Lateral Police Officer - 26th Academy Class

El Paso County 911 District; El Paso (TX); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

City of El Paso is seeking candidates for the Lateral Police Officer Academy. Selected officers will complete classroom and field training, then patrol assigned areas to deter crime and protect the public.

Requirements include a HS diploma or GED, 12 college credits, 3 years of patrol experience, and a current or eligible Texas Peace Officer license, with US citizenship and clear background checks.

Qualifications

• Education and experience: HS diploma or GED plus 12 credit hours from an accredited college/university.
• Minimum 3 years of patrol duty while employed full-time by a police department or equivalent.
• Must be US citizen and either have an honorable discharge or be eligible for one.

Responsibilities

• Attend the Lateral Police Officer Academy and complete classroom and field training.
• Patrol streets, parks, and assignments to prevent/detect crimes and enforce laws.
• Prepare reports, interview witnesses, and coordinate with other agencies as needed.

Skills

Patrol experience

Honorable Discharge eligibility

US citizenship

Education

High School Diploma or GED

12 college credit hours

Tools

Texas Peace Officer License (TCOLE)

Texas Driver's License Class C

Job description

Requirements

MOS Code: All MOS Codes will be accepted

Education and Experience: High School Diploma or GED or higher and twelve (12) semester hours of credit in any field of study from an accredited college or university. A minimum of three (3) years of patrol duty (calls for service/street duty) while employed full-time by a state, county, or municipal police department, college or school police department, or sheriff’s department, or county constables and be twenty-one (21) years of age on or before the date of application. *Must have received or be eligible for an Honorable Discharge (as defined by TCOLE) from all law enforcement agencies of previous employment. Experience accumulated as a deputy, detention officer, jailer, or officer employed at a correctional facility, District Attorney’s office, or Federal or Military Police Officer is not applicable experience.

• Applicants separated from employment as a commissioned police officer with a state, county, or municipal police department, college or school police department, or sheriff’s department must apply within one (1) year of their separation date.

Requirements

MOS Code: All MOS Codes will be accepted

Education and Experience: High School Diploma or GED or higher and twelve (12) semester hours of credit in any field of study from an accredited college or university. A minimum of three (3) years of patrol duty (calls for service/street duty) while employed full-time by a state, county, or municipal police department, college or school police department, or sheriff’s department, or county constables and be twenty-one (21) years of age on or before the date of application. *Must have received or be eligible for an Honorable Discharge (as defined by TCOLE) from all law enforcement agencies of previous employment. Experience accumulated as a deputy, detention officer, jailer, or officer employed at a correctional facility, District Attorney’s office, or Federal or Military Police Officer is not applicable experience.

• Applicants separated from employment as a commissioned police officer with a state, county, or municipal police department, college or school police department, or sheriff’s department must apply within one (1) year of their separation date.

Licenses and Certificates: Hold a current Texas State Peace Officer License from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) or equivalent State-Certified Peace Officer license commissioned by state, county, or municipal police or sheriff’s department by the start of the academy. Valid Texas Class "C" Driver's License or equivalent from another state by time of appointment.

Out of State Applicants: Must be eligible to become licensed by TCOLE and pass the Basic Peace Officers Exam (BPOC) before graduation from the Lateral Police Academy. Out-of-state applicants must complete an Out-of-State Eligibility Packet on the TCOLE website and complete all required courses to be eligible to challenge the BPOC state exam. All courses must be completed within 180 days prior to the start of the academy.

• In-person courses may be offered at no cost to the applicant before the start of the Lateral Academy. However, applicants must attend on their own time, will not be compensated, and are not considered employees of the City of El Paso. Voluntary participation in the courses does not constitute employment or guarantee a job offer.

Special Requirements: All applicants must be current U.S. citizens, pass a background investigation and oral interview, and successfully complete a physical agility examination, medical examination, polygraph examination, and psychological and drug exam before starting the Academy. Applicants with prior military service may not currently have a dishonorable discharge or other discharge based on misconduct, which bars future military service. Must have received or be eligible for an Honorable Discharge (as defined by TCOLE).

• Amendment to S.B. 252 relating to the licensing of certain veterans by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement and the hiring of those veterans by political subdivisions states:
  Sec. 1701.3095. LICENSING OF CERTAIN VETERANS WHO ARE LEGAL PERMANENT RESIDENTS. The Commission Is Authorized To Issue a License To a Person Who Is a Legal Permanent Resident Of The United States If The Person
  meets the requirements of this chapter and the commission's rules for the license;
  is an honorably discharged veteran of the armed forces of the United States with at least two years of service before discharge; and
  presents evidence satisfactory to the commission that the person has applied for United States citizenship.

General Purpose
Under general supervision, perform assigned municipal law and ordinance enforcement and crime prevention duties which include maintaining a recognizable community presence to preserve peace and order, protect persons and property, and otherwise provide allied police services requested as well as precisely documenting evidence, circumstances, and actions regarding actual and potential criminal violations or other public safety-related incidents.

Typical Duties
Participate in and successfully complete the Lateral Police Officer Academy. Involves: Attending police academy classroom sessions and designated police command field training, attending lectures and demonstrations, engaging in practice sessions, and reading textbooks and instructional manuals. Prepare and submit study assignments about law enforcement, Texas Penal, and related codes, firearms and other weapons care and use, marksmanship, policies and procedures, traffic laws and control arrest methods, two-way radio operation, defensive driving, safety and emergency response techniques, accident investigation, ethics, report writing, and community relations principles.

Upon graduation from the Lateral Police Academy, and commissioned as a Police Officer with the El Paso Police Department. Involves: Patrol streets, parks, commercial and residential areas on an assigned beat by foot, motorcycle, or car to prevent or detect and investigate felony or misdemeanor law violations and other misconduct, regulate traffic, and respond to calls for police assistance. Involves: Checking stores, businesses, houses, and other premises for burglars, fires, and other disturbances. Respond to emergency radio or telephone calls and participate in inquiries into reported or observed events such as vehicular or other accidents, robberies, civil disturbances, domestic violence, fights, drunkenness, missing persons, prowlers, and drug abuse. Examine suspicious conditions and conduct primary searches of scenes of attempted or committed crimes for clues. Seek out and question victims, witnesses, and suspects to develop leads and tips. Independently decide the course of action ordinarily expected in conformance with Federal, State, County, and City laws and ordinances to immediately deal with difficult and emergency situations without assistance as qualified. Maintain normal contact with police supervisory personnel by radio or telephone for consultation on major emergencies or precedents, to collaborate on investigations, or to provide mutual assistance during other law enforcement activities. Detain or arrest, restrain, search, and advise suspects of their rights, and transport, register, and book prisoners. Cooperate and exchange information with other law enforcement agencies as assigned. Obtain advice from the City Attorney, Municipal Court, and Prosecutor's Office regarding cases, policies, and procedures, as needed and assigned. Direct and enforce traffic and parking regulations, issue tickets to traffic violators, inspect motor vehicles for state registration, serial numbers, and other pertinent information, and operate speed-detecting radar devices. Ascertain causes of traffic accidents by taking measurements and drawing diagrams of scenes, inspecting vehicles involved, obtaining and analyzing information incidental to events, and conducting hit-and-run follow-up inquiries. Rescue and render first aid to the injured, and summon ambulances and other law enforcement vehicles. Serve, as qualified, on specialized law enforcement operations or reaction teams, such as canine patrol, two-wheel motorcycle patrol, special weapons assault, juvenile cases, hostage negotiations, or surveillance, if assigned. Engage in community-oriented policing by mediating disputes, providing assistance to the public with such routine matters as locked or stalled vehicles, conducting educational programs on issues such as crime prevention, self-defense techniques, drug abuse resistance, and traffic safety, and furnishing general information about department activities. Serve warrants and commitments to fulfill court orders. Testify in court.

Prepare felony and misdemeanor cases for filing of charges, give testimony in court proceedings, or take other proper law enforcement action. Involves: Compiling information, writing and submitting reports on investigation findings, field interrogations, alcohol or drug influence, accident scenes, and traffic or other hazards that endanger public safety to superior officers. Prepare various records, including the officer's daily activity log, arrest register, Breathalyzer checklist, bad check form, and vehicle impoundment form.

Perform related duties as required. Involves: Act on behalf of superior officers in their absence, if assigned. Maintain normal availability by radio or telephone for consultation on open cases or emergency call-outs. Maintain equipment, supplies, and facilities in clean, orderly, and safe condition, which includes preventive servicing and making minor repairs, such as changing tires on assigned service vehicles if needed. Participate in in-service training for own professional development. Explain and demonstrate police patrol practices to less knowledgeable employees as requested. Serve on designated ad hoc committees.

General Information

Test date: An evaluation of education and experience will be conducted on qualified applicants.

Physical Evaluation Dates: January 7th and January 15th, 2027 (dates are tentative and subject to change)

Candidates placed on the eligible list may not be certified for hire until successful completion of the comprehensive background investigation and oral board panel interview. A conditional offer of employment will be given to those selected, pending successful medical/psychological examination and drug screening results.