Police Officer (Laterals or Academy Enrollees)

Police Officer Position

The City of Pittsburg in California seeks Police Officers for the Police Department (City Manager may approve recruitment incentives for the selected hires such as a signing bonus up to $15,000 based on years of law enforcement experience). Pittsburg Police Officers perform general police work in the area of traffic control and enforcement, crime prevention, law enforcement, investigation, and community policing. Within their designated beat, the Police Officer patrols the area to preserve law and order, prevent and discover the commission of crimes, and enforce traffic regulations. Police officers may be assigned to special assignments such as SWAT, Narcotics, Investigations, K9, or another specialized division. To this end, the Department is committed to forging an alliance with the residents served by providing police services that are fair, professional, and respectful of the dignity of all individuals.

Ideal Candidate for Police Officer:

• Working knowledge of operating procedures of a public safety department
• Knowledge of federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations; principles of crime prevention and suppression
• Demonstrates a high level of ethical behavior
• Great interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively with other City Departments, outside agencies, and members of the public
• Ability to act quickly and calmly in emergency conditions and situations
• Strong attention to detail to remember names, faces and information about incidents
• Demonstrates excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent leadership skills; values teamwork
• Ability to operate a police vehicle, firearms, and other law enforcement equipment
• Demonstrates an understanding of community-oriented policing and problem-solving strategies
• Adaptive, flexible and tolerant of the continued evolution of policing
• Is culturally competent and accepting of diverse ideas, thoughts and suggestions

Incentives include:

• Shift Differential: 2% or 4.5% depending on shift
• Call out Pay: 4 hours minimum OT
• POST Certificate: 2.5% for Intermediate or 5% for Advanced
• Educational Degree: 2.5% for Bachelors
• Bilingual Pay: 4%
• Special Assignment Pay up to 5%
• Longevity Pay up to 7.5% (based on years of service with Pittsburg and outside sworn service)

Benefits include:

• Uniform Allowance: $1000 per year
• $4,000 Tuition Reimbursement per year
• Vacation Buyback program
• Retirement Health Saving Plan
• 96% to 100% of Medical, Vision, and Dental premium paid by employer

About the Police Department:

The protection of life and property is the Police Department's highest priority. The Operations Bureau is responsible for the management of the Patrol Division and the Traffic Unit. The Patrol Division represents the largest component of the Police Department. The Support Services Bureau is responsible for the management of the Investigations Division, Property/Evidence Division, Code Enforcement Division, Records Division, School Resource Officer Program, and the Gang/Vice Team. The Support Services Bureau also provides in-service training and certified courses to ensure compliance with Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) and applicable educational mandates for all sworn and civilian police personnel.

About Pittsburg:

The City of Pittsburg is a culturally rich and diverse community of over 76,000 residents and expected to grow to 90,000 in the next 20 years. Pittsburg is located in the Bay Area Region of Northern California and is perfectly situated for easy access to San Francisco, Napa Valley, Sacramento, the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and Lake Tahoe. Pittsburg City Hall is also conveniently located a short walk from the Pittsburg Center Station of the Bay Area Rapid Transit System (BART), making a commute from cities throughout the Bay Area very easy. Pittsburg has waterfront homes, a performing arts theater, a variety of seasonal events, an extensive park system, a large public-school system, and a variety of shopping centers. The recently renovated Marina is also an ideal place to visit and is located within steps of the Old Town shopping district and downtown living, with nearly 600 boat slips, a free public boat launch, fuel dock, café, bait shop, and the Pittsburg Yacht Club. Pittsburg has featured such events as the Seafood and Music Festival, car shows, movies in the park, kayaking, and fishing derbies. With its commitment to a quality community environment, Pittsburg is an ideal city in which to live, work and recreate.

The City of Pittsburg is a full-service city following the council-manager form of government. The City has approximately 300 full time employees and at times, up to 350 employees total (depending on the season). Pittsburg is currently organized into the following departments: City Management, Community and Economic Development (Building, Economic Development, Code Enforcement, and Planning), Community Services (Housing Authority, Pittsburg Power Company, and the Successor Agency to the former Redevelopment Agency, CDBG/Housing Rehabilitation, Environmental Services, Waterfront Administration, and Property Management), Recreation, Human Resources, Finance, Police, and Public Works (Engineering, Operations/Maintenance, Utilities, Facilities, Parks, and Water Treatment). Fire Protection services are provided by the Contra Costa County Consolidated Fire Department. The City's Priorities and Goal areas include Public Safety, Public Infrastructure, Efficiency, Economic Development, and Quality of Life.

Examples of Duties

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Patrols assigned areas by car, foot, motorcycle, or bicycle; performs crime suppression and prevention activities; answers special calls; conducts initial and follow-up investigations including burglaries, robberies, death, suicides, theft, felonies and other law violations; answers complaints including domestic disturbances, health code and local ordinance violations; investigates suspicious circumstances.
• Enforces traffic laws; controls and directs traffic when necessary; performs crowd control, special event or riot duties; assists in crime prevention activities and the control of juvenile delinquency; administers first aid in cases of emergency; books prisoners in the City jail and assists in their custody, care and welfare.
• Obtains and processes evidence; takes written statements; prepares required reports and maintains investigative records; serves warrants and subpoenas; testifies in court in connection with prosecution of offenders. Furnishes information and direction to the public.
• Responds to questions, concerns and requests for service from the general public; provides information as appropriate and resolves complaints.
• Participates in training courses and programs.
• Establishes positive working relationships with representatives of community organizations, state/local agencies and associations, City management and staff, and the public.

Qualifications

*Must possess of a Basic Certificate from P.O.S.T. or be enrolled in a California Police Officer Standards and Training Basic Academy. Education: A high school graduate, pass the General Education Development test or other high school equivalency test approved by CDE, or have attained a two-year, four-year, or advanced degree from an accredited or approved institution Age Requirement: Must be at least 21 years of age at the time of appointment Certification: Must possess of a Basic Certificate from P.O.S.T. at the time of appointment to Police Officer. License: Possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid Class C California driver's license and proof of auto liability insurance is required. Background Investigation: Of good moral character; Satisfactory completion of a thorough background investigation. Must have not been convicted for a crime which could have resulted in state or federal imprisonment. Found to be free from any physical, emotional, or mental condition, including bias against race or ethnicity, gender, nationality, religion, disability, or sexual orientation, which might adversely affect the exercise of the powers of a peace officer. Pre-Employment Testing: Successful completion of drug screen, medical, psychological, and polygraph examinations. Qualified applicants must also possess: Knowledge of: Operations and standard operating procedures of a Police Department; applicable federal, state and local laws, codes and regulations; basic principles of crime prevention and suppression; methods and techniques for basic report preparation and writing; basic principles of law enforcement information systems, including a computer and applicable software; occupational hazards and standard safety practices. Ability to: Gather, analyze and evaluate facts and evidence and reach sound conclusions, analyze situations and adopt a reasonable course of action; act quickly and calmly in emergency situations; learn and apply applicable laws, codes and regulations; safely and effectively operate a police vehicle in emergency situations, firearms and other law enforcement equipment; communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing; and establish and maintain effective working relationships. Remember names, faces and