Police Patrol Officer (Entry Level or Lateral Transfer)

This Police Patrol Officer is a FLSA non-exempt, entry-level position under the general supervision of a Police Sergeant. This role exercises a high degree of discretion, trust, and confidence performing skilled police work through critical public contact. Duties involve police patrol, criminal investigations, traffic law enforcement, and a wide variety of community services. Employees work in partnership with the community to identify and resolve issues, provide public safety, and maintain peace, safety, and order. The position requires considerable judgment, initiative, and skill in varied situations, often acting without direct supervision, and may involve highly stressful, emergency situations where injury or death could occur.

Lateral Transfers

Candidates with qualifying experience and Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certification may be eligible for a higher entry rate of pay and an abbreviated academy. Eligible experience includes that of a state, county, or municipal officer with a minimum of two years of patrol experience and Colorado POST Certification or state equivalent. Eligibility will be determined by the Pueblo Police Chief or designee as part of the employment offer process. Qualified candidates may receive up to pay step 5 of the salary schedule, depending on years of qualifying experience.

Responsibilities

• Performs proactive police patrol functions, responds to calls for service, enforces laws, maintains order, prevents crime, provides miscellaneous services to assist the public, and enforces traffic laws and directs traffic.
• Investigates crimes, gathers evidence, interviews people, issues citations, makes arrests, prepares reports and cases for prosecution, and testifies in court.
• Observes, listens, analyzes, and assesses problems under varied circumstances and applies knowledge, reason, and good judgment to solve problems and render appropriate decisions.
• Interacts effectively with culturally diverse groups and individuals, calms emotional people, and displays superior customer service skills.
• Engages in superior communication with a wide variety of people verbally and in writing.
• Maintains self-control under stress and a level of mental and physical fitness commensurate with the requirements of the position.
• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships and functions well as part of a team.
• Complies with verbal and written instructions and orders.
• Performs in accordance with organizational values, policies, and procedures.
• Maintains and completes required reports, documentation, forms, or logs.
• Inspects and maintains police-related equipment, facilities, and uniforms to ensure proper function, use, and appearance.
• Works varied hours, holidays, and weekends.
• May act as Police Sergeant in their absence or perform duties of similar classifications of an equal or lower pay grade, as assigned.

Physical Requirements

The physical standards an employee must meet to perform the essential job duties with or without a reasonable accommodation include:

• Ability to show upper body and core muscular endurance to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise assist incapacitated individuals of approximately 150 pounds, handle other items, defend oneself, take evasive action, and control suspects.
• Occasional balancing, bending, climbing (4 ft. high), crawling (4-6 feet), kneeling, reaching, squatting, standing, and twisting.
• Ability to demonstrate explosive leg strength (jumping vertically at least 18 inches).
• Ability to show cardiorespiratory and sprinting ability on uneven terrain, up and down stairs, and under various conditions.
• Prolonged sitting while driving a patrol vehicle and preparing reports.
• Frequent use of visual and auditory acuity for detecting hazards, recognizing vehicles and people, reading documents, searching for evidence, and hearing and understanding speech.
• Ability to hear and distinguish between multiple levels of sounds, frequencies, tones, and tones of voice.
• Clear vision and the ability to distinguish between various colors.
• Ability to communicate by phone or in person and work with written documents and forms.
• Frequent light and firm grasp hand manipulation for keyboarding, weapons handling, vehicle operations (including radio operations), and other normal police duties.
• Frequent stepping up/down to get in and out of vehicles, trenches, and foundations.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Must have knowledge of and ability to apply:

• Applicable City, County, State, and Federal statutes, regulations, ordinances, and codes.
• Department policies, practices, techniques, and methods required to perform duties.
• The principles and practices of law enforcement.
• Appropriate self-defense techniques.
• Accurate sense of direction and ability to travel using a map.
• Basic grammar and writing skills.
• Superior customer service principles and skills.
• A keen sense of observation and ability to analyze situations quickly.
• De-escalation strategies to handle sensitive or stressful situations with tact and diplomacy.
• Traffic laws to safely operate a motor vehicle.
• Basic mathematic calculations including addition and subtraction.
• High moral standards and a high degree of integrity.
• A high level of emotional intelligence.

Must have the skill and ability to:

• Meet the intellectual and physical requirements of the position.
• Work independently with minimal supervision.
• Exercise good judgment and decision-making.
• Communicate effectively with superiors, other agencies, City personnel, the general public, and culturally diverse groups.
• Demonstrate professionalism, personal integrity, and sensitivity to others’ problems.
• Act decisively using good judgment, assess problems in a timely manner, and deal with emergency and stressful situations.
• Display emotional stability, self-motivation, loyalty, and commitment to the Department and City of Pueblo.
• Take initiative and act dependably and maturely.
• Act as a representative of the Department with a courteous, helpful, and professional demeanor.
• Physically protect oneself and others, and subdue and control individuals as required.
• Use and operate assigned equipment, including police computers, cell phones, radios, lidar devices, body-worn cameras, dash cameras, and portable breath tests.
• Proficient use of firearms and less-lethal weapons, including tasers, OC spray, and pepper ball guns.
• Perform all aspects of the job safely.
• Read and understand various codes, rules, regulations, and laws, and enforce them fairly and impartially.
• Promote cooperation, a positive attitude, diversity, integrity, trust, respect, and teamwork.
• Perform investigative work and testify in court.
• Operate a motor vehicle under adverse conditions.

This position also requires:

• A good driving record.
• Strong writing and oral communication skills.
• Dedication to public safety.
• Emotional stability and ability to deal successfully with excessive stress.
• Ability to work varied shifts, including nights, holidays, and weekends.
• Ability to work for extended periods in high-stress environments.

Qualifications

• U.S. citizenship at time of application.
• At least 21 years of age by the date of the written exam.
• High school diploma or GED at time of application.
• Valid physical abilities certification from the Pueblo Police Department at time of interview (testing will be offered for eligible candidates).
• Valid driver’s license at time of application; a valid Colorado driver’s license within 30 days of employment. License restrictions (e.g., interlock) that hinder driving on City business will be cause for disqualification.
• No convictions for:
  • A felony crime.
  • A misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
  • A misdemeanor crime affecting ability to certify with the Colorado Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) Board.
  • A DUI or DWAI within the last five years.
• Candidates with prior military service must provide a DD-214 reflecting Honorable or Uncharacterized discharge.
• Colorado POST Certification and higher education are highly desirable.

Disqualifiers

• Tattoos or markings on the head, scalp, face, ears, neck (above the collarbone), or hands (wrist to fingertips). Permanent cosmetic makeup on the face or commitment bands on fingers are exempt. Current Police Department employees hired prior to July 1, 2025, are exempt.
• Drug usage:
  • Any use of marijuana within one year prior to the date of application.
  • Any use of illegal drugs (e.g., heroin, cocaine, LSD, amphetamines, steroids, or other illegal substances as defined in schedules I through V of Section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act) within five years prior to the date of application.

Special Conditions of Employment

• Work is regularly performed outdoors and occasionally indoors with frequent exposure to extreme temperatures and all weather conditions.
• Exposure to wet/humid conditions, loud noise, heavy traffic, hazardous situations (e.g., threatening people, communicable diseases, hazardous materials, chemicals).
• Periods of high activity and stress in emergency situations, often after extended sedentary activity, under demanding conditions, and while handling dangerous or hostile individuals.
• Work 8- or 10-hour varied shifts, including nights, weekends, holidays, and mandatory overtime.
• Successful completion of a written examination overseen by POST.
• Willingness to submit to a comprehensive background check, including Truth Verification Analysis, post-conditional offer drug screen, psychological evaluation, and medical examination.