Police Officer

Police Officer

The purpose of this position is to perform general law enforcement duties in order to preserve public peace, to protect lives, property and rights of the public, by way of, enforcing statutory law and municipal ordinances, to deter crime and to respond to calls for assistance, under general supervision of the Chief of Police or designee. Employees in this classification perform skilled, protective, and investigative work. Performs other duties as assigned.

The following knowledge, skills, and abilities, as outlined herein, are intended to be representative of the type of tasks performed within this position. They are not listed in any order of importance. The omission of specific statements of the duties or functions does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment for this description. Other duties may be required and assigned.

In accordance with the agency's mission, directives, and training standards and in the spirit of the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics enforces all City and State codes, ordinances, laws, and regulations in order to protect life and property and to prevent crime and promote security; apprehends and / or arrests persons who violate federal, state, or City codes. Maintains visibility by patrolling assigned area, City streets, parks, neighborhoods, and businesses; initiates contacts with business operators and residents to establish communication within the community; helps develop trends and / or patterns pertaining to specific locations.

Monitors radio and responds to emergency calls or calls for assistance; communicates with radio dispatcher and responds to complaints, reports of criminal events, requests for law enforcement, and domestic or public disputes; assesses situation and takes appropriate actions to bring situation to resolution; follows department policies and procedures when responding to calls; provides backup assistance to fellow officers as requested / necessary. Secures crime scenes until relieved by a supervisor; gathers preliminary information in criminal investigations by obtaining statements from victims, witnesses and suspects; performs and documents searches of people, vehicles and buildings when appropriate; prepares investigative reports of findings, facts, and related information; detects and collects evidence and substances that provide the basis for probable cause for criminal acts; testifies in court.

Completes and / or reviews paperwork documenting shift and incident activities; completes state reports to accurately record criminal offenses; completes and prepares a variety of forms, logs, requests, records, reports, correspondence, and various other documents associated with daily responsibilities of this position; maintains administrative records and files. Engages in public relations and community service activities and events to promote a positive image for the department and to build cooperative and collaborative relationships with the community; responds to questions, complaints, and requests for information by telephone or in person from merchants, community / civic organizations, the general public, employees, superiors, and other individuals. Maintains the peace and safety of the community by quelling public disturbances. Provides for the safe and convenient flow of traffic and pedestrians within the community; investigates traffic accidents, enforces traffic violations, promotes vehicular and pedestrian safety, reports unsafe road conditions, and conducts DUI investigations; directs vehicle and pedestrian traffic around accidents, disabled traffic control devices, or heavily congested areas; establishes road blocks; administers field sobriety tests; identifies wanted persons / vehicles; impounds vehicles; assists disabled motorists, or any other traffic duties as directed.

Conducts initial investigation into crimes such as robbery, burglary, or assaults; conducts follow-up investigations of crimes and other incidents; conducts surveillance of areas for suspected criminal activity. Responds to civil matters such as land-lord / tenant disputes, etc. Testifies in civil and criminal court proceedings and gives depositions. Performs routine office functions such as filing, faxing, answering phones, and copying. Performs related duties as directed.

Minimum Qualifications :

• High school diploma or equivalent AND
• Vocational / Technical training in law enforcement or closely related field AND
• State of Florida Law Enforcement Officer Certification AND
• Valid State of Florida Driver License AND
• Must be 19 years old (Pursuant to FSS 043.13) AND
• Must be a United States (U.S) Citizen (Pursuant to FSS 043.13)

Additional Requirements / Environmental Factors :

Driving Requirements : The ability to drive and operate a personal or City vehicle for extended periods of time, including utilization as field office; and to enter and exit the vehicle various times throughout the day.

Physical Requirements : The ability to exert extremely heavy physical effort in very heavy work, which may involve some combination of climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, and / or lifting, carrying, pushing, and / or pulling of objects and materials in excess of 100 pounds.

Motor Coordination : The ability to coordinate eyes, hands, and feet to utilize and operate City vehicles, tools, equipment, and machinery.

Sensory Requirements : The ability to perceive and differentiate audio and / or visual cues or signals; and to perceive and differentiate depths, and / or textures.

Form / Spatial Aptitude : The ability to inspect items for proper length, width, and shape; and to visually read various information.

Color Discrimination : The ability to differentiate between colors or shades of color.

Communication : The ability to effectively communicate with City employees, stakeholders, and the general public verbally and / or in writing as needed to exchange information, coordinate work activities, and resolve matters.

Functional Reasoning : The ability to apply principles of rational systems, such as motivation, incentive, and leadership; to interpret instructions furnished in written, oral diagrammatic, or schedule form; and to exercise independent judgment to adopt or modify methods and standards to meet variations in assigned objectives.

Situational Reasoning : The ability to exercise the judgment, decisiveness, and creativity required in situations involving the evaluation of information against sensory, judgmental, measurable, verifiable, or subjective criteria.

Data Conception : The ability to coordinate, manage, strategize, and or correlate data and / or information; and to exercise discretion in determining actual or probable consequences, and in identifying solutions or alternatives.

Mathematical Aptitude : The ability to add, subtract, multiply, divide, and calculate numbers, decimals, and percentages; and to interpret numerical data and graphs to create reports and / or develop forecasts.

Environmental Factors : Essential functions are performed with varied exposure to adverse environmental conditions (i.e. cold, heat, rain, sunlight, humidity, noise, dirt, odor, fumes, disease, pathogens, traffic hazards, animals, wildlife, violence, and / or explosives).