Police Officer
Supervisor: Police Supervision Structure
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Random Substance Testing: Yes
Position Number: PD/10
Employment Opportunity Summary
This position is responsible for providing police services to the public for the purpose of maintaining public order and safety. An incumbent in this position may be designated Senior Police Officer.
Employment Opportunity Additional Details
Job Scope
The purpose of this position is to enforce local, state, and federal laws. Successful performance helps ensure the provision of professional and effective law enforcement for the City of Sedalia.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar or related to the position.
- Patrols assigned areas to identify and deter criminal activity and to identify public safety hazards.
- Responds to calls for police service and provides assistance to citizens.
- Issues citations and makes arrests for traffic law violations.
- Investigates crimes, traffic accidents, missing persons, and other incidents.
- Processes crime scenes: photographs scene, takes fingerprints, and gathers and packages evidence.
- Interviews victims, witnesses, and suspects.
- Enforces local, state, and federal laws by issuing warnings and summonses, serving warrants, and making arrests.
- Writes reports of crimes, accidents, arrests, and other incidents.
- Prepares cases for presentation to prosecutors.
- Testifies in legal proceedings.
- Directs traffic and provides crowd control.
- Renders assistance in calls for service for vehicle lock-outs in emergency situations, escorts, and emergency contacts.
- Refers citizens with non-law-enforcement problems to appropriate agencies.
- Assists other agencies with investigations.
- May write and maintain records for Grants.
- Conducts safety programs for schools, clubs, and other civic organizations.
- May perform animal control duties.
- May be assigned to special duties such as traffic, investigations, community policing, and evidence as may be required.
- May act as instructor to other officers for specialized equipment.
- May supervise use of special equipment.
- Presents D.A.R.E. curriculum to local schools.
- Must be responsive to calls for urgent or emergent assistance even when off-duty.
- Performs other related duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications
- High school diploma or GED
- United States citizen
- Minimum of 21 years of age or within 6 months of 21st birthday
- No felony or serious misdemeanor convictions
- Valid driver’s license
- No more than three (3) moving violations, none with alcohol, in the previous 5 years
- Good reputation
- Any tattoos or brand must be approved by the Chief of Police
- In addition, all applicants must be P.O.S.T. certified in the State of Missouri and meet one of
the following:- 30 hours from an approved college in the United States.
- Missouri Department of Corrections certification with a minimum of 2 years’ experience. Must be currently active or separated less than 3 years.
- Minimum of 2 years (active duty, reserve, or national guard) which is either currently active or separation less than 3 years.
- Currently an employee with the City of Sedalia with a minimum of 5 years of experience.
Necessary Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Knowledge of local, state, and federal criminal and civil law.
- Knowledge of city ordinances and department policies and procedures.
- Knowledge of the procedures, guidelines, and equipment used in modern law enforcement activities.
- Knowledge of the geographic layout of the city.
- Skill in collecting and preserving evidence.
- Skill in interview and interrogation techniques.
- Skill in using self-defense techniques.
- Skill in using a computer and standard office equipment.
- Skill in using firearms, specialized law enforcement equipment, and emergency vehicles.
- Skill in oral and written communication.
Guidelines
- City ordinances, department policies and procedures.
- Federal and state laws and regulations.
- Guidelines require judgment, selection, and interpretation in application.
Complexity
The work consists of varied technical law enforcement duties. The necessity of responding to potentially life-threatening situations contributes to the complexity of the position.
Principal Working Relationships
- Co-workers, victims, suspects, other emergency responders, other city employees.
- Other law enforcement officers, social services representatives, and the general public.
Purpose of Contacts
Contacts are typically to give or exchange information, provide services, resolve problems, motivate or influence persons, and clarify, justify, defend, negotiate, or settle matters.
Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, run, use hands to finger, handle, or operate objects, controls, or tools listed above. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl, and taste or smell. The employee may occasionally be required to physically subdue combative subjects and must maintain a level of physical ability accordingly.
The employee must occasionally lift and/or move more than 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
Work Environment
The work is typically performed in an office and outdoors. The employee may be exposed to noise, dust, dirt, machinery with moving parts, and cold or inclement weather. The work requires the use of protective devices.