Action SF-52s are not acceptable.) For current Federal employees, the SF-50 must be effective the first pay period of the current year or later.

Experience as a security guard or corrections officer is generally not qualifying.

NOTE: You must provide detailed information of your experience performed. Information such as "I was a Patrolman", "I was a Police Officer for a number of years," or "I enforced Federal, State, county, and laws" is insufficient to determine your qualifications. Experience must be fully documented in your resume and must include job title, duties, month & year start/end dates AND hours worked per week.

CONTINUED SERVICE AGREEMENT (CSA) REQUIREMENT: Before attending training, an employee subject to VA's continued service agreement must sign an agreement to continue in service after training is completed. The period of service will be equal to at least three times the length of the training. With a signed agreement, the agency has a right to recover training costs, except pay or other compensation, if the employee voluntarily transfers to another VA, Federal Agency or voluntarily separates from Government service.

Driver's License Requirement: This position requires a current, valid, state-issued driver's license. NOTE: We cannot accept photographs, therefore; please do not submit a copy of your driver's license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you may be required to provide a copy of your valid state-issued driver's license.

IMPORTANT NOTES: (1) As a condition of employment, must qualify to be issued a firearm and semi-annually with assigned firearm, annually with an expandable Straight Baton (MEB), maintain a valid State or Commonwealth Driver's License and pass annual physical and psychosocial assessment. Applicants must be able to possess firearms under the terms of the Gun Control Act of 1968, as amended (18 U.S.C. 922(g)(9).

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

There is no educational substitution for the GS-08 level.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: The work requires, on a regular and recurring basis, considerable and strenuous physical exertion such as running, frequent climbing of multiple flights of stairs, and carrying items weighing over 50 pounds. It requires stamina, physical agility, dexterity, and the strength to pursue, apprehend or detain persons who are often uncooperative, assaultive, and/or armed. The work involves both moderate and high risks and possible endangerment of life or serious injury that requires the exercise of safety precautions and use of personal protective equipment.

WORK CONDITIONS: The work involves both moderate and high risks and possible endangerment of life or serious injury that requires the exercise of safety precautions and use of personal protective equipment The work is performed in settings in which there is regular and recurring exposure to moderate to severe discomforts and unpleasantness, such as high temperatures in confined spaces, high temperatures due to mandatory protective personal equipment, or adverse weather conditions during extended periods of traffic and patrol duties. The work involves moderate risk requiring exercise of safety precautions when working around hazardous materials such as toxic gases, explosives, infectious biological materials, and others that pose a moderate risk of exposure.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Additional information

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more information.

The following will be communicated to applicants for VA employment in a testing designated position and will also be included in all VA vacancy announcements for such positions: All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drugs use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Help

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.