Police Officer (Lateral)

Definition

• THIS RECRUITMENT IS OPEN UNTIL FILLED, AND MAY CLOSE AT ANY TIME. APPLICATIONS ARE SCREENED ON A REGULAR BASIS*

The Milpitas Police Department is a full service department, with 110 employees (86 sworn). The department provides public safety to 71,000 residents in a 14.5 square mile urban area. A wide variety of services include a SWAT Team, K-9 Unit, Crime Prevention Unit, Detective Bureau, and Traffic Safety Unit. Most officers work a 4-10 plan.

THE POSITION

Police Officers serve a diverse community by performing law enforcement and crime prevention duties, which include but are not limited to: controlling traffic flow, conducting investigative work, and performing a variety of technical law enforcement tasks.Police Officers also patrol the City in computer-equipped vehicles, make arrests as necessary, interview victims, complainants and witnesses, collect evidence, and prepare written reports.

Examples of Duties

• Patrol City in radio-equipped car; answer calls for the protection of life and property, and the enforcement of City, County, and State laws; may conduct both preliminary and follow-up investigations of disturbances, prowlers, burglaries, thefts, hold-ups, death, and other criminal incidents.

• Patrol the City on a motor cycle or in a radar-equipped patrol unit; respond to calls related to traffic incidents and any other required emergencies; observe, monitor and control routine and unusual traffic conditions; assist and advise motorists and enforce traffic safety laws.

• Make arrests as necessary; interview victims, complainants and witnesses; interrogate suspects; gather and preserve evidence; testify and present evidence in court.

• Collect and present evidence using scientific identification techniques and testify in court.

• Contact and cooperate with other law enforcement agencies in matters relating to the apprehension of offenders and the investigation of offenses.

• Prepare reports and arrests made, activities performed, and unusual incidents observed.

• Stop drivers who are operating vehicles in violation of laws; issue citations and make arrests as necessary.

• Check buildings for physical security.

• Direct traffic at fire, special events, and other emergency or congested situations.

• Maintain contact with citizens regarding potential law enforcement problems and preserve good relationships with the general public.

• Assist in the performance of special investigative and crime prevention duties as required.

• Transport prisoners, serve warrants and subpoenas; retrieve and request information involving arrests and subpoenas; submit reports on complaints and perform other work related to the processing of misdemeanor and felony complaints.

• Serve warrants within the department and with outside agencies; provide functional guidance to clerical staff involved in warrant processing; keep up-to-date on laws and procedures required for processing warrants.

• Administer first aid as necessary.

Typical Qualifications

Knowledge of:

• Police methods of procedures, including patrol, crime prevention, traffic control, investigation and identification techniques, and equipment, police records and reports, and first aid techniques.

• Criminal law and criminal procedure with particular reference to the apprehension, arrest, and custody of persons committing misdemeanors and felonies, including rules of evidence pertaining to the, seizure and preservation of evidence.

• Offensive and defensive weapons nomenclature and theory.

• Self defense tactics.

• Interviewing and interrogation techniques.

• Geography of local area.

Ability to:

• Observe accurately and remember faces, numbers, incidents, and places.

• Use and care for firearms.

• Think and act quickly in emergencies, and judge situations and people accurately.

• Learn, understand, and interpret laws and regulations.

• Prepare accurate and grammatically correct written reports.

• Learn standard broadcasting procedures of a police radio system.

• Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

• Understand and carry out oral and written directions.

• Meet the physical requirements established by the Department.

• Successfully complete P.O.S.T. department training requirements.

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION

Any combination of experience and education that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Experience:

• None required.

Education:

• Sixty semester units of college level studies with major course work in police science or related field. i.e. liberal arts, business, psychology, or political science.

All of the following must be attached:

• Please submit your POST certificate or Academy certificate of completion within the previous 36 months; College transcripts (copies accepted).

• Only those candidates who have passed probation and FTO and are currently working for a law enforcement agency will be considered.

EXAM PROCESS

Applications will be competitively screened based on the minimum qualifications of this position.Based on a review of the overall application and the application materialrequired to be attached, the most qualified candidates will be invited to participate in the in-personoral examination process.

Supplemental Information

Supervision Received and Exercised

General supervision is provided by a Police Sergeant.

Assignments may require indirect supervision of sworn and non-sworn personnel.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Milpitas will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the Human Resources Department.

The City of Milpitas is an Equal Opportunity Employer.