Community Service Officer

City of Menlo Park; Menlo Park (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Menlo Park is seeking a Community Service Officer to perform a variety of non-sworn law enforcement support duties in the Police Department. The role requires independent work, sound judgment, and adherence to department policies and procedures.

Ideal candidates will have an Associates degree in criminal justice or related field, at least one year of relevant experience, and a valid California driver’s license by time of appointment.

Qualifications

• Equivalent to an Associate's Degree in criminal justice, police science, or a related field.
• One year of experience performing increasingly responsible non-sworn law enforcement support duties.
• Possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid California Driver's License by time of appointment.

Responsibilities

• Non-sworn law enforcement support duties such as crime scene investigation, parking enforcement, and traffic control.
• Evidence collection and processing as part of department operations.
• Neighborhood watch and public outreach support.
• Animal control and related community safety duties.

Skills

Non-sworn duties

Report writing

Parking enforcement

Traffic control

Evidence collection

Education

Associate's Degree in criminal justice or related field

Job description

The City of Menlo Park is now accepting applications for Community Service Officer.

This is a journey-level class responsible for performing a variety of non-sworn law enforcement duties. Incumbents are expected to work independently and exercise judgment and initiative. Positions at this level receive only occasional instruction or assistance as new or unusual situations arise and are fully aware of the operating procedures and policies of the work unit.

THE POLICE DEPARTMENT

The Menlo Park Police Department (MPPD) is grounded in its commitment to professionalism, transparency, fairness, and service. The Department operates under a philosophy rooted in the belief that the police and the public are partners in maintaining peace, safety, and quality of life.

MPPD employees, professional staff and sworn officers alike, work to uphold the Department's standards of excellence. Over the last few years, Menlo Park has invested significantly in developing leaders throughout the organization and championing a culture of ownership, accountability and continuous learning. Recent employee engagement surveys reveal high levels of satisfaction with the agency's mission, work environment, and team relationships.

The Department places a high priority on its relationships with the community and provision of safety seriously and is dedicated to education and enforcement of state and local laws. The emphasis on evidence-based practices, problem-solving policing, and the responsible use of technology are important aspects of MPPD's culture.

The Department's operations are organized into four divisions:

• Patrol Operations Division - oversees general patrol services, Traffic and Parking, Community Service Officers (CSOs), and the Field Training Program.
• Special Operations Division - responsible for Investigations, Problem-Oriented Policing, and the School Resource Officer program. This division also handles Internal Affairs and coordinates the Community Wellness and Crisis Response Team.
• Records, Dispatch, and Property Division - manages public-facing services through Dispatch and Records, oversees property and evidence management, and ensures the maintenance and accessibility of departmental records. MPPD manages its own 24/7 Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) system for emergency and non-emergency calls.
• Internal Services Division - provides support in training, policy coordination, recruitment and hiring, public affairs, media relations, community outreach, data management, and the supervision of civilian staff not assigned to the other divisions.

Ideal Candidate

Under general supervision, the Community Service Officer performs a variety of activities in administering non-sworn law enforcement support services and programs for the City's Police Department including crime scene investigation, parking enforcement and traffic control, evidence collection and processing, abandoned vehicle abatement, neighborhood watch and public outreach, animal control, and writing reports.

Minimum Qualifications:

Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

• Equivalent to an Associate's Degree in criminal justice, police science, or a related field.
• Oneyear of experience performing increasingly responsible non-sworn law enforcement support duties.
• Possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid California Driver's License by time of appointment.