Police Officer (Lateral)

Police Officer (Lateral)

The City of Placentia is now recruiting for the position of Police Officer (Lateral). This recruitment will be open continuously and may close at any time without advance notice. You are encouraged to apply immediately.

The organization: At the City of Placentia, we strive to make a difference by continually developing our progressive and innovative workforce. Our team collaborates to create an environment that promotes diversity, creativity, and respect for all opinions, ensuring better outcomes for the community we serve. The City adheres to a philosophy of continuous improvement and strives to offer employees various professional development opportunities, including citywide leadership academies, departmental retreats, professional coaching, and more.

Under the direction of the Police Sergeant, the Police Officer patrols an assigned area, enforces public safety laws, codes, and regulations and maintains order, prevents, detects, and investigates crime, responds to emergencies and calls for service, carries out special assignments in the protection of life and property, and performs other related duties as assigned.

Distinguishing characteristics: Positions in this class are distinguished from the Police Sergeant, which serves as a first-line supervisor and has responsibility for the development, coordination, and evaluation of sworn personnel that are part of a work shift or section. Police officers may be assigned to special assignments, such as motor, traffic, K-9, detective, SWAT, field training officer, jail, bike team, VIP handling, reserves, and similar details.

Examples of Duties

The following list of functions, duties, and tasks is typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform other closely related or department-specific functions, duties, and tasks from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.

• Enforces federal, state, county, and city laws, regulations, and ordinances related to public safety and law enforcement.
• Patrols an assigned area of the city, in a patrol vehicle or on foot, in order to detect and prevent crime and maintain law and order; may operate a motorcycle or bicycle as part of a special assignment detail.
• Gives verbal warnings and prepares citations, arrest reports, crime reports, daily observation reports, vehicular incident and pursuit forms, injury reports, collision reports, and impounded property reports.
• Responds to radio messages and citizen requests for protection of life and property and public assistance and appears at crime and scenes of disorder and determines proper course of action; investigates suspicious vehicles or persons; observes situations related to stolen cars, traffic violations, and proper flow of traffic.
• Inspects premises at night and on other shifts; assists in the investigation of crimes; conducts preliminary investigations of disturbances, burglaries, thefts, armed robberies, vehicle accidents, deaths, or other types of incidents involving possible violations of public safety laws and codes.
• Questions suspects, interviews victims and witnesses; books property and evidence; performs basic crime scene investigation; testifies in court regarding facts, circumstances, and violations; completes field and follow-up investigations.
• Takes written statements; examines conditions of accident scenes; clears scene of obstructions and damaged vehicles; notes and reports traffic hazards; provides first aid for injured persons or requests medical attention in accordance with departmental procedures.
• Reports abandoned or damaged vehicles; inspects establishments providing alcoholic beverages and entertainment, and other public gatherings and assures that proper licenses and permits are in effect.
• Intervenes in private or public disputes to protect the public and maintain order; supervises arrestees; and monitors the status of parolees and individuals on probation status, including court orders.
• Participates in police briefings, exercises, training courses, and programs.
• When assigned to Reserves Detail, tracks and coordinates the scheduling and training of reserve police officers.
• When assigned to Traffic Detail, enforces specialized Traffic and Motor Vehicle Codes and prepares traffic and collision reports and investigation records; sets up DUI monitoring; coordinates work with Department of Motor Vehicles and Courts; attends meetings, prepares logs, and makes presentations.
• When assigned to Field Training Officer Detail, organizes, coordinates, and provides officer training in the field related to proper law enforcement surveillance, handling of traffic stops, preparation of departmental reports, and related tasks; completes training records and employee progress reports at regular intervals.
• Receives, searches, books, fingerprints, and takes custody of prisoners; guards and transports prisoners; provides meals and completes daily records.
• When assigned to K-9 detail, also assists in searches of suspects and properties; trains animals and conducts exercises in proper pursuit and control methods; feeds and maintains animals in accordance with health and safety standards and prepares related activity records.
• When assigned to Detective Detail, conducts crime scene investigations and pursues cases involving the collection of additional evidence, identification and interviewing of victims and suspects, and prosecution of cases within the Court system; conducts covert patrol; writes and executes search warrants; coordinates property and evidence collection with police support staff; and testifies in cases.
• When assigned to SWAT Detail, responds to emergency calls involving hostages, barricaded suspects, suicide threats, bomb threats, deadly use of force, high-risk search and arrest warrant service, and related incidents involving public safety.
• When assigned to Gang Detail, monitors and investigates associations of individuals who belong to known gangs; determines means of gaining access and information from informants related to actual or planned crimes; and testifies in cases.
• When assigned to School Resource Detail, visits public schools, prepares and makes educational presentations, maintains communications with school officials, works with district staff on attendance and truancy issues, and counsels students related to lawful conduct and community standards and expectations.
• Provides escorts or guard services for parades, various public activities, or meetings.

Other duties: Performs other related duties as assigned for ensuring the efficient and effective functioning of the work unit and the City.

Typical Qualifications

Any combination of training, education, and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying.

• Education: A typical way of obtaining the knowledge, skills and abilities outlined above is graduation from high school or G.E.D. equivalent
• Experience: Candidate must be currently employed as a sworn Police Officer and have passed probation in their current agency.

• Valid, current driver's license.

• Basic Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission (POST) certificate
• For specialty assignments, completion of all required training and certification related to the special position assignment is required.
• Certification in protective and lifesaving equipment
• First aid and CPR certification

In addition, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• No more than 20/100 uncorrected and 20/30 corrected and freedom from uncorrectable color blindness. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, peripheral vision, color vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Must be 21 years of age or older at time of appointment.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law.
• Must be of good character and reputation.
• May undergo a psychological assessment by a qualified professional to determine their suitability for the position.
• Will be administered an integrity test and a polygraph examination.
• Will undergo a complete, comprehensive, P.O.S.T. approved Background Investigation.
• Will be fingerprinted and records checked in both State and Federal Bureaus.
• Must not have a record of conviction of a serious offense, or numerous convictions of minor offenses. Credit rating, if established, must be satisfactory.

Physical and Mental Demands/Work Environment (Must be performed with or without reasonable accommodations)

• Frequently works in outside weather conditions and in a patrol unit and may operate specialized equipment when assigned to patrol
• Exposure to extreme heat, smoke, dust, fumes, and inclement weather, as well as loud noises such as, but not limited to, sirens, alarms, and diesel engines
• Use of safety helmets, armored vests, earplugs, utility belts, and other specialized equipment
• Subject to the threat of injury and life-threatening hazards as part of police safety operations
• Frequently required to use hands to finger, handle, feel, or operate objects, tools, or controls
• Reach with hands and arms
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