POLICE OFFICER CANDIDATE

Police Officer Position

This position learns and performs general police duties to ensure the strict enforcement of state and local laws relating to public safety and welfare, performs related law enforcement work as required; and attends training in order to successfully complete Class I Certification through the Criminal Justice Academy in accordance with 23-23-40 of the Code of Laws of South Carolina 1976. The incumbent works according to set procedures under close supervision. The work is considered medium-to-heavy in nature and involves walking, standing, running, climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, and lifting, pushing or pulling objects, and also involves exerting between 20 and 50 pounds of force on a recurring basis and 50 to 100 pounds of force on an occasional basis. Work environment may involve exposure to bright/dim light, dusts and pollen, extreme heat and/or cold, wet or humid conditions, extreme noise levels, animals/wildlife, fumes and/or noxious odors, traffic, electrical shock, heights, disease/pathogens, toxic/caustic chemicals, explosives, violence; and is dynamic that requires sensitivity to change and responsiveness to changing goals, priorities, and needs.

Essential Job Functions

• Attends training classes and observes and assists superior officers in order to learn the policies, procedures, methods and protocols associated with the position of Police Officer with the City of Columbia;
• Completes Class I Certification through the Criminal Justice Academy in accordance with 23-23-40 of the Code of Laws of South Carolina 1976;
• Enforces all federal and state laws and City ordinances relating to public safety and welfare; performs all duties in compliance with applicable policies, procedures, laws, regulations and standards of safety;
• Learns and performs general patrol duties, including but not limited to patrolling assigned areas of the City, monitoring property security, responding to emergency calls and/or public calls for assistance, apprehending and arresting suspects and violent persons, securing crime scenes, seizing property and/or criminal evidence, maintaining public order, transporting prisoners and mental patients, etc.;
• Learns and performs traffic enforcement duties, including issuing traffic tickets and warnings, detecting DUI suspects, and assisting with accident reconstruction and investigations;
• Assists with the service of warrants, summonses, subpoenas, civil and other official papers;
• Assists with criminal investigations. Assists in interviewing witnesses, complainants and victims; interrogating suspects; gathering physical evidence and preserving it for court; providing case follow-up as needed;
• Provides testimony and presents evidence in court as necessary;
• Administers first aid and assists EMTs at emergency scenes as necessary;
• Performs routine service duties, including but not limited to providing escort service for the protection of persons and/or property, assisting stranded motorists, providing funeral escort, directing traffic, providing security and crowd control at special events, etc.;
• Prepares and submits detailed work records and reports;
• Learns and remains abreast of all federal and state laws, and ordinances of the City of Columbia;
• Maintains assigned equipment and vehicle;
• Receives and responds to citizen inquiries, complaints and requests for assistance;
• Participates in neighborhood and community relations programs; attends neighborhood meetings to enhance police/community relationships and to address safety and quality of life issues;
• Attends periodic training sessions and attends seminars and meetings to keep abreast of current law enforcement trends; maintains required physical fitness and required level of proficiency in the use of firearms;
• Works under stressful, high-risk conditions;
• Remains on call 24 hours per day, seven days per week, for emergency response;
• Performs general clerical work as required, including but not limited to preparing reports and correspondence, entering and retrieving computer data, copying and filing documents, sending and receiving faxes, answering the telephone, etc.; and
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements to Perform Work:

• High school diploma or GED;
• No prior experience required;
• Valid South Carolina Class "D" Driver's License.

Special Requirements:

• U.S. Citizen;
• Must be at least 21 years of age.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, and/or calculating ratios, rates and percentages;
• Ability to summarize, tabulate or format data or information in accordance with a prescribed schema or plan to facilitate the identification and extraction of useful information;
• Ability to speak or signal to people to convey or exchange information of a general;
• Ability to lead, operate or repair complex machinery or equipment that requires extended training and experience, such as police vehicles and equipment, firearms. Involves operations of limited scope;
• Ability to perform skilled work involving rules/systems with almost constant problem-solving;
• Ability to read technical instructions, procedures, manuals and charts to solve practical problems; composing routine reports and specialized reports, forms and business letters with proper format; speaking compound sentences using normal grammar and word form;
• Ability to perform clerical, manual or technical tasks prescribed by standard practices but which may require computation, the use of several procedures, and the use of independent judgments with obvious choices; requires normal attention for accurate results; and
• Ability to guide others, requiring a few decisions affecting a few co-workers; works in a stable environment with clear and uncomplicated written/oral instructions but with some variations from the routine.

Benefits

The City of Columbia is proud to offer a complete benefits package to full-time employees. This package includes health care, dental, vision, retirement, deferred compensation plans, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, long-term disability, holidays, vacation, and sick leave. Part-time or temporary employees, including interns, are not eligible for City benefits. To learn more details, visit our benefits page.