Public Safety Officer In Training

About the role

The position of Public Safety Officer-In Training (PSO-IT) is a non-sworn, training classification while incumbents are attending the police and fire academies. Upon successful completion of the police academy, incumbents will be promoted to the sworn, training position of Public Safety Officer I. Upon successful completion of all required training, incumbents will be promoted to the sworn position of Public Safety Officer II.

To review the full job description and requirements of a Public Safety Officer-In Training, please click on the following link: Public Safety Officer-In Training.

Responsibilities

• Attends and successfully completes police academy to prepare for position of Public Safety Officer I.
• Learn to apply principles and practices of law enforcement and fire protection.
• Learn to interpret and apply department policies and procedures and related State and Federal laws.
• Learn to perform firefighting, emergency response, and rescue and medical aid duties in response to calls for service.
• Write clearly, accurately, concisely, legibly and with correct English grammatical construction and spelling.
• Learn to safely use firearms and other modern police equipment and communication and information systems related to law enforcement.
• Make basic mathematical calculations as they relate to the essential functions of this position.
• Plan and present material orally to diverse groups.
• Read and interpret complex documents in English.
• Sketch such things as crime scenes and accident scenes.
• Observe, assimilate, remember and recall pertinent facts and details.
• Read maps and mapped information.
• Apply selected learned knowledge in collecting, organizing and analyzing a variety of information.
• Speak with a wide variety of people, using tact, self-restraint, judgment, and strategy.
• Exercise self-restraint and good judgment in the performance of duties.
• Exercise tact and diplomacy in dealing with sensitive, complex and political situations.
• Operate a computer using word processing and business software and other office equipment.
• Understand and follow written and oral instructions.
• Communicate effectively, orally and in writing.
• Establish, maintain and promote positive and effective working relationships with employees, other agencies and the public.
• Demonstrate initiative and exercise good judgment in the performance of duties.
• Exercise safety principles and work in a safe manner.
• Willingness to adhere to ethics of law enforcement as stated in the "Law Enforcement Code of Ethics."
• Enforce all laws, policies and procedures regardless of personal ethics or feelings.
• Comply with department grooming standards and wear a uniform furnished by the department.
• Carry and use approved weapons, including (but not limited to) firearms and batons, if justified by laws, policies, and procedures.
• Take the life of another, if justified by laws, policies, and procedures.
• Work in, around, or with severely decomposed, burnt, or dismembered bodies.
• Train citizens as well as other employees.
• Work irregular hours, irregular days, overtime, weekends, holidays, variable shifts, evenings, on-call and 24-hour shift.
• Work at any location in the city on short notice.
• Attend meetings or classes both on and off duty.

Requirements

• Education and Experience: An Associate's degree or have completed 60 semester or 90 quarter units at an accredited college or university.
• Knowledge: Basic principles of electricity, principles of physics, chemistry of fire, and mechanics, weights, measures and capacities, office methods, procedures, software and equipment, principles and practices of good customer service, principles and practices of effective interpersonal communication.
• Ability: Learn to apply principles and practices of law enforcement and fire protection, learn to interpret and apply department policies and procedures and related State and Federal laws, learn to perform firefighting, emergency response, and rescue and medical aid duties in response to calls for service, write clearly, accurately, concisely, legibly and with correct English grammatical construction and spelling, learn to safely use firearms and other modern police equipment and communication and information systems related to law enforcement, make basic mathematical calculations as they relate to the essential functions of this position, plan and present material orally to diverse groups, read and interpret complex documents in English, sketch such things as crime scenes and accident scenes, observe, assimilate, remember and recall pertinent facts and details, read maps and mapped information, apply selected learned knowledge in collecting, organizing and analyzing a variety of information, speak with a wide variety of people, using tact, self-restraint, judgment, and strategy, exercise self-restraint and good judgment in the performance of duties, exercise tact and diplomacy in dealing with sensitive, complex and political situations, operate a computer using word processing and business software and other office equipment, understand and follow written and oral instructions, communicate effectively, orally and in writing, establish, maintain and promote positive and effective working relationships with employees, other agencies and the public, demonstrate initiative and exercise good judgment in the performance of duties, exercise safety principles and work in a safe manner, willingness to adhere to ethics of law enforcement as stated in the "Law Enforcement Code of Ethics," enforce all laws, policies and procedures regardless of personal ethics or feelings, comply with department grooming standards and wear a uniform furnished by the department, carry and use approved weapons, including (but not limited to) firearms and batons, if justified by laws, policies, and procedures, take the life of another, if justified by laws, policies, and procedures, work in, around, or with severely decomposed, burnt, or dismembered bodies, train citizens as well as other employees, work irregular hours, irregular days, overtime, weekends, holidays, variable shifts, evenings, on-call and 24-hour shift, work at any location in the city on short notice, attend meetings or classes both on and off duty.

Qualifications

• Desirable Qualifications: A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in criminal justice or related field.

Skills

• Basic mathematical calculations as they relate to the essential functions of this position.
• Writing clearly, accurately, concisely, legibly and with correct English grammatical construction and spelling.
• Interpreting complex documents in English.
• Sketching such things as crime scenes and accident scenes.
• Observing, assimilating, remembering and recalling pertinent facts and details.
• Reading maps and mapped information.
• Applying selected learned knowledge in collecting, organizing and analyzing a variety of information.
• Speaking with a wide variety of people, using tact, self-restraint, judgment, and strategy.
• Exercising self-restraint and good judgment in the performance of duties.
• Exercising tact and diplomacy in dealing with sensitive, complex and political situations.
• Operating a computer using word processing and business software and other office equipment.
• Understanding and following written and oral instructions.
• Communicating effectively, orally and in writing.
• Establishing, maintaining and promoting positive and effective working relationships with employees, other agencies and the public.
• Demonstrating initiative and exercising good judgment in the performance of duties.
• Exercising safety principles and working in a safe manner.
• Adhering to the "Law Enforcement Code of Ethics."
• Enforcing all laws, policies and procedures regardless of personal ethics or feelings.
• Complying with department grooming standards and wearing a uniform furnished by the department.
• Carrying and using approved weapons, including (but not limited to) firearms and batons, if justified by laws, policies, and procedures.
• Taking the life of another, if justified by laws, policies, and procedures.
• Working in, around, or with severely decomposed, burnt, or dismembered bodies.
• Training citizens as well as other employees.
• Working irregular hours, irregular days, overtime, weekends, holidays, variable shifts, evenings, on-call and 24-hour shifts.
• Working at any location in the city on short notice.
• Attending meetings or classes both on and off duty.

Benefits

A Public Safety Officer II performs the full duties of both a police officer and a firefighter, which include preserving the peace; preventing and detecting crimes; protecting life and property; responding to fire, medical and other emergencies; enforcing laws and public ordinances; and maintaining a public service approach towards the Sunnyvale community. This position has an excellent benefit package, including 2.7% at 57 retirement plan.

Pay

Typical placement is made at the first step of the salary range. Upon successful completion of the Public Safety Officer in Training requirements, incumbents promote to Public Safety Officer I ($149,443 - $172,999). Upon successful completion of all phases of training, members of the Public Safety Officer I classification promote to Public Safety Officer II ($158,141 - $197,027).

Schedule

Position requires prolonged sitting, standing, walking, reaching, twisting, turning, kneeling, bending, squatting and stooping in the performance of daily activities. The position also requires grasping, repetitive hand movement and fine coordination in using a computer keyboard. Additionally, the position requires near and far vision in reading reports and work related documents and using a computer. Acute hearing is required when providing phone and personal customer service. The need to lift, drag and push equipment and bodies weighing up to 165 pounds, the ability to run continuously for 500 yards and climb 6 foot high fences is also required. When in the field, positions are required to walk and stand during emergency situations, including on uneven and slippery surfaces; wear police officer and firefighter clothing and carry equipment; climb ladders and work from elevated positions and enter confined spaces wearing appropriate breathing apparatus.