Police Officer (Lateral or Entry Level)

Police Officer

Performs police patrol and community peace keeping services related to civil matters; warrant service; investigations; traffic enforcement; ordinance enforcement and related law enforcement activities.

Essential duties and responsibilities include:

• Works varying, rotating shifts performing service oriented police work, responding promptly to all types of service calls.
• Conducts preventive patrols for crime prevention and detection.
• Conducts traffic patrol and enforcement.
• Responds to traffic crashes and other accidents, rendering aid and completing investigations of incidents.
• Investigates criminal activity, including basic crime scene investigation, searching for and locating physical evidence.
• Responds to animal control calls for service and occasionally may impound stray dogs when an assigned Animal Control Officer is unavailable or needs assistance.
• Responds to other emergency service incidents as needed and provides first aid to injured persons as required.
• Required to use proper judgment and available resources to complete tasks under high stress and in potential danger of physical injury.
• Required to detail, in report form, actions and observations related to investigations and other tasks performed at work. Must be able to recall the details of work related actions and testify to same.
• Required to issue citations as needed, accurately complete documents required by the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles, Oregon Liquor Control Commission and other regulatory authorities as appropriate. May be required to testify to the content and details related to those documents, sometimes years later.
• Must be able to identify evidence and process it in accordance with instruction. When no instruction has been provided, must be able to apply standards and training to improvise an appropriate way to collect and process evidence.
• Must be able to coordinate activities with supervisors, other officers, other agencies, other City departments and citizens as needed.
• Must be able to effectively communicate with prosecutors to seek advice on matters of law and procedure.
• Must be able to act as an effective liaison between the Dallas Police Department, other agencies, local businesses and the community.
• Interviews witnesses, suspects, and drivers.
• Must be able to learn how to properly operate a mobile data computer system, mobile video recording system and other basic, law enforcement related technology.
• Required to maintain the reasonable cleanliness of department vehicles being operated, including the interior and exterior.
• Performs duties in conformance with applicable federal, state, county and city laws and ordinances and adheres to department policies and procedures and the law enforcement code of ethics.

Knowledge, skills, and abilities include:

• Some knowledge of modern law enforcement principle, procedures, techniques and equipment.
• Ability to learn the applicable laws, ordinances and department policy and procedures.
• Ability to perform work requiring good physical condition, meeting all required physical demands.
• Ability to communicate effectively in written as well as oral form. Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with peers, subordinates, supervisors, and the general public.
• Ability to follow written and verbal instruction.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment.

Minimum qualifications include:

1. Must possess a high school diploma or equivalent. In addition, college or university level studies, vocational training in police sciences, law enforcement, criminal justice administration, public administration or a related field are desirable OR
2. Any equivalent combination of education and experience AND
3. Must successfully complete a Frontline Test or POST exam and ORPAT.

Special qualifications include:

• Must be 21 years of age or older at time of employment.
• Must possess, or be able to obtain by the time of employment, a valid Oregon driver license with an acceptable driving record.
• Must not have a current or pending suspension of driving privileges in Oregon or any other state.
• Must not have been convicted in this state, or any other jurisdiction, of a crime designated under the law where the conviction occurred as being punishable as a felony or as a crime for which a maximum term of imprisonment of more than one (1) year may be imposed.
• Must not have been convicted of violating any law involving the unlawful use, possession, delivery, or manufacture of a controlled substance, narcotic, or dangerous drug.
• Must not have been convicted in this state of violating any law subject to denial or revocation as identified in OAR 259-008-0070 or has been convicted of violating the statutory counterpart of any of those offenses in any other jurisdiction.
• Must not have been convicted of any offense involving any acts of domestic violence as defined in ORS 135.230.
• Must be a U.S. citizen at the date of hire or, if not a citizen at the date of hire, within 18 months after the date of hire.
• Must be able to read and write the English language.
• Must be of good moral character, temperament and of industrious habits.
• Must be eligible to obtain Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) basic certification within 18 months of employment.

Successful candidates will be required to complete a thorough background investigation and pass a medical physical exam, psychological exam, and drug test. You are ineligible to reapply for two years after failing a background for a police officer position with the City of Dallas.