Police Officer Recruit

About The Position

Note: This recruitment is open on a continuous basis and may close without prior notice. Testing will be conducted based on a reasonable pool of qualified applicants. Please thoroughly review the entire job flyer including the application instructions. Failure to submit a completed application and provide required documentation may result in an application being removed from further consideration.

About The Police Academy

The Academy provides training in basic criminal investigation processes and techniques; preparation of various reports; analysis of situations to make appropriate decisions under stressful situations; testify and present evidence in court, and practices and theory in criminal and civil law enforcement.

Essential Functions

• Participate for successful completion in a prescribed law enforcement officer training program for entry level Police Officer, including training in report writing, laws of arrest and seizure, defensive driving, California Vehicle and Penal Codes, officer survival, and physical fitness.
• Maintain standards of mental and physical fitness throughout the training program.
• Maintain acceptable class standing and adhere to professional conduct.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent
• 21 years of age upon appointment
• Of good moral character and free of felony convictions
• Licenses: Valid California Driver's License and acceptable driving record

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Successfully complete the City of Downey Police Department Field Training Program
• Ability to meet and maintain POST physical standards
• Ability to analyze problems, weigh solutions, recognize alternatives and their implications independently and quickly
• Interpersonal skills to effectively interact with diverse populations
• Ability to speak clearly, write accurately, and use appropriate vocabulary
• Ability to exercise authority in physical and verbal actions in hostile situations
• Ability to write accurate and descriptive reports
• Ability to use a personal computer and keyboard

Additional Information

• Physical Tasks & Environmental Conditions: Work is performed both inside and outside in seasonal climate and weather conditions. Exposure to slippery surfaces, oily conditions, dust, dirt, and odors are conditions frequently encountered. An incumbent must constantly work with noise from traffic and police radio. Position requires ability to work in cramped spaces or run, jump, vault or climb as needed to apprehend a suspect. An incumbent must be available to work weekends, evenings, holidays, on-call and overtime.
• Physical Demands: Constant arm and leg movements for driving, walking, standing, and sitting for short and prolonged periods of time, bending, stooping, lifting, running, jumping, leaning, squatting, climbing, crouching, kneeling, crawling, turning, and twisting. The ability to safely push, pull, carry, drag up to 100 pounds with or without assistance is required. The ability to reach above and below shoulder level; both light and firm grasping; finger dexterity to hold and handle a revolver and pull the trigger, operate a computer terminal or keyboard, operate patrol vehicle controls switches for lights, sirens or public address system, and to manually check weapons or perform safety checks to maintain operational condition is required. To operate a police vehicle, foot manipulation to operate accelerator or brake pedals with the right or left foot or to use the foot as an aide to control suspect's foot while patting down a suspect is required. The ability to feel for patting down suspect's body, to determine level of warmth to test or confirm evidence of fire, or feel body for warmth or pulse, seeing, hearing, seeing, and smelling is required. The ability to see with both eyes (correctable to 20/20), including the ability to distinguish colors; ability to hear within normal limits, speak, and smell. The ability to talk to order suspects to halt and to drop any weapons, to communicate and warn other officers of a dangerous situation, to conduct field interviews with suspects or witnesses, and to talk on the police radio to indicate status of incident and other vital details is required. Physical duties of the position may expose an incumbent to blood, other bodily fluids, or communicable diseases.
• Non-Smoking Policy: In an effort to promote wellness, the City of Downey Police Department prohibits safety employees from the use of tobacco products either on or off the job.
• California Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) Pull Notice System: An incumbent appointed to this position is subject to enrollment in the California DMV Pull Notice Program. The Pull Notice program provides the City of Downey information on the incumbent's driving record and Driver's License status on a periodic basis. An employee assigned a City vehicle must acknowledge receipt and understanding of City Administrative Regulations covering the use of City vehicles.