Law Enforcement Specialist (Canine Handler)

Veterans Health Administration; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Veterans Health Administration in Milwaukee seeks a Canine Program Coordinator within the VA Police Service. You will manage the Canine Program at field level and provide support for multiple stations, ensuring readiness and safety.

Applicants should have law enforcement experience with arrest authority, a valid driver’s license, and the ability to train and supervise canine teams in patrol and detection duties; firearms handling and Lautenberg provisions apply.

Qualifications

• SPF: Experience as a Law Enforcement Officer with arrest authority.
• SPF: Requires a valid State Driver's License.
• Specialized experience in training/handling dogs for patrol or detection.

Responsibilities

• Manage the Canine Program at the field level.
• Provide support for multiple stations and ensure program readiness.
• Perform duties in line with police responsibilities and canine operations.

Skills

Law enforcement

Canine handling

Job description

This position is located within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Office of Security and Preparedness (OSP), Field Operations Division, VA Police Service with the Clemet J. Zablocki Medical center, Milwaukee Wi. The Canine Program Coordinator is responsible for managing the Canine Program at the field level and assisting and providing support for multiple stations.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT CONTINUED

PRE-EMPLOYMENT MEDICAL REQUIREMENT: Prior to appointment, the person selected for this position must be determined physically fit by an authorized government physician to perform strenuous and physically demanding duties, which may include protecting citizens, taking suspects into custody using reasonable physical force in the face of physical resistance, and responding to situations requiring physical agility and quick and legally sufficient decision making. Also successfully pass a pre-employment medical examination (which includes, but is not limited to, vision, hearing, cardiovascular, and mobility of extremities) given by an authorized government physician. This position may be subject to periodic incumbent examinations in the future.

MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS:

MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS: General: The physical demands of the essential job tasks range from sedentary to arduous and are classified into the following categories: lift/carry, push/pull, climb, bend/stoop, run/walk, sit, stand, drive, write, vision, comprehend/read, and communicate. Individuals are responsible for: lifting items to inspect cargo; reading, comparing and reviewing shipping documents and itineraries to determine cargo and time of arrival of vessels and airplanes; communicating with citizens, passengers and exporters to exchange and gather information and testify at trials; driving vehicles; running to pursue suspects; making arrests; using firearms; conducting traffic control; and operating computers, radios, and small hand tools. Additionally, individuals must perform the above tasks and also handle dogs (weighing approximately 70 pounds) to search for contraband.

LAUTENBERG AMENDMENT:

LAUTENBERG AMENDMENT: This position is covered by the 1996 Lautenberg Amendment to the Gun Control Act of 1968. Persons convicted of a misdemeanor or felony crime of domestic violence are not eligible for this position.

FIREARMS REQUIREMENT:

FIREARMS REQUIREMENT: Employee will be required to carry a firearm while performing the duties of this position. Maintaining firearm proficiency is mandatory. Police Officers are required to carry agency-approved firearms while on duty. Officers must achieve and maintain qualification/certification with the agency-approved firearms as condition of gaining and continuing employment as a Police Officer. Applicants must be able to possess firearms under the terms of the Gun Control Act of 1968, as amended (18 U.S.C. 922(g)(9).

OTHER REQUIREMENT:

OTHER REQUIREMENT: Applicants must be willing and able to engage effectively in contacts with hostile persons and work independently under conditions of high accountability. A background investigation may also be employed in assessing applicants' suitability.

SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR (SCREEN-OUT)

To qualify for this position, applicant(s) must meet the following qualifications requirements. SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR (SCREEN-OUT) - A Selective Placement Factor (SPF) has been identified for this position. Selective Placement Factors (SPF) are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for the position. Applicants who do not meet the SPF are ineligible for further consideration. The SPF for this position is: Experience as a Law Enforcement Officer with arrest authority. The SPF for this position is: Requires a valid State Driver's License. (We are unable to accept pictures, therefore, please DO NOT provide a copy of your Driver's License. This requirement will be verified during interview. In addition to the SPFs, applicant(s) must meet at least one of the following minimum qualification requirements.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Requires one full year of specialized experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-7) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Qualifying specialized experience is experience in law enforcement work involving the training, handling, and employment of dogs in patrol duty and/or detection of specific materials and substances such as drugs, explosives, etc. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include:

• Work as a police officer using dogs in law enforcement, patrol, or inspection work and/or detection of substances;
• Military service using dogs in patrol and inspection and/or detection of drugs, explosives, etc.;
• Work as an instructor at a dog training center training dogs for law enforcement work such as patrol duty and/or detection of subs