Police Officer

Full Job Description

Provides service, which protects life and property, preserves peace, prevents criminal activities and enforces City ordinances and federal, state and local laws in the City of Pittsburgh. Police work involves an element of personal danger and officers must be able to function with minimal supervision, exercise independent judgment and take appropriate action when faced with complex situations.

Department: Public Safety, Bureau of Police
Salary: $22.95 per hour while in Training Academy.
$33.15 Police Officer First Year.
Civil Service Classification: Competitive
Union: The Fraternal Order of Police, Fort Pitt Lodge No. 1
Benefits: Health and Life Insurance, Dental, Vision, Paid Vacation and Holidays, Tuition Assistance, Pension Plan, Voluntary Deferred Compensation Program, Uniform Allowance, Promotional Opportunities. (Benefits may be modified based on collective bargaining unit terms.)

Requirements

General Application Requirements:

You must submit, show proof of or attest to all of the following at the time of filing your online application (unless otherwise indicated below) or your application may be disqualified.

Disqualifications based on any of these General Application Requirements are not subject to a Civil Service appeal.

• Completed online City of Pittsburgh Application for this position.
• At least 20 years of age at the time of filing application.
• A High School Diploma or GED.
• A United States citizen.
• Applicants must be or become residents of an area within a 25-mile air radius of the downtown City-County Building prior to employment and remain a resident within the 25-mile air radius throughout employment.

A current, valid Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Operator's License (Class C – regular) or a current valid driver's license from another state or the U.S. Armed Forces.

Licenses must be presented at the time of filing application or prior to appointment. PA driver's license must be obtained prior to appointment and maintained throughout employment.

Preference points documentation, if applicable, must be submitted at time of filing application or no later than your Written Examination date.

(Review the Veterans' Preference, Pittsburgh Public Schools Graduate Preference, or Residency Preference section for details).

Any inaccurate/incomplete or untimely documentation submitted will not be considered when awarding Preference Points.

NOTE: IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE IN FILING YOUR ONLINE APPLICATION CONTACT THE CIVIL SERVICE OFFICE, 4TH FLOOR, CITY-COUNTY BUILDING, 414 GRANT STREET, PITTSBURGH, PA 15219.

LISTED BELOW ARE LOCATIONS WHICH HAVE PERSONAL COMPUTERS AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO APPLY ONLINE:

• HUMAN RESOURCES & CIVIL SERVICE- (APPOINTMENT ONLY) Call: 412-255-2710 or Email: HR-Specialist@pittsburghpa.gov to schedule your appointment, 4th floor, City-County Building, 414 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
• BLOOMFIELD-GARFIELD CORPORATION- (APPOINTMENT ONLY) 412-441-6950, 5321 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15224 
• HOMEWOOD-BRUSHTON Y.W.C.A.- 412-243-2900, 6907 Frankstown Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15208
• THE FOLLOWING NEIGHBORHOOD EMPLOYMENT CENTERS:
(Call for street address and hours of operation.)
• Brashear Association- 412-390-3588 or 412-620-8234
• Carnegie Library Oakland- 412-622-3133
• East Side- 412-362-8580
• Neighborhood Employment Center (West)-  412-520-8401
• Career & Workforce Center (East)- 412-241-2811 or 412-436-0985 extension 1436
• Neighborhood Employment Center (Northside)- 412-323-1163

Criminal History:

Conviction of a felony or serious misdemeanor is disqualifying unless applicant has been pardoned. Other behaviors may lead to a candidate not being selected/"decertified". (Additional information available at www.joinpghpolice.com)

Medical Marijuana Card and Usage: 

MPOETC has adopted Federal law as it relates to the use of controlled substances, including state-sanctioned medical marijuana. Be advised that MPOETC will not certify an applicant for police recruit if they held a medical marijuana card one year prior to their Police Academy start date.




Veterans' Preference:

Ten (10) Veterans' Preference points will be awarded to eligible candidates who achieve a FINAL passing score. You may attach your, or your spouse's (if deceased or disabled), ORIGINAL or COPY of original discharge and separation papers (DD-214 Member-4), to your application OR submit it at the time of the written exam. If you do not possess the Member-4 copy, you may submit the Member-1 copy along with a copy of your Honorable Discharge Certificate. The initial term of active obligated service enlistment must have been completed at the time of the test to include Reservists/National Guard members, or the member must have received a final discharge from active duty, Form DD-214. The Character of Service must be "positive."

If you are unable to locate your discharge and separation papers (Form DD-214 Member-4), you must complete a "Request Pertaining to Military Records" Form (SF-180) and send it to the appropriate agency.

When received, return a copy of your DD-214 (member 4) to the Civil Service Office, 4th Floor, City-County Building.

Military or National Guard reservists are eligible for veterans' preference if they have completed their initial reserve obligation.

Reservists must provide a statement of service letter from their current Reserve or National Guard commanding officer at the rank of colonel (Army, Air Force, Marine), captain (Navy or Coast Guard) or higher.

The letter can be attached to your application or submitted at the time of the written exam. The letter must include:

• Full name.
• A statement that characterizes your current service (i.e., honorable or under honorable conditions).
• Date military or National Guard reserve service began.
• Completion date of initial military reserve obligation.
• Statement if deployed in combat.

NOTE: Any applicant who is serving and was deployed or was recalled to Federal active duty (regardless of active duty length or place of service, even if they are still within their initial term of Reserve or National Guard enlistment) who provides a DD-214 showing the active duty and a positive Character of Service, is to be awarded Veterans' Preference Points.

This does not include the DD-214 that is issued to a Reservist or Guardsman at the end of boot camp.

Pittsburgh Public School Graduate Preference: 

Five (5) points will be awarded to eligible candidates who achieve a FINAL passing score. You must provide a copy of your Pittsburgh Public High School Diploma. You may attach your High School Diploma to your application or submit it at the written exam.

City of Pittsburgh Residency Preference: 

Three (3) points will be awarded to eligible candidates who achieve a FINAL passing score. You must provide proof of City residency. You may attach proof to your application or submit it at the written exam.

NOTE: Applicants will be awarded preference points, if eligible, for their highest qualifying category. Points will not be awarded for more than one category.

Qualifications

If you meet the General Application Requirements, you will be email notified to schedule the written examination. You must pass the written examination in order to have your name placed on the official Civil Service Eligibility List for Police Officer. Note: Candidates will be ranked on the eligibility list by month tested in written examination score order. Specific weights for the various test components will be determined at a later date based on the results of the job analysis and other important factors.

Written Examination:
Applicants will be notified to schedule the written examination in the month following the submission of application (e.g., applications submitted in December, exam will be held in January). You MUST schedule to sit for the written examination.

Municipal Police Officers' Education and Training Commission Tests:
Both of these tests will be administered to candidates whose names appear on the Police Officer Eligibility List and who are being further processed for an Academy Class. The State of Pennsylvania Municipal Police Officers' Education and Training Commission (MPOETC) requires candidates to achieve physical fitness standards on a fitness test, and vocabulary and comprehension standards on a reading test for entry into a State of Pennsylvania Police Academy. (Information, including standards, will be available at www.joinpghpolice.com).

Oral Interview/Background Interview:
Oral Interview/Background Interview information and oral interview/background interview preparation will be provided to applicants at a later date.

Medical Examination and Psychological Suitability Evaluation:
Both of these assessments will be administered to candidates who receive conditional offers of employment. Final appointment to the Training Academy is contingent upon successful completion of both assessments. The medical standards include having distant vision of at least 20/70, uncorrected, in the stronger eye, correctable to 20/20, and at least 20/200, uncorrected, in the weaker eye, correctable to at least 20/40. In addition, candidates shall have normal depth and color perception and must be free of any significant visual abnormality.

Additional Information

• Patrol: Activities involving observing zone conditions or responding to incidents as required.
• Traffic Enforcement and Control: Activities performed at the scene of traffic accidents and activities involved in traffic enforcement, such as issuing parking and moving traffic violations.
• Preliminary Searches: Activities involving searches to locate suspects, evidence, or missing/injured persons.
• Preliminary Investigations: Activities involving initial investigations of incidents and decisions.
• Suspect Control: Activities involving pursuit, isolation, containment, search, and apprehension of suspects.
• Arrests: Activities involving arrest processing procedures, detention, and lodging of prisoners or juveniles.
• Evidence/Property Safeguard: Activities involving identifying, safeguarding, storing, and otherwise accounting for evidence, and non-Police Department property at a zone station.
• Life/Property Safeguard at Incident Scene: Activities involving safeguarding and securing people and property at the scene of specific incidents.

Notifications/Communications/Administration: Activities involving official requests for assistance inside and outside the Department.

Distribution of information regarding incidents and conditions in the zone. Activities involving communications with superior officers and other officers to coordinate the activities of the zone.

• Reports, Forms and Memo Books: Activities involving the preparation of written (paper or electronic) forms, reports, or memo books. Forms and reports may be a variety of types, such as: captioned (fill-in-the-blank), written narrative, or a combination of these.
• Court Appearances: Activities involving appearance in court, testimony, and prosecution in a variety of cases (e.g., criminal, civil, and administrative).
• Community Relations: Engages in activities that foster positive relations between community members and the Bureau of Police.
• Police Bureau Property Safeguard: Activities involving safeguarding or accounting for the proper condition of all police property and equipment.
• Bureau Policies, Procedures, Rules and Laws: Activities involving using and explaining the Department policies and rules, and City, State, and Federal laws that govern the activities of police officers.
• Professional Development: Activities to improve your skills or to improve the Department. This includes participating in specific training or education, participating in professional organizations, or attending conferences.
• Related Tasks and Duties: Other related tasks and duties as assigned or required.
Note: The Department of Human Resources & Civil Service maintains a comprehensive list of tasks associated with each of the above duties.