Certified Patrol Officer

Job Description

Job Description

PATROL OFFICER (CERTIFIED)

All Locations (New Castle, DE; Cape May, NJ; Lewes, DE)

Salary Certified New Hire: $67,876 (Annualized)

Salary FTO Completion $69,763 (Annualized)

Opening Date: December 8, 2025

Closing Date: Until Filled

If you are interested in applying for this position, please complete the on-line application at In addition, you also have the option of attaching a resume to the completed application. The Delaware River & Bay Authority is an Equal Opportunity Employer

POSITION SUMMARY

The general responsibilities of a Patrol Officer include responding to calls for service, enforcing traffic and criminal laws, and operating police vehicles when on routine patrol.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Engage in interpersonal communications with the public and co-workers by promoting a professional and courteous environment

• Participate with co-workers and supervisors in the advancement of the troop’s goals and objectives

• Complete assigned and self-initiated workloads

• Required to efficiently analyze and organize information and evidence obtained during traffic and criminal investigations for prosecution purposes

• Deliver emergency services to the public by responding to calls for service safely and promptly and by providing assistance to those in need

• Protect the public, co-workers and themselves from harm and injury by following established safety and security practices and by correcting and/or reporting safety and/or security hazards or risks

• Responsible for the entire arrest procedure including examining, handcuffing, conducting a field search and guarding the arrestee to prevent escape or suicide

• Required to exercise discretion in the use of deadly and non-deadly force

• Required to arraign a defendant, as well as testify in court

• Able to make NCIC, DELJIS, SCIC and CAD inquiries and conduct a full traffic collision investigation (i.e., interview witnesses, sketch and measure collision scenes, determine contributing factors and identify violations, etc.)

• Enforce motor vehicle laws

• Must possess the physical ability necessary to engage in physical confrontations using offensive and defensive tactics to subdue combative subjects

• Normally required to work a 12-hour rotating shift and adapt to irregular working conditions

• Required to write different types of reports, including traffic reports, summonses and arrest reports

• Able to identify public utility problems and report other road hazards

• Assist motorists in need of assistance or to perform traffic direction and control

• Utilize a variety of equipment in the performance of their job duties, including an automobile, communications center equipment, baton, breath testing instrument, computer terminal, fire extinguisher, flashlight, handcuffs, portable radio, police car radio, radar/laser unit, semi-automatic pistol, shotgun, body armor and photographic equipment

• May instruct suspects on the process to obtain an attorney, enforce court orders, respond to civil disputes, and testify in Family Court

• Prepare search warrants, collect evidence, and inventory stolen property

• May have to stand/walk continuously for more than one-half the work shift and walk on narrow, elevated surfaces

• Prepare interdepartmental memorandums and daily operational reports, as well as maintain daily logs

• Clean and inspect firearms and perform random equipment inspections

• Provides superior customer service to everyone by responding in a courteous and efficient manner

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Knowledge of laws and departmental rules/regulations/procedures, as well as other resource materials

• Knowledge of weapon craft and must demonstrate usable knowledge of court decisions

• Skilled in the use of firearms, as well as non-lethal weapons

• Able to drive in both emergency and non-emergency conditions

• Ability to communicate both orally and in writing, cope with stressful situations and evaluate a situation, respond correctly and apply appropriate discretion and common sense

• Ability to provide excellent customer service

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Must be a United States citizen

• Must be at least twenty-one (21) years of age

• Minimum uncorrected vision not greater than 20/200 in each eye and correctable with lenses to 20/20 in each eye. Able to distinguish between the colors of red, green and amber

• Height and weight in proper proportion. Must be in excellent cardiovascular physical condition

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• One (1) year of satisfactory employment as a full- time Certified Police Officer, two (2) years preferred, clearly indicating the maturity of the applicant.

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university; OR Associate’s degree from an accredited college/university, or sixty (60) college credit hours, or higher. This may also be ninety (90) quarter credits from an accredited college/university. OR Thirty (30) college credits from an accredited college/university, or forty-five (45) quarter credits from an accredited college/university. In this situation, the applicant must also have two (2) years of active duty military service.

LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS, AND/OR CERTIFICATES

• Applicant must have a current valid driver's license and at least one (1) year of driving experience. An applicant with a prior driving suspension or revocation must have one (1) year of reinstatement in order to be eligible to apply. Any alcohol-related driving arrests and overall driving history will be subject to review • Certified police officer (an evaluation of all courses and hours completed in the applicant’s academy will be evaluated to determine the applicant’s eligibility in the selection process)

CRIMINAL RECORD AND ACTIVITY

• Any felony conviction is an automatic disqualification. Any criminal activity that would be considered a felony under Delaware law or the law of the state in which the activity occurred is a disqualification. Arrests resulting in conviction must be pardoned prior to submitting an application. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply for an expungement on any past arrests not resulting in conviction. All arrests will be subject to evaluation.

DRUG USAGE

• Use of any illegal drug two years prior to application, or any prior use of a hallucinogenic drug, will be an automatic disqualification. All other drug use, including illegally using prescribed drugs, is subject to review.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Candidates for this position will be subject to a background investigation, a pre-employment physical, drug testing, fitness testing, psychological testing, and a medical/criminal polygraph

• Delaware River and Bay Authority requires all employees to have direct deposit with a financial institution or enroll in the payroll card program to receive their biweekly pay

If you are interested in applying for this position, please complete the on-line application at

In addition, you also have the option of attaching a resume to the completed application.

The Delaware River & Bay Authority is an Equal Opportunity Employer

The Delaware River and Bay Authority, a bi-state government agency created by Compact in 1962 operates the Delaware Memorial Bridge—the world’s second longest twin span suspension bridge, the Cape May-Lewes Ferry System, and the Delaware City - Salem Ferry Crossing on the Delaware River, as well as five regional aviation facilities, including the Wilmington-Philadelphia Regional Airport located in New Castle, DE. Since its inception, the DRBA has successfully carried out its primary mission of providing vital transportation links between the states of Delaware and New Jersey.

Company Description

The Delaware River and Bay Authority, a bi-state government agency created by Compact in 1962 operates the Delaware Memorial Bridge—the world’s second longest twin span suspension bridge, the Cape May-Lewes Ferry System, and the Delaware City - Salem Ferry Crossing on the Delaware River, as well as five regional aviation facilities, including the Wilmington-Philadelphia Regional Airport located in New Castle, DE. Since its inception, the DRBA has successfully carried out its primary mission of providing vital transportation links between the states of Delaware and New Jersey.