Police Officer (Lateral Level)

City of Anacortes; Anacortes (WA); On-site; USD 50,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking dedicated law enforcement professionals to join their team. This role involves a wide range of responsibilities, including responding to emergencies, conducting investigations, and maintaining public safety. Candidates will have the opportunity to serve the community while upholding the law and ensuring justice. The position requires physical readiness, strong communication skills, and the ability to handle high-stress situations. Join a team committed to making a positive impact in the community and protecting the rights of citizens. If you are passionate about law enforcement and public service, this opportunity is for you.

Benefits

Health Insurance

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Training and Development

Uniform Allowance

Qualifications

• Must have an Associate Degree or equivalent technical certification.
• Ability to cope with high-stress situations and maintain composure.

Responsibilities

• Respond to calls and conduct investigations of criminal activities.
• Apprehend violators and enforce laws and ordinances.

Skills

Law Enforcement

Crisis Management

Communication Skills

Physical Agility

Judgment and Decision Making

Education

Associate Degree

Tools

Police Radio

Breathalyzer (BAC) Verifier

Firearms

Job description

Overview of Hiring Process

• Complete online application through City of Anacortes website.
• Initial review of the Personal History Statement (PHS), application, and other required documents.
• City of Anacortes will contact the candidate directly to schedule an oral board.
• Administrative Interview with Command Staff.
• Conditional Offer of Employment.
• Background Investigation.
• Polygraph Exam.
• Psychological Exam and Medical Exam.
• Final offer letter upon successful completion of background process.

Job Description:

Performs fully responsible, professional law enforcement and other police services as necessary to serve the public; maintain public peace and order; protect life and property; prevent crime; make investigations; apprehend violators of the law, and otherwise assure proper enforcement of laws and ordinances in accordance with the mission, vision, and core values of the department and in compliance with governing federal, state, and local laws. Employees are sworn to act on behalf of the Police Department and the City of Anacortes and carry firearms in the performance of their duties.

1. Responds to calls, complaints, or reports of the actual, possible, or potential occurrence of specific criminal activity and takes appropriate action. This may include, but is not limited to, mediating civil disputes or interceding in domestic disturbances; maintaining peace; protecting persons; enforcing traffic laws; apprehending, controlling and arresting persons, including those who are violent and/or emotional; assisting disabled persons, motorists, and others; and providing information and direction.
2. Respond to and conduct investigation of events related to complaints, neighborhood disputes, vehicle collisions, industrial accidents, or alleged crimes, including but not limited to homicide, sexual assault, burglary, robbery, theft, felony assault, fatal traffic collisions, vehicular homicide, vehicular assault, family domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse, and drug-related or alcohol-related offenses.
3. As appropriate and necessary, engage in self-defense or use of force.
4. Engage in motor vehicle enforcement, including arresting DWI (driving while intoxicated) suspects; executing felony motor vehicle stops, and stopping vehicles to investigate, warn, or arrest occupants.
5. Ability to cope with a wide variety of situations with tact, discretion, courtesy, and respect for citizen’s rights.
6. Maintain a satisfactory level of readiness for duty to include physical conditioning, firearms skills, less than lethal weapons and defensive tactics skills.
7. Administers immediate assistance to citizens in critical and/or emergency situations where the security of lives and/or property may be endangered. In the course of duty, officers are exposed to a range of physical injuries, accidents, child abuse, mental health concerns, or death where they may be required to administer first aid, CPR or other assistance prior to the arrival of emergency services, and to provide support to victims and families. Use protective gear and follow all protocols for safety and infection control.
8. Secures and controls crime scenes and administers aid, including photograph physical evidence; collect and secure digital evidence; dust and lift latent prints; sketch the crime scene, including recording location of physical evidence at scene; locate and protect latent evidence, and collect and package all physical evidence following all procedures to document chain of custody of evidence. Prepare evidence as necessary for appropriate crime labs. Prepare proper crime scene documents.
9. Perform felony and misdemeanor investigations.
10. Respond courteously to public inquiries within the scope of knowledge and position. Perform community public relations duties as appropriate or as directed.
11. As directed and assigned, perform duties of special assignments.
12. Assist Community Service Officers when necessary, with their duties to include animal control, code enforcement, and parking enforcement.
13. Complete all reports and forms accurately and in a timely manner.
14. Perform all routine and non-routine duties of community patrol, including radar checks, traffic control, response to calls and complaints, and investigation of any apparent violation of the law.
15. May perform portions of the work of higher classified positions occasionally, as assigned.
16. May perform duties of similar complexity in any City department as required or assigned.

As a pre-requisite for consideration for employment, must successfully complete the written, oral examination, and job-related physical agility tests prescribed by the City Civil Service Commission. Must consent to investigation of background and of driving and police record prior to employment and meet Police Department standards in those areas. Following a job offer, must satisfactorily pass psychological and polygraph examinations, and an examination by a licensed medical doctor to ensure that no physical, emotional, sensory, or mental conditions exist which could adversely affect performance of duties, personal safety, or safety of others. Must have an Associates Degree from an accredited college or equivalent technical certification from an accredited college. At the Police Chief’s discretion, education may be substituted for college coursework amounting to no less than 90 credits or military experience with honorable discharge. To maintain employment, must successfully complete the Basic Law Enforcement School established under the Washington Criminal Justice Training Commission and the field training course under the supervision of the department's Field Training Officer as scheduled during the probationary period. Must, as directed, satisfactorily complete other in-service training in methods, procedures, and techniques of police work. Must be able to learn principles and techniques of modern crime prevention, investigation, apprehension, rules of evidence, and all other aspects of law enforcement, and to maintain current knowledge and ability in all these areas. Must acquire and maintain thorough skill in the use and care of firearms and when they should be used.

Lateral Level:Must have successfully completed the Basic Law Enforcement Academy (BLEA) established under the Washington Criminal Justice Training Commission. Minimum 12 months’ full-time experience following completion of the BLEA as a sworn, paid municipal, county, state, tribal, or federal police officer within the past 24 months. Must be current Washington State Basic Law Enforcement Academy graduate or eligible to attend the Washington State Basic Law Enforcement Equivalency Academy. Military police experience does not qualify. Must have a minimum of an associate degree from an accredited college or a university transfer degree. May be able to substitute years of experience in lieu of the education requirement at the discretion of the Chief of Police.

Licenses and other requirements:Must acquire and maintain CPR and basic first aid certification. Must be able to obtain and maintain certification as an operator of radar and the blood alcohol count (BAC) Verifier. Valid Washington State driver's license.

Ability to:

• Ability to read, interpret, and properly apply legal materials applicable to law enforcement work.
• Ability to express self clearly and concisely both orally and in writing to complete required forms and reports. Must keyboard accurately and utilize basic Microsoft products and department records management system and other necessary software.
• Ability to memorize and recall detail, such as names, faces, addresses, incidents, and identification of objects.
• Ability to handle high level of personal stress, and to maintain composure and control of self and the situation, under a variety of adverse conditions, including verbal and physical abuse, witnessing death and critical injuries, and experiencing risk of personal harm. Must cope with situations firmly, courteously, tactfully, and with respect for all the rights of citizens.
• Excellent judgment to recognize significant elements at a scene or in a complaint in order to ask the right questions and engage in proper behavior in a situation in progress.
• Ability to maintain objectivity in an investigation so that all potentially relevant evidence is collected and documented.
• Ability to perform duties and maintain personal conduct, attitude, and appearance that conform to strict policies, procedures, and discipline, within a "chain of command" management system.
• Ability to work as a reliable team member and establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers and others outside the department.
• Ability to adjust to a schedule and a lifestyle that requires working rotating shifts and days of the week, working on holidays, and being subject to callback at any time.
• Ability to maintain a balanced perspective about people in spite of a continuous exposure to lawbreakers.
• Ability to operate any vehicle assigned under emergency or non-emergency conditions, and all necessary equipment such as radar, police radio, breathalyzer (BAC) verifier, side arm, baton, taser, handcuffs, chemical weapons, camera, and crime scene kit. Must competently utilize the departments Records Management System for report writing.

LEVEL OF AUTHORITY:Under general supervision, maintains public law and order, protects life and property, prevents crimes, conducts investigations concerning unlawful activity, apprehends violators of the law, and assists citizens in solving problems. Performs assigned responsibilities in accordance with established departmental policies, rules, standard practices, and established precedent, with matters requiring deviation from policy or standard practice normally referred to the next higher command level for decision or direction. Depending on experience and the task performed, works under close to moderate supervision with experienced officers working with independence and infrequent supervision in situations requiring quick and sound decisions where incorrect decision or action could result in serious risk of physical harm to self and co-workers, harm to other individuals and property, legal liability for self or department, or detrimental public view of the department.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:On foot, bicycle, or vehicle patrols a designated area of City to investigate, deter or discover possible violations of criminal and vehicle traffic laws, codes and/or ordinances. Work is performed both indoors and outdoors in a variety of environmental conditions and may require: walking, sitting or standing for long periods; running, climbing, jumping, or physical exertion in inclement weather; physical agility in slippery conditions, mountainous or uneven terrain, or in water. Officers work rotating shifts including evenings, weekends, and holidays.

PHYSICAL:On patrol, may spend extended periods driving and frequently getting in and out of car. When driving in response to emergency calls, must navigate various road conditions at a steady speed and reacting quickly to other drivers' response to the police vehicle and siren. At sites, hazards potentially encountered include, but are not limited to violent encounters, individuals wielding firearms and other weapons, hazardous substances and chemicals, needle sticks, and exposure to contagious and infectious disease, including hepatitis and HIV, requiring strict adherence to protocols for infection control. Physical strength and ability to take all measures necessary to apprehend, restrain, subdue, and otherwise handle possibly violent individuals. Physical stamina and agility to perform physical activities such as climbing, walking, running, lifting, holding, crouching, getting in and out of a car, or giving CPR for sustained periods or intermittently. Ability to use all senses to a high degree as necessary to assess a situation for significant elements or potential dangers; for example, to smell substances, to hear conversations in a volatile situation, to see in low light situations, or to attend to radio messages in a setting with extreme ambient noise.

OTHER:The statements contained herein reflect general details as necessary to describe the principal functions of this job, the level of knowledge and skill typically required and the scope of responsibility; but should not be considered an all-inclusive listing of work requirements. Individual may perform other duties as assigned including work in other functional areas to cover absences or relief, to equalize peak work periods or otherwise to balance the workload. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or is a logical assignment to the position. Individuals may perform other duties as assigned.

Following an offer of employment, and prior to starting work, individuals may be required to have a pre-employment physical examination by a physician designated by the City of Anacortes. The City will pay for the examination. Satisfactory clearance to perform essential job functions will be required for employment. As an absolute condition of employment, employees are required upon hire to sign a drug-free workplace agreement and an agreement not to use tobacco products in any form while on the job.

The City of Anacortes is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered regardless of race, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, creed, sex (including pregnancy), age (over 40), marital status, families with children, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, genetic information, sexual orientation including gender identity, or status as an honorably discharged veteran or military status, or any other class protected by federal, state, or local law. Accommodations for people with disabilities are provided on request.