Lateral Police Officer

Position Type:
Police/Lateral Police Office

Date Posted:
8/28/2026

Location:
Police Department

Closing Date:
09/28/2026


Annual Starting Salary Rate for Laterals (2026 Rates): $96,044.33 - $103,432.45? * ($46.175 $49.727*/ Hour) based on experience and will move to the next pay scale at the completion of their probationary period of eighteen (18) months/ Full Salary Range for Police Officer: $88,656.22 - $132,984.88.

NATURE OF WORK:
A Police Officer is under general direct supervision of the Police Sergeant and Police Commander. The Police Officer is sworn to enforce all laws and ordinances for which the Department is responsible; to protect the lives and property of all persons; and, to maintain peace and order within the City of Evanston. When properly required to do so, the Police Officer will provide any service that is necessary for the furtherance of the Department's mission and objectives.


The Police Officer will take the appropriate police actions, within the limits of legal authority, whenever and wherever required. The Police Officer will maintain professional decorum and will display a proper attitude in all dealings with citizens, superiors and other department personnel. The Police Officer is expected to understand and comply with the orders, directives, polices, procedures, rules and regulations for the Evanston Police Department.


Community involvement, networking and teamwork approaches in problem identification and solution are integral parts of the duties and responsibilities of all patrol officers. Analyzing criminal, traffic and nuisance activity, etc. and initiating appropriate action emphasizing a problem solving approach to resolve these issues is a primary function of the patrol officer working within the City of Evanston.


ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS (Specific assignment will include some or all of the following):

• Maintains all working relationships and activities according to the philosophy of the Evanston Police Department.
• Proactively identifies potential police hazards and problems and to use problem solving techniques to correct the identified problems.
• Focuses upon citizen satisfaction in all dealings with the public as far as possible in the performance of official duties.
• Maintains regular contact with all business and citizen groups within the assigned NBP beat, to enhance positive communication through listening to the concerns of the merchants and citizens.
• Participates in activities under the direction and coordination of the Police Sergeant or designee.
• Targets proactive enforcement of traffic law violations to increase citizen satisfaction and to solve traffic violation and other traffic related problems within the city of Evanston
• Obeys all lawful orders of superiors, regardless of the assignment.
• Reports for duty at the time and place specified by superior officers and remains on duty until properly relieved.
• Attends and testifies at court at the applicable time and location.
• Develops and maintains a working knowledge of the appropriate federal, state and local laws, statutes and ordinances in order to ensure action in accordance with the legal requirements.
• Develops and maintains a working knowledge of judicial case laws in the areas of self-incrimination; right to counsel; arrest, search and seizure; interrogation and confessions; and, the collection and preservation of evidence in order to ensure action in accordance with current court decisions.
• Develops and maintains a working knowledge of department policies and procedures; rules and regulations; and, reference materials in order to ensure action in compliance with administrative and operational guidelines.
• Maintains self at the appropriate weight and in sound physical condition in accordance with department rules and regulations.
• Maintains uniform and personal appearance at a high standard in accordance with department rules and regulations in order to enhance the public image of the Department.
• Promptly and properly prepares and submits the required reports obtained as a result of any official assignment or investigation.
• Regularly reviews the department daily bulletin, crime analysis data, and traffic data to ensure timely awareness of activity occurring in the City.
• Attends training course upon assignment by the Chief of Police to increase and enhance professional knowledge and skill levels.
• Uses proper radio procedures, maintains radio discipline, and promptly responds to all radio calls from the Communications Center.
• Observes proper safety standards and practice in the use of Department vehicles and equipment.
• Operates the police vehicles within assigned geographic area at the direction of the patrol supervisor or designee or own discretion according to standard police techniques and strategies in order to deter and detect criminal activity.
• Investigates the activities of suspicious persons as encountered, or upon complaint, using standard police techniques and in conformance with the legal requirements in order to determine the identity, activity and reason for the presence of the suspicious person.
• Remains alert to the emergency needs of citizens and takes the appropriate action to protect life and property.
• Fosters positive relationships with residents and merchants in order to develop rapport and enhance police-community relations.
• Issues citations for violations of the Illinois Vehicle Code and local ordinances as observed or determined in conformance with legal requirements and department policies and procedures in order to ensure conformity with traffic laws and to prevent traffic accidents.
• Issues parking citations for identified violations as encountered according to legal requirements and department policies and procedures in order to ensure compliance with City ordinances.
• Directs vehicular traffic as required in order to ensure a safe, orderly flow of traffic.
• Assists disabled motorists as encountered in order to facilitate traffic flow, reduce traffic hazards, prevent injury and enhance police-community relations.
• Identities and arrests motorists driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in conformance with legal requirements and department policies and procedures to prevent related traffic accidents and injuries.
• Conducts premise examinations of commercial and residential buildings using standard police procedures in order to protect property and prevent crimes.
• Interviews and interrogates suspects in accordance with legal requirements and department policies and procedures using standard interrogation techniques and strategies in order to obtain information and/or a confession in reference to criminal activity.
• Searches individuals and their property prior to taking them into custody in compliance with legal requirements and department policies and procedures using standard police search techniques to ensure the safety of the officer, other department personnel and arrested persons.
• Incarcerates arrested persons as required in accordance with legal requirements and department policies and procedures using standard police techniques in order to detain arrested persons pending further investigation and/or processing through the criminal justice system.
• Intervenes in domestic disturbances upon citizen complaint using standard police and socio-psychological techniques to restore order and prevent injury or loss of life.
• Disperses unruly gatherings as encountered or upon citizen complaint using standard crowd control techniques to restore order and protect life and property.
• Counsels juveniles and adults and, when deemed appropriate, refers them to the persons or agencies where they can obtain further assistance.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS OF WORK:

• Must possess a high school diploma or GED and sixty (60) college credit hours.
• Must possess a valid driver's license and a safe driving record.
• Must not possess any felony or misdemeanor convictions in accordance with 50 ILCS 705/6.1.
• Must possess a valid Illinois Firearm Owner Identification card.
• Must be currently or recently (within the last 6 months) employed as a full-time sworn law enforcement officer in the State of Illinois and duly certified by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board.
• Must have successfully passed a Law Enforcement agency's probationary period for full-time sworn law enforcement officer.
• Must be able to carry an Evanston Police Department approved firearm and to successfully complete the Evanston Police Department Field Training Program.
• Preferred qualifications include residency in Evanston IL at the time of application and/or one year of active duty and honorable discharge from the military.
• Knowledge, skills, and abilities in the following areas:
• Ability to read manuals (safety, instructional, etc.), professional journals, police department manuals including General Orders and SOPs and a variety of other reports.
• Ability to prepare work assignments, summaries and reports using prescribed format and conforming to all rules of punctuation, grammar, diction and style.
• Ability to give verbal direction to subordinates and to speak extemporaneously on variety of subjects.
• Demonstrated ability to listen to and understand, anticipate resident needs and satisfy the resident through a timely response with information and action.
• Ability to take action to achieve established goals without constant supervisory direction.
• Ability to maintain a high activity or productivity level during sustained work hours.
• Ability to maintain effectiveness even after difficulties; skill and ability to maintain stable performance under pressure and to relieving stress in an acceptable manner to the public, fellow employees, and the organization.
• Ability to verbally present ideas effectively to an individual or to a group.
• Ability to follow City and department rules, regulations, and procedures surrounding safety; to report all unsafe conditions and acts to the supervisor; to report all accidents same day.
• Ability to present information publicly either with or without materials; gather information and accurately identify the cause of a problem in a timely manner.
• Ability to express ideas clearly in memos and letters, using correct grammar, terminology and sentence structure, and targeting the message to the audience.
• Ability to obtain topical information, identify important issues, compare data and identify cause-effect relationships; make timely decisions using judgment, take action when appropriate and commit to a position and implement a course of action.
• Ability to take actions that demonstrate consideration for the needs of others and the effect of one's behavior on others; initiate action to achieve a recognized benefit when potential negative consequences are understood.
• Ability to work with others in the organization outside the line of formal authority to accomplish organizational goals and to identify and resolve problems; use interpersonal style to inspire subordinates, peers or superiors toward goal achievement; modify behavior to accommodate tasks, situations and individuals involved.
• Ability to present alternatives to reach outcomes and gain support and acceptance of all parties.
• Ability to use appropriate interpersonal style and communication methods to win acceptance of ideas.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS OF WORK:
Heavy work; exerting up to 100 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or in excess of 20 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Kneeling (bending legs at knee to come to a rest on knees); crouching (bending body downward and forward by bending legs and spine); reaching (extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction); crawling (moving about on hands and knees or hands and feet); fingering (picking, pinching, or otherwise working with fingers primarily - rather than with whole hand or arm as in handling); handling (seizing, holding, grasping, turning or otherwise working with hands); feeling (perceiving attributes of objects such as size, shape, temperature or texture by means of receptors in skin, particularly those of finger tips); climbing (ability to ascend or descend ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, poles, and the like, using feet and legs and/or hands and arms); balancing (ability to maintain body equilibrium to prevent falling when walking, standing, crouching, or running on narrow, slippery, or erratically moving surfaces); stooping (ability to bend body downward and forward by bending waist); talking (expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; talking is important for those activities in which workers must impart oral information to clients or to the public, and in those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly or quickly); hearing (perceiving the nature of sounds; hearing is important for those activities which require the ability to receive detailed information through oral communication and to make fine discriminations in sound); seeing with corrective vision if necessary (the ability to perceive the nature of objects by eye); far vision (clarity of vision at 20 feet or more); near vision (clarity of vision at 20 inches or less); depth perception (ability to judge distance and space relationships so as to see objects where and as they actually are, including safety to oneself and others); field of vision (observing an area that can be seen up and in a given point, when required to see a large area while keeping the eyes fixed); accommodation (adjustment of lens of eye to bring an object into sharp focus, especially important when doing near-point work at varying distances from the eye; and color-vision (ability to identify and distinguish colors).


SUPERVISION:
A Police Officer is under general direct supervision of the Police Sergeant and Police Commander.


PUBLIC CONTACT:
The employee has regular contact with citizens, elected officials, outside agency representatives, and City employees in many departments throughout the City.