Police Officer

City of Santa Fe Springs; Beaufort (NC); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Santa Fe Springs police officers perform a full range of general law enforcement duties, patrolling in a police car or on foot, responding to calls, and investigating incidents to protect public safety.

The role may include School Resource Officer duties, traffic enforcement, and community outreach. Candidates must exercise sound judgment, work with discretion, and follow laws and department procedures; physical requirements apply.

Qualifications

• Graduation from high school and completion of basic law enforcement training; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Ability to operate a police vehicle and computer; respond to calls and enforce laws and policies.

Responsibilities

• Patrol streets by car or on foot; check doors and windows; report hazards and conditions.
• Respond to calls for assistance and emergencies; deter crime and enforce laws.
• Investigate traffic accidents; issue citations; direct traffic and assist at scenes.
• Secure crime scenes; arrest suspects; present findings in court.
• Serve warrants; transport suspects to detention facilities.
• Establish community relations; participate in crime prevention and school programs.

Skills

Public safety

Law enforcement

Communication

De-escalation

Court testimony

Education

High school diploma

Basic law enforcement training

Tools

Law enforcement software

Job description

Description

An employee in this class performs a full range of general law enforcement duties. Work includes patrolling the Town during an assigned shift in a police car or on foot; preventing, detecting and investigating disturbances and crime; performing traffic control work; performing parking control; apprehending suspects; and executing related assignments. Work may also include assignment as a School Resource Officer (SRO). Employees must exercise judgment, initiative and calm control when performing duties. Work involves frequent public contact which requires tact, firmness and decisiveness. Work is performed in accordance with departmental policy and state and federal law, supplemented with specific directions from superior officers. Employees normally work on shifts and are subject to hazards associated with law enforcement work including working in both inside and outside environments, in extreme hot and cold weather, and exposure to various hazards such as dangerous persons, loud noises, and hazardous spills with fumes, oils, gases, or flammable liquids. Work is subject to the final OSHA standards on blood borne pathogens. Work is performed under general supervision and is evaluated through observation, monitoring radio traffic, discussion, and review of reports for adherence to laws, department procedures, and proper judgment.

Examples of Duties

Essential Duties and Tasks

• Patrols streets in a police car or on foot; checks doors and windows; examines premises of unoccupied residences or buildings; detects unusual conditions, may maintain surveillance and observation for stolen cars, missing persons, or suspects; reports dangerous or defective streets, sidewalks, traffic lights, or other hazardous conditions.
• Responds to calls for assistance, complaints, suspicious activity, domestic disputes, loud and disruptive behavior; completes calls by determining true nature of the situation and taking whatever legal or persuasive action is warranted; responds to fire and emergency medical calls to assist first responders; responds to beach patrol needs.
• Investigates traffic accidents; issues traffic citations; directs traffic and participates in other emergency operation activities; enforces parking regulations.
• Performs investigations of possible crimes through observation, questioning witnesses, and gathering physical evidence; performs investigative tasks and secures crime scenes, arrests and processes criminal suspects; presents findings in court.
• Serves warrants; apprehends and processes criminal suspects and transports to magistrate and/or County detention facilities.
• Investigates alarms, noise and disturbances and trespassing calls for service; responds to narcotics overdoses, juvenile issues, and domestic disturbances.
• Prepares records and reports of activities; enters into the records management system.
• Regulates and directs vehicular traffic at busy times as needed.
• Operates a two-way radio and/or a cell phone to receive instructions and information from or to report information to police headquarters; maintains vehicle, weapons and other equipment in standard working order; utilizes specialized law enforcement software for information and records production.
• Advise the public on laws and local ordinances; perform business and house checks; assist stranded motorists; give information and directions to visitors and the general public; assist fire and emergency medical staff with incident response; handle basic animal leash and nuisance issues; assist the public with emergency conditions; participate in storm preparation and mitigation as needed; serve papers as needed.
• Establishes effective working relationships with businesses and citizens in assigned zone; participate in community activities, special events; and crime prevention programming.
• May be assigned to work as an SRO at one or more schools; may teach DARE or other crime prevention and awareness programs; establish trust and rapport with faculty, staff, students and teachers; provide and/or coordinate security for after school events; provide and/or coordinate traffic safety at the school; investigate crimes; coach and mentor students; provide counseling to parents and others.

Additional Job Duties

• May be assigned to boat patrol, bike patrol or other activities.
• Performs funeral and bank deposit escorts.

Typical Qualifications

Performs other related duties as required.

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Considerable knowledge of state and federal laws, local ordinances and policies of the police department, especially relating to search and seizure, traffic control, pursuit, and arrest.
• Considerable knowledge of the geographical layout of the Town.
• Working knowledge of law enforcement principles, practices, methods and equipment.
• Some knowledge of scientific crime detection and criminal identification methods and procedures.
• Some knowledge of the application of information technology to the work.
• Knowledge of SRO principles and practices and juvenile justice issues if assigned.
• Skill in the use of firearms and other police equipment and in the application of self-defense and de-escalation tactics, teamwork and collaborative conflict resolution.
• Ability to act with sound judgment in routine and emergency situations.
• Ability to communicate effectively in oral and written forms.
• Ability to present effective court testimony.
• Ability to prepare clear and concise activity reports.
• Ability to build and maintain cooperative and effective public relations with citizens.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with coworkers, supervisors, court personnel and other public officials.

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to physically perform the basic life functions of climbing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, reaching, pushing, pulling, lifting, grasping, feeling, talking, and hearing and repetitive motions.
• Must be able to perform heavy work exerting 100 pounds of force occasionally, and /or up to 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 20 pounds of force constantly to move an object.
• Must successfully complete the Police Officer physical assessment test.
• Must possess the visual acuity to operate a police vehicle and computer, distinguish details and differences when observing people, places, or things on patrol, take measurements and recognize colors and shapes for identification purposes.

Supplemental Information

• Release of Information Authorization Form
• Personal History Statement

Desirable Experience and Education

Graduation from high school and completion of basic law enforcement training; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

A release of information form and personal history form must be completed with this application.

We offer a complete benefits package to full-time employees including health care, dental, vision, retirement, deferred compensation plans, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, long-term disability, holidays, vacation, and sick leave.

Part-time employees who work an average of 20 hours per week over the course of a year, receive benefits on a pro-rated basis.

To learn more details, visit our benefits page.