Police Officer (Lateral/Academy Graduate)

The Position

Under direction and supervision of the Police Sergeant, Corporal, or Police Officer, this position patrols assigned area in the maintenance of order, enforcement of laws and ordinance, prevention of crime, and the protection of life and property; does investigation work in the detection of crime and vice; and does relate work as required. Sound judgment is always necessary since much of the work is performed without direct supervision and decisions affecting life and property must often be made in critical moments.

Examples Of Duties

The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.

• Responds to calls for service regarding accidents, crimes, threats, alterations and/or request for aid;
• Patrols an assigned area of the City to maintain law and order;
• Responds to emergencies as directed by radio and telephone;
• Investigate unusual or suspicious conditions;
• Apprehend suspects by driving safely at high speeds, chasing suspects on foot, climbing over obstacles, physically arrest suspects, utilizing self-defense and control techniques and utilizing firearms, under appropriate conditions;
• Serves subpoenas, serves warrants, testifies in court, marks and stores evidence apprehends suspects, makes arrests as prescribed by law and confers with City/District Attorney's office to provide information for case preparations;
• Enforces traffic laws, directs traffic, issues citations and warnings;
• Investigates traffic accidents and accident scenes;
• Assists in making difficult criminal investigations and makes less difficult investigations alone;
• Administers first aid to injured persons;
• Searches and books prisoners;
• Interviews, interrogates and records statements from witness, suspects and victims;
• Identifies relevant facts and prepares written reports on incidents and cases assigned;
• Guards prisoners, questions suspects;
• Writes reports of daily activities and action taken;
• Investigates vice conditions;
• Analyzes facts, clues, and evidence and makes investigations to determine law violators and their whereabouts;
• Notes and reports unsafe or hazardous conditions;
• Prepares evidence and appears in court;
• Searches for stolen property and lost persons;
• Gives information to the public regarding laws, ordinances and directions;
• Assists School Crossing Guards;
• Attends training school courses;
• Officer in this class may be assigned to motorcycle traffic enforcement, radio communications dispatcher, or desk and records detail, jail operations, bicycle operations, youth services or community services;
• Assumes responsibility for ensuring the duties of the position, that they are performed in a safe, and efficient manner;
• Performs related duties as assigned or as the situation requires;

Qualifications

The following generally describes the knowledge and ability required to enter the job and/or be learned within a short period of time in order to successfully perform the assigned duties. Knowledge of:

• Good customer service practices

Skills:

• Possess skills to word process general correspondence, spread sheets, and reports using a personal computer and software application;
• Meet the minimum Police Department standards for firearm proficiency;

Ability to:

• Read, understand, and explain technical material consisting of laws, regulations, and departmental policies concerning the protection of life and property and the maintenance of law and order;
• To analyze situations and adopt effective courses of action, giving due regard to surrounding hazards and circumstances;
• Understand oral and written directions;
• Prepare write accurate detailed and factual reports in a clear, legible, and precise manner;
• Maintain cooperative relationships with fellow employees and the public;
• Have personal courage, physical endurance and agility;
• Work at night, weekends/day and holidays and remain available for calls and report for duty in any emergency;
• Work under strict discipline;
• Remain poised and controlled in threatening or violent situations;
• Deal calmly with angry, upset and frightened people;
• Work overtime as requested;
• Handle confidential information with discretion;
• Assume responsibility for maintaining a safe working environment;
• Establish smooth working relationships and resolve interpersonal conflicts;
• Develop necessary skills from on-the-job training and meet the standards of performance or higher for the classification;

Education and Experience Guidelines – Any combination of equivalent education, training and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

• Graduation from high school or attainment of GED (General Education Degree) or CHSPE (California High School Proficiency Examination);
• Graduation from a POST approved California Law Enforcement Training Academy and pass appraisal by Police Management;

Age:

• Must be 21 years of age at time of hire (sworn police position only);

Citizenship:

• Must be a United States citizen or a permanent resident alien who has applied for citizenship at least one (1) year before employment application;

License:

• A valid California Class C Driver's License and a satisfactory driving record.

Special Requirements for Lateral Entry/Academy Graduate:

• California Lateral Police Officers: Candidates who are, or who have been, employed as a full-time law enforcement officer for at least one (1) year with a California law enforcement agency and who still possess a valid active POST Basic Certificate.
• Out-Of-State Lateral Police Officers: Candidates who are currently employed as a full time sworn law enforcement officer with at least (1) one year of service at an out of state law enforcement agency, have successfully completed an out of state POST basic academy, and have completed the California POST Waiver Course process.
• California Academy Graduate (Pre-): Candidates who have successfully completed and graduated from a POST certified academy and possess a valid California POST Academy Certificate.
• Incoming Laterals must pass a Police Departments background check;
• Requires wearing uniforms;

Physical Requirements:

• Must meet approved physical and pre-placement medical standards for the position.
• Must have no less than 20-70 uncorrected vision or 20-20 corrected vision and normal color vision;
• Must have normal hearing;
• A test of physical strength and agility maybe required;

Bilingual Pay:

• Employees who qualify and are certified to speak Spanish may be eligible to receive bilingual pay.

APPLICATION AND FILING INFORMATION: Applications must be filed online only.