Entry Level Police Officer

Police Officer

Provide a wide range of police services to the public including but not limited to enforcing laws, protecting life and property, maintaining peace and order, providing public service, crime prevention, and investigating civil and criminal matters.

Essential duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following :

• Provide service to the public relating directly to public safety including providing assistance, answering questions, making referrals to other services, and solving community problems
• Respond to calls for service and take appropriate action with the needs of the caller in mind, following established policy, procedures, and current professional practices
• Respond to emergency calls for service, such as accidents, medical emergencies, and crimes in progress. Takes appropriate initial action, following established law, policy, procedures, and current professional practices.
• Manage ongoing cases through thorough and appropriate documentation and follow-up investigations, timely and complete case reporting, and appropriate networking with other officers, supervisors, and divisions
• Interview victims, witnesses, and suspects and document their statements regarding criminal and civil matters
• Enforce City ordinances, State RCWs, Federal laws and court decisions
• Apprehend offenders, including making physical arrests and overcoming their resistance
• Develop a detailed knowledge of the community including people, businesses, geographical features, and current problem areas
• Exercise authority while enforcing city ordinances, state RCWs, federal laws and court decisions, in a way consistent with the obligations imposed by the oath of office
• Patrol the city using preventive and directed patrol, to detect and prevent crime, stop unlawful behavior, enforce traffic laws, and find conditions that are hazardous to the community
• Physically engage and restrain combative individuals
• Present programs relating to crime prevention, traffic and boating safety, and drug awareness or police operations that include public speaking, organizing meetings, and creating written material
• Use computers to create accurate, thorough, and complete cases, reports, logs, and other documentation that will be referred to the prosecutor or appropriate authorities
• Provide assistance to other city departments, public safety agencies and government agencies
• Carry and utilize various firearms and less-lethal launchers
• Shoot assigned weapon(s) with accuracy complying with state standards
• Operate assigned vehicle in a safe manner (i.e., car, motorcycle, bicycle, boat, etc.)

The duties listed are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.

Organizational-specific duties and expectations include endorsing, supporting, and defending organizational objectives by complying with organizational rules, procedures, and values, suggesting improvements, and conveying a positive and professional image of the agency. It also includes creating a positive team environment through courtesy, respect, support, and cooperation, assisting other Police Department work units, city departments, and outside agencies as necessary in a professional and respectful way, demonstrating initiative consistent with job expectations to improve both personal and organizational performance, and avoiding destructive organizational behavior toward the agency and its employees.

Physical demands and work environment include exposure to possible fights and confrontations; use of defensive and control tactics; contact with dissatisfied, angry, abusive, or assaultive individuals; fumes from vehicles and equipment operation; explosives and combustibles; and contact with blood and body fluids. Workdays and hours are generally scheduled in advance, but variable hours, shift work, shift extensions, and callouts will occur.

Qualifications for "Entry Level" include a high school diploma or equivalent (e.g., G.E.D.) and a minimum of 45 quarter or 30 semester college credits towards a relevant college degree is preferred. No previous law enforcement experience is required. Alternatively, any combination of education and experience which provides the applicant with the desired knowledge, skills and abilities required to perform the job may be substituted for these qualifications.

Qualifications for "Entry Level-Advanced" include a high school diploma or equivalent (e.g., G.E.D.) and a minimum of 45 quarter or 30 semester college credits towards a relevant college degree is preferred. Experience includes currently attending the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission's (WSCJTC) Basic Law Enforcement Academy (BLEA); or graduate of the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission's (WSCJTC) Basic Law Enforcement Academy (BLEA) but has not completed the Field Training program (FTO) of a city, county, state, or federal law enforcement agency.

Qualifications for "Lateral Candidates" include a high school diploma or equivalent (e.g., G.E.D.) and a minimum of 45 quarter or 30 semester college credits towards a relevant college degree is preferred. Experience includes currently employed, or have been employed within the last 24 months as a full-time civilian law enforcement officer with a city, county, state, or federal agency; and completed the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission's Basic Law Enforcement Academy; and completed Field Training (FTO). Alternatively, prior training and experience qualify the candidate to attend the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission's Basic Law Enforcement Equivalency Academy. Recruits who must participate in the equivalency academy to become a certified officer must attend an academy within six months of hire as a condition of employment.

Knowledge, skills and abilities include knowledge of or ability to learn, pertinent federal, state and local laws, codes, regulations, policies and procedures related to law enforcement, and departmental procedures and policies; knowledge of structure, organization and interrelationships of city departments, agencies and related governmental agencies and offices affecting assigned functions; skilled in the operation and understanding of personal computers and typical office equipment; ability to operate a personal computer; learn to operate specialized computer systems and applications that support the law enforcement function; ability to maintain regular, predictable and reliable attendance during scheduled hours; ability to participate as a contributing member of a service-oriented team; ability to type 35 words per minute is preferred; ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing, including the ability to manage circumstances involving conflict and hostile people; ability to deal effectively with a wide range of people who may be under stress, have emotional or mental disorders, or are impaired by drugs or medication; ability to demonstrate positive and effective interaction and communication with individuals of diverse social and economic backgrounds; ability to use sound judgment under stress; ability to evaluate a number of factors and solve problems using deductive reasoning; ability to understand and follow complex oral and written instructions; ability to use interpersonal skills with tact, patience, and courtesy; ability to interpret, apply, and explain laws, regulations, and procedures; ability to qualify for possession and use of firearms; demonstrate and maintain proficiency in use and care of firearms in accordance with departmental rules; ability to safely operate vehicles and equipment in routine and emergency situations; ability to manage uncooperative or violent people without the use of force, if possible; ability to apply necessary and approved physical control of violent people for self-defense, to ensure the safety of other people, and to make forcible arrests; ability to analyze situations quickly and objectively, recognize threats and potential dangers and determine the proper course of action; ability to communicate effectively with people who may be hostile, emotional, unstable, physically or mentally distraught, defuse potentially violent situations, and use discretionary judgment when emergency situations arise; ability to read, write and speak the English language with sufficient proficiency to communicate effectively in person, over police radios, and through written reports; ability to provide excellent customer service, often in stressful situations, to internal and external customers; ability to obtain and maintain all requirements as established by the City for peace officers; ability to perform routine clerical tasks; ability to maintain confidentiality of business records and other information.

Licenses, certifications and other requirements include being a United States Citizen, at least 20 years old at time of application, possession of a valid Washington State driver's license and a driving record which is acceptable to the City, must successfully pass extensive background check, polygraph examination, psychological examination, medical examination, and drug screening, must successfully complete the Washington State Basic Law Enforcement Academy (or Equivalency Academy within six months of hire) and subsequent field training programs and probation as conditions of employment.

To be considered for this opportunity, please include the following with your online application : a resume outlining your experience to date (in reverse chronological order), a cover letter explaining your qualifications and why you believe you are a viable candidate for this position, a copy of the Curriculum or syllabus of the previous basic law enforcement (e.g., academy) training program you completed which provided you with Peace Officer Certification, a letter indicating your certification status has been checked, and your certification is in good standing. (The last two bullets above are the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC) requirements for attendance at the Equivalency Academy.) Attach the Declaration of Veteran's Scoring Criteria and required attachments.

The City of Lake Stevens is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, sex, age, color, sexual orientation, religion