Police Officer

The John J. Pershing VAMC is seeking Full Time Police Officers for the Poplar Bluff and Cape Girardeau, MO facilities. Police Officer responsibilities include: protection of property and persons on hospital grounds; enforcement of appropriate federal, state and municipal criminal codes and Department of Veterans Affairs regulations.

This is an open-continuous announcement. This announcement lists all possible locations-candidates will be reviewed and referred as positions become available.

Qualifications:

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

GS-06 Police Officer:
GS-06 Grade Level: One (1) full year year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the federal service; experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes: experience that provided knowledge of a body of basic laws and regulations, law enforcement operations, practices, and techniques and involved responsibility for maintaining order and protecting life and property. Creditable specialized experience may have been gained in work on a police force; through service as a military police officer; in work providing visitor protection and law enforcement in parks, forests, or other natural resource or recreational environments; in performing criminal investigative duties; or in other work that provided the required knowledge and skills; responding to calls or alarms involving crimes; questioning individuals at the scene, establishing the identity of injured parties, identifying the nature of incidents, and taking statements; informing individuals about their rights as suspects and/or witnesses; operating radar or other speed detection equipment and pursuing speeding vehicles when enforcing traffic regulations or laws; arresting violators caught in the act or who readily admit to guilt; issuing citations; assisting at accident scenes; preparing reports that describe events that may be used in future legal actions; responding to duress alarms and subduing unruly individuals; patrolling; pursuing and apprehending person; subduing individuals causing disturbances; taking charge of a crime or accident scene and restricting access to those persons required on the scene; seeking detecting, and protecting evidence and witnesses at the scene of an incident; making arrests and performing booking procedures; conducting investigations; questioning and taking statements from victims, witnesses, and complainants; interrogating suspects; applying all correct rules of search and seizure; and analyzing facts to identify suspects and develop case information.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. YOUR RESUME MUST DEMONSTRATE YOUR SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE.

There is no educational substitution for the GS-06 level.

LAUTENBERG AMENDEMENT: This position authorizes the incumbent to carry a firearm. Any person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence cannot lawfully possess a firearm or ammunition (Title 18, U.S.C., Section 922(g)(91)). Candidates who have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence are not qualified for this position. Candidates under consideration will be required to certify whether they have ever been convicted of such an offense. False or fraudulent information provided by candidates is criminally punishable by fine or imprisonment (Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1001).

Work Environment: The work involves both moderate and high risks and possible endangerment of life or serious injury that requires the exercise of safety precautions and use of personal protective equipment The work is performed in settings in which there is regular and recurring exposure to moderate to severe discomforts and unpleasantness, such as high temperatures in confined spaces, high temperatures due to mandatory protective personal equipment, or adverse weather conditions during extended periods of traffic and patrol duties. The work involves moderate risk requiring exercise of safety precautions when working around hazardous materials such as toxic gases, explosives, infectious biological materials, and others that pose a moderate risk of exposure.

Additional Police Officer Requirements:
1. New VA Police Officers are required to successfully complete the in-residence (400 hours) 8 or 10-week Police Officer Standardized Training in Little Rock, Arkansas. Satisfactory completion of this course is a condition of continued employment.
2. Officers are required to carry agency-approved firearms while on duty on VA property. Officers must achieve and maintain qualification with the agency-approved firearms as condition of gaining and continuing employment as a Police Officer.
3. Officers must also successfully complete physical and psychological examinations prior to entering on duty and annually thereafter as a condition of continued employment.
4. An individual who is convicted of a domestic violence charge cannot be authorized to own, be issued, purchase, or otherwise have possession of a handgun under the Lautenberg Amendment (PL 104-208) to the Gun Control Act of 1968 (18 USC 922).
5. A background security investigation will be required for all new hires. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Reinvestigations will be conducted every five years. Failure to successfully meet these requirements and obtain a favorable adjudication will be grounds for termination.
6. This is a testing designated position. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with the VA.

Responsibilities:

The primary purpose of this position is to maintain law and order. Police officers protect life, property and civil rights of individuals through diligent foot and motor patrols. They prevent, detect and investigate violations of laws, rules and regulations involving accidents, crimes and misconduct involving misdemeanors and felonies. They arrest violators, assist in prosecution of criminals, and serve as a source of assistance to persons in day to day and emergency situations. In carrying out this mission, police officers are qualified to carry firearms, police baton and chemical weapons (OC). Police officers are trained in the use of force and the use of deadly force, self-defense. restraint, tactical movement and firing techniques.. Duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Patrolling VA facilities
• Identifying situations where criminal activity has occurred or is about to occur
• Assessing danger and threats and take proper recourse including taking statements, making arrests, and conducting short and long-term investigations
• Ensures compliance with and enforces a full range of Federal, state, territorial, and/or commonwealth, county and municipal laws, ordinances, rules and regulations.
• Independently initiate investigative stops on suspicious and potentially dangerous persons, determining whether their presence and/or actions are authorized or require some level of corrective/enforcement action.
• Conducting recurring security assessments
• Preparing detailed reports and submitting recommendations to ensure safety and security
• Must use knowledge and skills to conduct investigations on and off VA-controlled property of offenses that may have been committed on property and under the original jurisdiction of VA, consistent with agency policy, agreements with affected local, state or Federal agencies or after other consultations
• Interviewing, interrogating and informing complainants, witnesses and suspects
• Advise victims, witnesses, and offenders on legal procedures, explain the elements of a crime to victims and offenders, mediate disputes between people, speak to people with the intent to develop rapport, develop informants, influence, and provide comfort to those in need
• Provide accurate oral descriptions of persons, places, and events, exchange information with other state, local and Federal law enforcement officers
• Participate in meetings with other officers, VA employees and customers, make presentations to various stakeholders and participate in facility functions, committees, and meetings
• Securing crime scenes as well as accident and disaster sites
• Assessing avenues of investigation in keeping with the rules of evidence and civil rights
• Providing Basic Life Support (BLS) to injured personnel
• Attend training to maintain proficiency in all weapons and tactics issued and utilized as part of their official duties

DESIGNATED DRUG-TESTING POSITION: Applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test result is received.

Officers must: (1) achieve and maintain qualification in the use of the agency approved firearm as a condition of continued employment as a VA Police Officer; (2) complete an initial and annual psychological assessment and physical; (3) pass the VA Law Enforcement Training Center approved physical fitness test; (4) successfully complete the Police Officer Standardized Training (a 400 hour training course, for 8 or 10 weeks) in Little Rock, AR.

Work Schedule: VA Police Officers work rotating shifts to include nights, weekends and holidays.
Position Description Title/PD#: Police Officer/PD99925-S
Physical Requirements: The work requires, on a regular and recurring basis, considerable and strenuous physical exertion such as running, frequent climbing of multiple flights of stairs, and carrying items weighing over 50 pounds. It requires stamina, physical agility, dexterity, and the strength to pursue, apprehend or detain persons who are often uncooperative, assaultive, and/or armed. It also requires the regular and recurring intervention with dangerous and assaultive individuals, subjects under influence of intoxicants, and other individuals threatening and capable of inflicting serious bodily harm. The incumbent will be subject to many hazardous situations without backup immediately available, such as, single officer traffic stops, and searches of buildings and outlying areas. The incumbent may be subjected to severe weather conditions and extremely long hours in some cases.
Telework: Not Available
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required