Police Officer

Job Description Summary

The Police Officer performs duties in the protection of life and property and the preservation of order in the City of Ottawa. The employee in this position responds to calls for service, enforces all traffic laws, performs case investigation, and performs various other law enforcement duties.

Essential Job Functions

• Listen to mobile and portable radios and respond to calls for police assistance from the general public, including emergency calls.
• Patrol city streets for traffic violations and investigate motor vehicle accidents. Conduct traffic stops and write citations as necessary.
• Enforce all criminal and related federal, state, and local laws and ordinances.
• Investigate felony and misdemeanor crimes. Conduct interviews, collect evidence found at crime scenes, write reports, and assist with processing of crime scenes when needed.
• Patrol business and residential areas of the city.
• Identify and arrest violators of laws and ordinances. Apply for and serve court warrants as needed.
• Appear and testify in court proceedings.

Ancillary Job Functions

• Prepare reports and maintain records.
• Maintain and clean patrol vehicles.
• Comply with all City ordinances and policies, as well as federal and state laws and ordinances.
• Assist other departments and perform other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Employees must be a Kansas resident upon hire, 21 years of age at time of appointment and a U.S. citizen, possess a valid Kansas driver’s license upon appointment, and be insurable by the city’s insurance carrier;
• High school diploma or GED from an accredited institution;
• KLETC police certification or ability to meet certification requirements after hire;
• Must maintain a valid driver’s license;
• Must be at least 21 years of age.

Education and Experience

• (Combination of education, training, and experience will be considered)
• High school diploma or GED from an accredited institution;
• KLETC police certification or ability to meet certification requirements after hire;
• Must maintain a valid driver’s license;
• Must be at least 21 years of age.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Thorough knowledge of criminal and related federal, state, and local laws and ordinances.
• Interview and interrogation skills.
• Ability to conduct crime scene investigations from start to finish with limited oversight.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to operate all policing emergency vehicles, communications equipment, firearms, and other related equipment.
• Knowledge of photography and evidence collection techniques.
• Ability to cooperate well with others and accept the lines of authority.
• Public speaking skills for presentation of information in a court of law.
• Considerable knowledge of department rules, regulations, safety policies, and procedures.
• Ability to establish and maintain successful working relationships with other employees, City officials, businesses, and the public.
• Ability to effectively organize and prioritize work as well as concentrate on multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Ability to work under general supervision and make responsible decisions.
• Ability to use good judgment and think quickly and rationally in difficult or stressful situations.

Work Environment

• May be required to work in confined spaces, hazardous traffic conditions, or high/dangerous places.
• May be exposed to wet/humid conditions, inclement outdoor weather, vibration, extreme temperatures, oils, airborne particles/fumes, moving mechanical parts, risk of electrical shock, potentially hazardous bodily fluids, or potentially hazardous or cancer-causing agents/chemicals.
• May be required to wear a respirator in certain situations.

Physical Abilities

• Must be able to sit, talk, hear, feel attributes of objects, grasp, push, stand, walk, drive, reach with hands/arms, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, climb, balance, operate mechanical equipment, and move up and down from/to sitting position on the floor.
• Must be able to have repetitive wrist/hand/finger movement and manual dexterity.
• Must have clarity of vision, three-dimensional vision, ability to identify and distinguish colors, and precise hand-eye coordination.
• Must be able to occasionally lift 100 or more pounds.