POLICE SERGEANT

Town of Herndon; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Town of Herndon is seeking a Virginia-certified law enforcement officer for field operations or support services. The role includes responding to and initiating calls for service, investigating crimes, enforcing laws, preparing cases, and providing court testimony, while promoting crime prevention and community engagement.

Under the lieutenant's supervision, the officer demonstrates initiative and discretion to supervise personnel and lead a wide range of duties, including potential first-line

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Associate degree or higher strongly preferred.
• Virginia DCJS law enforcement officer certification for 3+ years is required or highly regarded; lateral transfer possible with 5+ years’ experience.

Responsibilities

• Deter and detect crimes and enforce laws to preserve public peace and safety.
• Patrol the jurisdiction and provide police visibility to deter crime.
• Respond to emergency and non-emergency calls for service and resolve issues.
• Initiate calls for service and take appropriate enforcement actions.
• Investigate criminal activity, collect evidence, and interview witnesses and suspects.
• Prepare cases, testify in court, and maintain official records.
• Engage with the community and promote crime prevention and public safety.

Skills

Leadership

Field supervision

Education

High school diploma or GED

Associate degree or higher

Job description

Employees in this classification are certified as a Virginia law enforcement officer assigned to field operations or support services. This position performs general law enforcement duties in the town with additional first-line supervisory responsibilities by responding to or initiating calls for service, investigating crime and complaints, enforcing laws, preparing cases and providing court testimony, and promoting crime prevention and community engagement. This position may perform specialized assignments in traffic, investigations, training/recruitment, or other authorized functions. Under the general supervision of a lieutenant, this position requires a significant degree of initiative, independent judgment, and discretion to perform tasks, supervise personnel, and demonstrate effective leadership in a wide range of law enforcement activities.

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Deters and detects the commission of crimes and enforces appropriate local, state, or applicable federal laws to preserve public peace and maintain order and safety in the town.
2. Patrols the jurisdiction, proactively looking for suspicious activity or crimes in progress and providing police visibility to discourage or prevent crime.
3. Responds to emergency and non-emergency calls for service as directed and resolves the call or complaint.
4. Initiates calls for service for observed crimes and traffic violations and takes appropriate enforcement action.
5. Investigates criminal activity or incidents, initiates and coordinates crime scene control, identifies and interviews complainants, witnesses and/or suspects, and finds, collects, and preserves physical evidence.
6. Investigates traffic accidents, assists and/or provides first aid to the injured, requests additional response as necessary, provides traffic and crowd control, issues citations for traffic violations.
7. Performs traffic enforcement to maintain roadway safety by issuing warnings, summonses, or making arrests as appropriate, participates in safety campaigns or enforcement initiatives to promote traffic safety.
8. Prepares and documents cases, testifies under oath in court, completes initial and supplementary reports, and generates official records.
9. Follows proper procedures to lawfully detain, arrest, or assume civil custody of a detainee, which may involve the use of reasonable force to assume physical custody.
10. Searches, transports, and guards detainees until transferred to detention or other required facilities for processing and confinement.
11. Maintains interaction with the public, addresses complaints or potential issues for resolution, collaborates to assist as appropriate or gather pertinent information.
12. Provides quality customer service, engages in public relations and community service activities and events, and promotes a positive image of the department and town while building cooperative and collaborative relationships with the community.
13. May serve as first-line supervisor, assisting with briefings and roll call as required, assigning specific duties or operational tasks, supervising and directing staff and activities to ensure effective delivery of service.
14. Ensures supervisors are kept informed of important matters, events, or incidents and coordinates actions appropriately.
15. Reviews reports, records, and cases to ensure a complete and thorough summary that accurately reflects offenses and actions taken, including documentation of victim, witness, and suspect statements and other related information.
16. Contributes to maintaining police equipment, vehicles, and other necessary resources as appropriate.
17. Coordinates with the supervisor to monitor workflow and evaluate service and contributes to individual performance evaluations.
18. Responds to incident and accident emergencies, assumes command until relieved by higher-ranking officer.
19. Conducts supervisory reviews of a complaint for resolution and assists with administrative investigations as directed.
20. May serve in approved, specialized assignments or functions that require specialized training and specific performance outcomes.
21. May be responsible for leading and supervising staff by addressing concerns, coaching, and administering discipline as needed. Manages performance evaluations and documentation, delegates work and approves timecards. Supports recruitment, onboarding, and training. Utilizes effective communication to keep staff informed of policies and organizational updates. Promotes staff and team development and ensures required training is completed. Promotes and models values-based behavior while executing town priorities.

Position is considered “essential personnel”; defined as staff who are required to report to their designated work location during weather-related or other emergencies, even when town offices are closed or normal operations are suspended.

Requirements:

• High school diploma or GED required
• Associates or higher degree from an accredited university or college, strongly preferred.
• Certified as a Virginia law enforcement officer for 3 or more years.
• Lateral consideration for certified law enforcement officer with 5 or more years’ applicable experience, to include 1 year of supervisory experience, from a primary law enforcement agency combined with ability to complete department field training program within the probationary period. IF not Virginia certified, ability to complete lateral Virginia law enforcement training academy and department field training program within the probationary period.
• Virginia DCJS instructorships strongly preferred
• Valid driver’s license with acceptable record
• Must be a United States citizen

Duties involve regular and sustained performance of moderately to heavy, physically demanding work, typically involving but not limited to some combination of climbing and balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching and crawling, lifting objects and human persons of various weights, pushing and pulling. Duties also involve the ability to perform coordinated movements such as those required to operate firearms and motor vehicles. Duties also require adequate visual perception, as well as adequate oral communications abilities.

Duties risk the possibilities of exposure to violence that may or may not involve weapons and physical altercations.

Duties may risk exposure to adverse, environmental conditions such as dirt, dust, pollen, odors, animal pests, wetness, humidity, rain, fumes, temperature and noise extremes, loud machinery, vibrations, electric currents, traffic hazards, toxic agents, violence, disease and pathogenic substances.