Police Officer

Full Job Description

This position will serve as a Police Officer within the VA New Jersey Healthcare System, servicing all campuses.

The Police Officer will perform a full range of police duties by following and executing rules, regulations, or procedures covering law and rules enforcement, physical and personal security operations, patrol duties, control desk duty, coordination with local courts, and/or crime prevention activities for the local jurisdiction in a developmental assignment.

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

GS-05 grade level: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-04 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Specialized experience includes work that provided knowledge of a body of basic laws and regulations, law enforcement operations, practices, and techniques and involved responsibility for maintaining order and protecting life and property.

Creditable Experience: Creditable specialized experience may have been gained in: work on a police force; through service as a military police officer; in work providing visitor protection and law enforcement in parks, forests, or other natural resource or recreational environments; in performing criminal investigative duties; or in other work that provided the required knowledge and skills.

At this level, police work must have included: patrolling assigned area(s) to enforce laws and ordinances, regulating traffic, controlling crowds, preventing crimes and/or arresting violators.

Experience as a security guard or corrections officer is generally NOT qualifying. Note: You must provide detailed information of your experience performed.

Information such as "I was a Patrolman", "I was a Police Officer for a number of years," or "I enforced Federal, State, county, and laws" is insufficient to determine your qualifications.

Experience must be fully documented in your resume and must include job title, duties, month & year start/end dates AND hours worked per week.

OR, Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-05 level.

Education: Successfully completed a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree in Police Science or a comparable degree program related to the work of the position.

This education must have been obtained at an accredited college or university. Note: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials.

Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR, Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-05 level.

Combination: Successfully completed a Federal, State, county, or municipal police academy or comparable training course that included at least 40 classroom hours of instruction in police department procedures and methods, and local law and regulations, to substitute a maximum of 3 months of specialized experience AND possess at least 9 months of specialized experience as identified above.

Note: Appropriate documentation of completion must be submitted with your application materials.

Calculating Education Substitution: To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned).

Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-05.

For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e.

50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

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.

Additional Police Officer Conditions of Employment: New VA Police Officers are required to attend an 8-week course at the VA Law Enforcement Training Center in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Satisfactory completion of this course is a condition of continued employment.

Designated Drug-Testing Position: Applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to an appointment.

Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test is received. 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). Major Duties:

Major duties and responsibilities include: Protects the civil rights of all individuals on VA controlled property; Prevents, detect and investigate crimes; Patrols assigned areas on foot or by motor vehicle; Subdues persons causing disturbance or who threaten harm to themselves or others; Follows rules/procedures concerning search and seizure of evidence and contraband; Obtains search and arrest warrants; Arrests violators; Provides basic first aid and CPR prior to arrival of emergency medical personnel; Prepares report of activities and events that occurred during shift; Performs traffic control; and Assists citizens in emergency situations; Performs other related duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: 8-hour tour; varied shifts based on seniority; expected to work nights, weekends, and & all holidays Position Description Title/PD#: Police Officer/PD99925A Physical Requirements: The work requires, on a regular and recurring basis, considerable and strenuous physical exertion such as running, frequent climbing of multiple flights of stairs, and carrying items weighing over 50 pounds.

It requires stamina, physical agility, dexterity, and the strength to pursue, apprehend or detain persons who are often uncooperative, assaultive, and/or armed.

Work Conditions: The work involves both moderate and high risks and possible endangerment of life or serious injury that requires the exercise of safety precautions and use of personal protective equipment The work is performed in settings in which there is regular and recurring exposure to moderate to severe discomforts and unpleasantness, such as high temperatures in confined spaces, high temperatures due to mandatory protective personal equipment, or adverse weather conditions during extended periods of traffic and patrol duties.

The work involves moderate risk requiring exercise of safety precautions when working around hazardous materials such as toxic gases, explosives, infectious biological materials, and others that pose a moderate risk of exposure.