Basic / Lateral Police Officer

Police Officer

Under general direction, enforces Federal, State, and local laws and ordinances and performs various duties to support law enforcement activities as well as provides service to the citizens in an efficient and professional manner.

Essential Job Functions:

• Patrols assigned district and receives dispatched calls for service to help prevent crime, aid citizens needing assistance and arrest violators of the law.
• Enforces traffic laws, monitors school crossings and provides escorts to insure safe motor vehicle operation throughout the City.
• Prepares written reports as required by specific assignment.
• Answers, screens and refers calls from citizens requesting Police services.
• Investigates reports of criminal activity, interviews victims and witnesses, seeks, gathers and submits evidence for processing, interrogates suspects, and arrests suspected offenders.
• Testifies in court as required.
• Instructs citizens, businesses, schools and civic organizations about methods and techniques that may help prevent one from becoming a victim of crime.
• Develops and implements community-based policing strategies and programs.
• Perform related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Skill in communicating ideas effectively both verbally and in written form.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with work associates and the public.
• Ability to read, interpret, learn and apply laws, regulations, and departmental policies and procedures.
• Ability to successfully complete training at police academy and on the job training.
• Ability to satisfactorily perform duties under time constraints.
• Ability to successfully communicate under strained circumstances.
• Ability to make quick and sound decisions in stressful situations.
• Ability to lift 100 pounds.
• Ability to pass the written exam and a physical agility test.
• Ability to pass a polygraph, medical examination, and a drug screen.
• Ability to pass a background investigation.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Be a citizen of the United States.
• Be 21 years of age or older.
• Have:
• A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of post-secondary education as certified through a commission on higher education of a regional educational agency for colleges and universities recognized by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement,or
• Four years of active-duty military experience with an honorable discharge,or
• 60 hours of college credit with two continuous years as a City of Arlington employee,or
• 60 hours of college credit with the completion of the Arlington PD Hometown Recruiting Program.
• Laterals: For applicants who are already certified peace officers - must be eligible for certification from TCOLE and Actively employed as a licensed peace officer for a municipality, county, school/university, and/or state law enforcement agency with no service year requirement and have a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of post-secondary education, or Actively employed with 3 years continuous service as a licensed peace officer for a municipal, county, school/university, and/or state law enforcement agency if the applicant does not have a bachelor's degree. Continuous service may include multiple agencies so long as any breaks in service were less than 90 days.
• Lateral Officers meeting the eligibility requirements are exempt from meeting the education requirement for basic entry. An Associate's Degree is required for selection to Corporal and a Bachelor's Degree is required to promote to Sergeant.
• Have no felony or class A misdemeanor convictions, including deferred adjudications.
• Have no misdemeanor convictions, including deferred adjudications, above the grade of class C within the past 10 years.
• Not be on court-ordered community supervision or probation for any criminal offense above the grade of class C misdemeanor.
• Have no family members working for APD.
• Be of good character and have a stable school, work, and driving record.
• Have no DWI convictions within the past 10 years.
• Read, write, and speak the English language.
• Possess 20/20 vision, either corrected or uncorrected in each eye. Uncorrected vision cannot exceed 20/100 in each eye unless vision is corrected by the use of contact lenses or prescription eyeglasses which must be worn on duty and / or during all enforcement related activities. Must also be free of dichromatic color blindness, night blindness, and any other visual deficiencies or limitations.
• Have no hearing loss greater than 45 decibels at 4000 hertz.
• Be able to pass a physical exam as determined by a physician.
• Have no tattoos on the neck, face, or hands except for one wedding band.
• An associates degree is required for officers seeking the rank of Corporal. A bachelor's degree is required for officers who wish to promote to the rank of Sergeant.

City of Arlington is an Equal Opportunity Employer.