Law Enforcement Specialist (Canine Handler)

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Milwaukee VA Medical Center, is seeking a Canine Program Coordinator within the VA Police Service to manage the canine program at the field level and support multiple stations.

The role requires demonstrated law enforcement experience with arrest authority, and a valid State Driver's License, with duties including patrol, apprehension, and canine care. Qualified candidates have specialized experience training and employing dogs in patrol and detection

Qualifications

• Requires one full year of specialized experience involving training, handling, and employment of dogs in patrol or detection work.
• Experience as a police officer using dogs for patrol, inspection, or detection of substances.
• Ability to train canine teams and maintain training, health, and operational records.

Responsibilities

• Conduct patrols with canine to deter crime and detect contraband.
• Perform law enforcement duties including investigations and arrests.
• Train the canine and maintain documentation of training, health, and certifications.
• Analyze canine program problems and prepare improvement reports.

Skills

Law enforcement experience

Canine program management

Arrest authority

Education

Master's degree or related field

2 years graduate education related

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: 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: 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: 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: 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.

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. Applicants who do not meet the SPF are ineligible for further consideration.

1. The SPF for this position is: Experience as a Law Enforcement Officer with arrest authority.
2. 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:

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 substances. In addition, specialized experience for this GS-9 grade level includes:

• Conducting patrols with canine to deter criminal activity, detect contraband, and provide rapid response to security threats;
• Performing law enforcement duties, including investigations into possible violations of laws and apprehending persons who are accused of crimes;
• Training the canine and maintaining administrative documentation of the canine's training, health, and operational readiness and certifications of the canine; performing animal husbandry (e.g. proper care, feeding, and housing of the K-9); and
• Analyzing canine program problems, determining deficiencies, and preparing reports of findings with recommendations for program improvements.

(NOTE: Resume must clearly support the required experience. For detailed position responsibilities, see the duties section of this announcement.)

OR

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED):

Successfully completed a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related. Related graduate education includes a major study in such fields as police science, police administration, police law and evidence, police investigation, criminology, criminal justice, law enforcement, general law, or similar subjects pertinent to law enforcement and police work.

OR

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED):

Equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate education (in excess of 1 year) and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. Both education and experience must be related to the position, as described above.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.