Police Officer

This position will serve as a Police Officer with the El Paso VA Health Care System (EPVAHCS) in El Paso, Texas. The Police Officer will perform a full range of police duties by following and executing rules, regulations, or procedures covering law and rules enforcement, physical and personal security operations, patrol duties, control desk duty, coordination with local courts, and/or crime prevention activities for the local jurisdiction.

Qualifications:

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

GS-5 Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-4 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 a Police Officer. Specialized experience is work 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. At this level, police work must have included patrolling assigned area(s) to enforce laws and ordinances, regulate traffic, control crowds, prevent crimes and/or arrest violators. Experience as a security guard or corrections officer is generally NOT qualifying. Note: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hour worked per week.
OR

Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-5 level. You must have successfully completed a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree in Police Science or a comparable degree program related to the work of the position. (Transcripts Required)

OR

Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-5 level. Successful completion of a Federal, State, county, or municipal police academy or comparable training course that included at least 40 classroom hours of instruction in police department procedures and methods, and local law and regulations, to substitute a maximum of 3 months of specialized experience AND possess at least 9 months of specialized experience as identified above. NOTE: Appropriate documentation of completion must be submitted with your application materials. (Transcripts Required)

To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-5. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

GS-6 Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-5 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 a Police Officer. Specialized experience is 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. Examples of qualifying specialized experience for this position include: Maintaining order to protect life and property; Taking initial complaints; Interviewing witnesses; Securing a crime scene and conducting limited searches; Responding to emergency situations; Gathering information and preparing reports; Conducting routine patrol, traffic control, and traffic accident investigations.

Experience as a security guard or corrections officer is generally NOT qualifying.

There is no educational substitution for the GS-6 level.

Your resume will be reviewed for the following Competencies for this position:

• Arrest
• Criminal Investigation
• First Response
• Interpersonal Skills
• Public Safety and Security
• Security

NOTE: You must provide detailed information of your experience performed. Information such as "I was a Patrolman", "I was a Police Officer for a number of years," or "I enforced Federal, State, county, and laws" is insufficient to determine your qualifications. Experience must be fully documented in your resume and must include job title, duties, month & year start/end dates AND hours worked per week.

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.

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ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR POLICE OFFICER POSITION:
1. Applicants must possess a current, valid State driver's license, have a safe driving record, and demonstrate that he or she is medically qualified to operate the appropriate motor vehicle safely.
2. Applicants are required to successfully complete a comprehensive medical and psychological examination prior to entering on duty to determine fitness for duty as a Police Officer.
3. Applicants must undergo a background investigation, which may include the administration of a polygraph examination.
4. Applicants are required to undergo and successfully pass a pre-employment drug screening test and must submit to random drug testing after employment.
5. New VA Police Officers are required to attend an 8-week course at the VA Law Enforcement Training Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. Satisfactory completion of this course is a condition of continued employment.
6. VA Police Officers may be expected to continue irregular duty hours either at the Medical Center, local police offices, or at court especially during investigations of serious criminal incidents. This type of working schedule may negatively affect or burden family responsibilities.
7. VA Police Officers encounter people experiencing extreme poverty and personal hardship, such as separation from family who are difficult, hostile or distressed. Investigators also may witness drownings, vehicle accidents, and other tragedies. VA Police Officers are occasionally exposed to people who carry infectious diseases.

IMPORTANT NOTES: (1) As a condition of employment, must qualify to be issued a firearm and semi-annually with assigned firearm, annually with an expandable Straight Baton (MEB), maintain a valid State or Commonwealth Driver's License and pass annual physical and psychosocial assessment. Applicants must be able to possess firearms under the terms of the Gun Control Act of 1968, as amended (18 U.S.C. 922(g)(9).