Police Officer

Job Summary: This is general law enforcement work, responsible for protecting life and property and enforcing laws and ordinances. Work involves personal danger, independent judgment, and discretion in difficult or unusual situations. Duties include routine patrol work and responding to emergency calls, citizen complaints, and alarms. Work also involves educating the public on basic safety and crime prevention.

Major Duties:

The following duties are normal for this position. The omission of specific statements of the duties does not exclude them from the classification if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment for this classification. Other duties may be required and assigned.

• Responds and investigates calls for assistance, disturbance calls, and complaints of crimes; enforces Federal, State, and local laws by performing warrant, felony, or misdemeanor arrests; implements physical confrontation when necessary; protects the civil rights of persons in custody;
• Conducts security checks of businesses, parks, public buildings, industrial areas and residences;
• Issues citations and/or makes arrests for violations of laws including traffic violations and local ordinances;
• Prepares incident and accident reports;
• Attends and testifies in various levels of court, including Superior, State, Juvenile, Administrative and Municipal, on cases investigated or reports written;
• Responds to natural and man-made disasters; locates defendants and serves criminal warrants;
• Assists with crowd control and security assignments at various public gatherings or incident scenes;
• Investigates traffic accidents by establishing point of impact, interviewing witnesses, and collecting, preserving, and packaging evidence; detects drunk drivers and performs sobriety evaluations; books DUI suspects.
• Reports hazardous conditions on public roadways and bridges;
• Conducts surveillance;
• Provides assistance to the public as needed; provides information and guidance regarding victim’s rights; assesses victims, renders aid to the injured prior to EMS arrival;
• Requests assistance of other agencies including emergency and towing services;
• Processes arrested persons following established procedures;
• Attends/participates in daily roll call including inspection and training prior to going on duty;
• Participates in training programs to improve knowledge and skills; performs a minimum of twenty training hours to include firearms and legal updates;
• Operates department vehicle in the performance of duties;
• Render aide to injured persons until EMS personnel arrive on scene;
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required by the Position:

• Knowledge of law enforcement concepts and terminology, including criminal investigation, law enforcement and crime prevention; first-aid principles and techniques; report preparation and record keeping; and human behavior theories related to criminology, crisis intervention and crowd control;
• Knowledge of laws and court decisions pertaining to law enforcement, including search and seizure, suspects and prisoners’ rights, and custody and protection of evidence; operational principles and practices of criminal investigation, law enforcement and crime prevention; court and trial procedures;

• Knowledge of the use and effects of law enforcement weapons; methods of self-defense and physical restraint;
• Knowledge of McDonough Police Department, policies and procedures; geographic layout of City; vocabulary of technical/specialized fields of law enforcement such as identification, detention and pathology;
• Skill in learning, interpreting, applying and explaining complex laws and regulations; reading and interpreting documents such as maps, diagrams and textbooks;
• Skill in performing accurate mathematical calculations; comprehending and retaining factual information and applying what is learned;
• Skill in observing and remembering details of events, names, faces, numbers and physical descriptions; preparing and maintaining clear, accurate and concise reports and files;
• Skill in communicating effectively in both verbal and written form; exercising tact, self-restraint, judgment and strategy in dealing with people of all races, ethnicities and socio-economic groups and who may have emotional or physical difficulties;
• Skill in exercising sound independent judgment in emergency or stressful situations; correctly interpreting a given situation and taking appropriate action under a variety of conditions;
• Skill in operating and maintaining a firearm;
• Skill and ability to drive and operate the department’s vehicles and equipment in a safe and efficient manner;
• Ability to maintain all licenses and certifications required by position;
• Ability to react quickly and calmly in emergencies;
• Ability to operate the computer and various programs and equipment;
• Ability to understand and carry out oral and written instructions;
• Ability to gather, assemble, analyze and evaluate facts and evidence and to draw sound conclusions; working ability to obtain valid information by interview and interrogation;
• Ability to meet physical, mental, or other standard by regulations;
• Ability to run short distances rapidly;
• Ability to work rotating shifts, varying hours and be on call.

Supervisory Controls: Work is performed under the general supervision of the Shift Lieutenant. The work is reviewed through reports and observation of activities.

Guidelines: Guidelines include federal, state and City ordinances and regulations and departmental policies and procedures governing law enforcement action, including court procedures. These guidelines require sound judgment and interpretation in application.

Complexity: The work involves performing various duties in protecting life and property and enhancing public safety in the City of McDonough. The incumbent is required to perform varied duties including physical observation, simultaneous operation of vehicle and computer, processing reports and interpersonal communication – often in adverse situations. Diversity of population served, rapid growth in population and rotating shifts add to the complexity.

Scope and Effect: The purpose of this position is to protect the public and ensure a safe environment within the City of McDonough as well as surrounding communities. Successful implementation of the work results in a safer atmosphere and a decrease in citizen victimization.

Personal Contacts: Contacts are typically with other law enforcement officers, emergency personnel, citizens, victims, witnesses, defendants, judges, attorneys and other City employees.

Purpose of Contacts: Contacts are typically to give and exchange information, resolve conflicts, and provide services and protection.

Physical Demands: Work is a combination of office and fieldwork environment. Fieldwork may subject incumbent to extended periods of physical and mental exertion under highly stressful conditions. The Officer must be able to remain calm and think logically when defending himself/herself from imminent danger, apprehending predators of crimes, etc. The employee must be able to load, unload, aim and operate firearms. The individual must have correctable hearing, visual and speaking abilities to perform assigned duties. Visual acuity in both eyes, normal color vision, good accommodation and no field deficits; hear in-person, radio and telephone conversations; recognize differences or changes in sound patterns, loudness or pitch; speak audibly and clearly; identify and distinguish smells of different materials; sit or stand for prolonged periods; walk, run, kneel, stoop, crawl and crouch; make precise and coordinated finger, hand and limb movements; maintain uniform, controlled hand-arm posture or movement; push, pull or drag an adult (averaging 160 pounds); lift and carry boxes of evidence (average 50 pounds); use force to restrain/subdue others; work efficiently for long periods of time.

Work Environment: Work is performed in a variety of field and office settings and may require exposure to dangerous and life-threatening situations. Must be willing to carry a firearm on and off the job; mentally and physically capable of taking the life of another, if justified; willing to work any hour of the day or night (shift work), overtime, weekends, on call and holidays; work at any location in the City and travel on specific assignments.

Supervisory and Management Responsibility: None.

The City of McDonough, Georgia, is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer

Minimum Qualifications:

High School diploma or equivalent; at least twenty-one years of age; meet POST requirements for Peace Officer Certification and/or academy admittance pursuant to GA law; valid Georgia Driver’s license; successful completion of Police Academy; satisfactory MVR; acceptable background investigation; successfully pass employment physical and drug screen; equivalent combination of education and experience.