Chief of Police

Full Job Description

This position serves as the Chief of Police and is located in the Police Service of the Grand Junction VA Medical Center / Western Colorado Health Care System in Grand Junction, CO and is responsible for the management and direction of police and security programs to including managing the physical security of assets, information, buildings and people.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/20/2026.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

For a GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service.

An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials.

If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement.

In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.

Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: assisting with the operating, directing, and controlling law enforcement and physical security activities; assessing situations and determining appropriate responses; responding to active threat situations; delegating work and evaluating performance of police personnel; providing training on equipment and security systems; conducting arrests, investigating criminal activities, and protecting crime scenes; and ensuring the safety of staff and visitors while on facility property.

This experience must be detailed in your resume to receive credit. Firearm Requirement: This position is required to carry agency-approved firearms while on duty on VA property.

Officers must achieve and maintain qualification/certification with the agency-approved firearms as condition of gaining and continuing employment as an Officer.

Applicants must be able to possess firearms under the terms of the Gun Control Act of 1968, as amended (18 U.S.C. 922(g)(9).

ADDITIONAL POLICE OFFICER CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: New VA Police Officers are required to attend an 8-10 week course at the VA Law Enforcement Training Center in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Satisfactory completion of this course is a condition of continued employment. A medical examination is required.

The duties of these positions require moderate to arduous physical exertion and/or duties of a hazardous nature.

The following medical requirements apply to all applicants: good near and distant vision, ability to distinguish basic colors, and ability to hear the conversational voice.

Applicants and employees must have the capacity to perform the essential functions of the position without risk to themselves or others.

Applicants and employees must possess emotional and mental stability. A psychological examination is required.

In most instances, a specific medical condition or impairment will not automatically disqualify an applicant or employee.

A medical condition or impairment is disqualifying only if the condition, for good medical reason, precludes assignment to or warrants restriction from the duties of the specific position.

For some positions, the loss or impairment of a specific function may be compensated for by the satisfactory use of a prosthesis or mechanical aid.

Reasonable accommodation shall also be considered in determining an applicant's ability to perform the duties of a position.

A character investigation will be conducted on applicants selected for employment.

The purpose of such an investigation is to secure evidence of the candidate's honesty, integrity, general character, and loyalty to the U.S. Government.

As a condition of employment, must qualify to be issued a firearm and semi-annually with assigned firearm, annually with an expandable Straight Baton (MEB), maintain a valid State or Commonwealth Driver's License and pass annual physical and psychosocial assessments.

Applicants must be able to possess firearms under the terms of the Gun Control Act of 1968, as amended (18 U.S.C. 922(g)(9).

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Education and Training Managing Human Resources Physical Security Security Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social).

Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.

You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week.

Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities.

Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements: The position is required to exert considerable and strenuous physical effort on a regular basis while performing the functions of the position.

These functions are normally performed while the position conducts security surveys and inspections, which require crawling in unusually confined building areas.

May be called upon to defend themselves and members of staff, patients or the public against physical attack and may be required to exercise deadly force if necessary.

Requirements of the position include maintaining firearms qualifications, climbing flights of stairs, carrying heavy equipment/patients during emergencies, running, bending, stooping, physical restraint of aggressive persons, being subjected to assaults by persons evading arrest.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Major Duties:

Duties include but are not limited to the following: Supervises/Manages Department Personnel: The position observes, evaluates and prepares reports on the performance of department personnel Develops programs to alter the behavior of employees whose work performance is below acceptable standards; plans, assigns and explains work requirements to subordinate supervisors for new or changed programs, functions, goals, processes, skills, and needs; develops solutions to continuing problems in the quality of work and operating effectiveness, and takes or recommends necessary corrective actions.

Ensures new employees are properly oriented and familiarized with applicable policies and procedures applicable to the role.

Ensures that all training requirements by VA are met for Police Service staff and that performance proficiency meets the goals of the Medical Center and the services.

The position is the facility law enforcement and security subject matter expert, interprets complex security policies and procedures and provides guidance to senior facility leadership, other service chiefs, program managers, and/or VBA and NCA leaders within the Medical Center's catchment area.

responsible for gathering a variety of law enforcement/security data and presenting it to senior leadership directly or through the facility's committee structure.

Serves as management's designated liaison, subject matter expert and consultant with federal law enforcement agencies such as the VA, Office of the Inspector General-Criminal Investigation Division (OIG-CID), F.B.I., D.E.A., A.T.F., Secret Service, State Police and local law enforcement agencies.

Responsible for the protection of the civil rights of all individuals while on VA controlled property, and the preservation of a peaceful environment requisite to the delivery of medical care and other services.

ensures the proper enforcement of laws and regulations; develops and implements procedures for the detention or arrest of individuals suspected of violations committed against the criminal laws of the United States.

Makes, coordinates, directs, or delegates the arrests of person(s). Ensures crime scenes and any potential evidence is identified, collected and protected pursuant to law and VA policy.

The position coordinates with United States Attorneys concerning the enforcement of criminal law and regulations on VA property.

As the technical expert, the position develops local policies and implements corrective procedures to alleviate identified physical security problems, taking into consideration all internal, as well as external factors when making decisions or recommendations concerning law enforcement and physical security to the VHA, VBA or NCA Facility Director.

The position is responsible for the physical security standards that improve the protection of VA mission critical/life-safety protected facilities during construction projects (for example, door types, openings, lighting considerations.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Chief of Police/PD99957S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized