Psychologist (Dallas Police) (Civil Service)

Job Summary

The Psychologist performs professional level counseling, psychological testing, evaluation, and screening, and ensures police officers are mentally stable to perform work.

Overview

The Psychologist performs professional level counseling, psychological testing, evaluation, and screening, and ensures police officers are mentally stable to perform work.

Essential Functions

• Counsels, advises, and provides professional support for DPD employees experiencing personal and job-related psychological difficulties; counsels immediate family members and non-sworn employees.
• Conducts physiological testing and screening as a result of behavioral cause investigations and determines whether or not police officers are fit or unfit for duty.
• Performs and conducts pre-employment diagnostic evaluations of uniformed applicants to determine psychological stability; administers various psychological instruments and conducts extensive interviews with candidates.
• Designs and develops psychological projects to ensure compliance with TCOLE rules and to ensure mental fitness of police officers; designs and implements police officer profile systems, and pre-employment psychological screening projects.
• Conducts psychological evaluations of other employees who are required to carry a firearm such as City Marshal applicants, Dallas Security and Police Department special unit transfers.
• Conducts predictive and concurrent validity studies to identify valid selection instruments.
• Testifies in court as needed regarding psychological/emotional suitability of employees.
• Performs any and all other work as needed or assigned.

Knowledge And Skills

• Thorough knowledge of principles and practices of clinical psychology, psychological testing and interpretation, and diagnosis of mental and emotional disorders and treatment.
• Thorough knowledge of research design and psychometric principles.
• Thorough knowledge of statistical analysis and validation procedures.
• Thorough knowledge of TCOLE (Texas Commission on Law Enforcement) guidelines, state confidentiality laws, APA (American Psychological Association) professional standards, and record retention laws.
• Knowledge of safety procedures and the use of safety gear.
• Ability to organize, plan, and direct diagnostic programs.
• Ability to counsel and provide psychological analysis in a safe and effective manner.
• Ability to give expert testimony in court.
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.

Education

• Minimum Qualifications: Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) OR Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) OR Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) from an accredited college or university.
• Experience: Two (2) years of post-doctoral experience in counseling and conducting evaluations.

Experience

• Licensed or eligible to be licensed (within six months from hiring date) by the State of Texas as a Psychologist.

Licenses

• Valid driver’s license with good driving record.

Other Requirements

• Must pass intensive background investigation.
• No FELONY or Class A MISDEMEANOR convictions.
• No Class B MISDEMEANOR convictions within the last ten (10) years.
• No family violence convictions.
• Cannot currently be on deferred adjudication for any FELONY, Class A or Class B MISDEMEANOR.

Preferences

• Experience working for a public safety or government agency.
• Ability to work with various units within the department.
• Demonstrated skill balancing a counseling caseload and other duties.
• Experience conducting preemployment evaluations and/or general psychological evaluations.
• Experience with empirically supported treatment modalities for a broad range of disorders.
• Experience providing mental health counseling to trauma exposed populations.
• Experience with couple’s and family counseling.
• Experience working with clients who may experience critical incident stress.
• Experience responding to emergency scenes or situations as requested.

Salary Range

$103,542.40 - $129,417.60

The salary listed on this job posting is the starting salary range; amount offered will depend upon qualifications.

City of Dallas is an Equal Opportunity Employer.