Employment Opportunities

Police Officer- BLE Certified

Position Posted:    July 1, 2022

Position Closes:    Open Until Filled

Starting Pay:         $47,791.00 DOQ - Considerations for Prior Experience + Sign on Bonus!

JOB SUMMARY

Under direct supervision, this position performs general law enforcement work in order to preserve public peace and order; to protect lives, property, and rights of the public; and to enforce the laws; and to diminish crime and provide a safe environment in the Town of Smithfield. Work involves patrolling of Town to deter crime or apprehend and/or arrest violators or suspects; responding to calls for law enforcement assistance and gathering information for criminal investigations. The employee is subject to the usual hazards of law enforcement work. Performs related work as required.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:      

• Reduces the commission of crimes and maintains law enforcement by deterrence through high visibility patrol throughout the Town.
• Apprehends and/or arrests persons who violate statutory law and/or municipal ordinances. 
• Monitors radio calls; communicates with radio dispatcher and responds to complaints, reports of criminal events, requests for law enforcement, and domestic or public disputes. 
• Inspects troublesome areas and checks security of business establishments. 
• Secures crime scenes.  
• Gathers information in criminal investigations by interviewing victims, witnesses and suspects; performs searches of people, vehicles and buildings; prepares investigative reports of findings, facts and related information; makes arrests and processes arrested suspects.
• Detects and collects evidence and substances that provide the basis for probable cause for criminal acts; and testifies in court. 
• Enforces traffic laws and regulations. Detects traffic violators; performs traffic accident investigations and makes reports. Facilitates the movement of traffic and pedestrians around accidents, disabled traffic control devices or heavily congested areas. Assists disabled motorists. Directs traffic for funerals and other public gatherings.  
• Performs rescue functions at accidents, emergency scenes, and disaster areas.  
• Serves criminal warrants and search warrants.  
• Completes and/or reviews paperwork documenting shift activities, offenses and incidents, victim and suspect statements, and other related information.   
• Assists other law enforcement personnel and agencies.  
• Transports prisoners. 
• Participates in a variety of law enforcement training and maintains certifications; and may train other personnel on radar, firearms, chemical agents, etc.  
• Engages in public relations and community service activities and events to promote a positive image for the Department and to build cooperative and collaborative relationships with the community. 
• May perform boat patrolling duties on adjacent waterways. 
• Must work any shift assigned to include evenings, overtime, weekends & holidays and be on call 24 hours a day as assigned.
• Maintains equipment and work area.  
• Completes miscellaneous paperwork as required; and
• Performs other assigned duties.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS TO PERFORM WORK:

• High School Diploma or equivalent; Associate’s degree preferred;
• Basic Law Enforcement (BLE) Certification is required in order to perform essential functions;
• Must be at least 21 years of age;
• Must possess the ability to understand and carry out oral and written instructions, and to prepare clear reports; 
• Must possess the ability to deal professionally, courteously, and fairly with the public; 
• Must possess the ability to analyze situations and to adopt quick, effective, and reasonable courses of action with due regard to surrounding hazards and circumstances; 
• Must possess the ability to become skilled in the use of firearms and the operation of police vehicles;  
• Must possess the ability and willingness to serve on an on-call basis 24 hours per day as assigned; 
• Must have a valid drivers’ license with acceptable driving record; 
• Must have no felony or misdemeanor convictions involving moral turpitude.
• Or equivalent training, education, and/or experience.

Selected candidates must successfully complete a thorough background investigation including a polygraph, psychological evaluation, medical evaluation, and drug screen.

This is a safety sensitive position and participates in the Town's random drug screen program.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Physical: Primary functions require sufficient physical ability to work in a law enforcement setting and an office setting; restrain or subdue individuals; walk, stand, sit, or run for prolonged periods of time; occasionally stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, reach, and twist; occasionally climb and balance; regularly push, pull, lift, and/or carry light to moderate weights; frequently lift and/or move moderate to heavy weights; occasionally lift and/or move heavy weights; operate office equipment including use of computer keyboard; requires a sense of touch, finger dexterity, and gripping with hands and fingers; ability to speak and hear to exchange information; ability to operate a vehicle to travel to various locations; ability to operate and use specialized law enforcement tools and equipment including guns and handcuffs.  

Vision: See in the normal visual range with or without correction.  

Hearing: Hear in the normal audio range with or without correction.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:     

Environment: Reactive emergency, natural or man-made disaster, and routine peace keeping environments with travel from site to site. The employee is regularly exposed to outsideweather conditions; occasionally exposed to fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, extreme cold, extreme heat, risk of electrical shock, risk of radiation, and vibration; potentially hostile environments; extensive public contact. 

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate but may be very loud due to sirens, firearm training, etc. Incumbents required to work various shifts, including evenings and weekends, and may be required to travel outside Town boundaries to attend meetings.

Forms to be completed:

Employment Application

Release of Information Form

Personal History Statement

1.  You can print the forms above and once completed, mail them to the Town of Smithfield (Attention: Ashley Rogers), P.O. Box 246, Smithfield, Virginia. 23431     OR

2.  You can complete the forms and drop them off at Town Hall (310 Institute Street, Smithfield, VA) during normal business hours, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.