Lateral Police Officer

City of Farmington • Farmington, NM

14d • Onsite

About The Position

The City of Farmington is seeking a Lateral Police Officer to join their Police/Operations Department. This is a regular, full-time position with varied shifts, including days, evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays. The role involves performing security patrols, traffic control, investigation, and providing first aid at accidents. Officers are expected to handle difficult and emergency situations independently while maintaining radio or telephone availability. Duties include enforcing laws, responding to emergency calls, investigating crimes, interrogating suspects, preserving evidence, arresting violators, and preparing cases for court. The position also involves community-oriented policing and assisting citizens. Coordination with other officers and departments, as well as maintaining effective working relationships with the public, are essential. Extensive background checks and adherence to the City of Farmington's Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy are required.

Requirements

• Must submit completed City of Farmington Application.
• Must submit copies of all advanced law enforcement training hours.
• Must submit course curriculum from the academy attended, including a syllabus or class schedule listing all classes and hours.
• Officers must have maintained their position and certification for at least two years prior to their employment with the City of Farmington.
• Must have LE certification.
• Must not have used any illegal drugs within the past three years.
• Must be of good moral character and of temperate and industrious habits.
• Must be a United States Citizen.
• Must be 21 years or older at the time of employment.
• Must have completed 669 law enforcement training hours (Academy Training, Advanced Training, or combination of both).
• Must have the ability to become a certified law enforcement officer in the State of New Mexico within three years.
• Must have all advanced certificates available for review.
• Must possess, or be able to obtain by time of hire, a valid New Mexico driver's license with an acceptable driving record for the past three years.
• Must be able to read and write the English language.
• Must have a high school diploma or GED equivalent.
• Ability to learn the applicable laws, ordinances and department rules and regulations.
• Ability to perform work requiring good physical condition.
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with subordinates, peers and supervisors.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment in evaluating situations and in making decisions.
• Ability to follow verbal and written instructions.
• Ability to learn the City's geography.
• Extensive use of computers for dispatching, reporting and communicating is required.
• Must be able to frequently lift and/or move heavy objects or persons.
• Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.
• Must be able to sit, stand, talk and hear.
• Must be able to use hands and fingers to feel objects or controls.
• Must be able to climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, run and physically subdue combative subjects.
• Must be able to perform shift work which may include days, evenings, and nights including weekends and holidays.
• Must pass a written exam, oral board interview, psychological examinations (both written and oral), polygraph examination, medical examination, and extensive background investigation.
• Must pass the City of Farmington's Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy, which includes pre-employment testing, post-accident testing, random testing, reasonable suspicion testing, return to duty testing, and follow-up testing.
• Extensive background checks required.
• Felony convictions and disqualifying criminal histories are not allowed.
• Must not have used any illegal drugs within the past three years.

Nice To Haves

• Ability to operate or quickly learn to operate a personal computer using standard or customized software applications appropriate to assigned tasks.
• Ability and willingness to quickly learn and put to use new skills and knowledge brought about by rapidly changing information and/or technology.

Responsibilities

• Perform shift work which may include days, evenings, and nights including weekends and holidays.
• Perform security patrols, traffic control, investigation and first aid at accidents.
• Handle difficult and emergency situations without assistance.
• Maintain normal availability by radio or telephone to respond to police matters.
• Carry out duties in conformance with Federal, State, County, and City laws and ordinances.
• Patrol City streets, parks, commercial and residential areas to preserve the peace and enforce the law, control vehicular traffic, prevent or detect and investigate misconduct involving misdemeanors, felonies and other law violations; and to otherwise serve and protect.
• Respond to emergency radio calls and investigate accidents, robberies, civil disturbances, domestic disputes, fights, drunkenness, missing children, prowlers, abuse of drugs, etc.
• Take appropriate law enforcement action.
• Interrogate suspects, witnesses and drivers.
• Preserve evidence.
• Arrest or cite violators.
• Investigate and render assistance at scene of vehicular accidents.
• Summon ambulances and other law enforcement vehicles.
• Take measurements and draw diagrams of scene.
• Conduct follow-up investigations of crimes committed during assigned shift.
• Seek out and question victims, witnesses and suspects.
• Develop leads and tips.
• Search scene of crimes for clues.
• Evaluate evidence and arrest offenders.
• Prepare cases for giving testimony and testify in court proceedings.
• Prepare a variety of reports such as offense/incidents, field interrogation cards, DWI, towed vehicle, and accident reports.
• Undertake community oriented police work, and assist citizens with such matters as stalled vehicles, crime prevention, drug abuse, traffic and bicycle safety, etc.
• Participate in investigating criminal law violations occurring within the City limits, obtaining evidence and compiling information regarding these crimes, preparing cases for filing charges, testifying in court, and related activities.
• Conduct patrol activities including directing traffic, investigation of reported or observed violations of law, and conduction patrol activities.
• Coordinate activities with other officers or other City departments as needed, exchange information with officers in other law enforcement agencies, and obtain advice from the City Attorney or district attorney's office regarding cases, policies and procedures as needed and assigned.
• Maintain contact with police supervisory personnel to coordinate investigation activities, provide mutual assistance during emergency situations and provide general information about department activities.
• Use excellent customer service skills to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other employees, officials, and all members of the general public.
• Operate a motor vehicle to carry out the business of the department and the City.
• Maintain departmental equipment, supplies and facilities.
• Maintain contact with general public, court officials, and other City officials in the performance of police operating activities.
• May serve as a member of various employee committees.

Benefits

• $29,100 sign-on bonus (structured as $9,700 upon hire, $9,700 upon successful completion of Field Training Program, and $9,700 upon successful completion of probation, contingent on three years of continuous employment).

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED