Police Officer- Entry Level

City of Farmington • Farmington, NM

5d • Onsite

About The Position

The City of Farmington is seeking to hire a Police Officer for an entry-level position. This role involves performing uniformed shift work, including days, evenings, and nights, weekends, and holidays. Responsibilities include conducting security patrols, traffic control, investigating accidents and crimes, and providing first aid. Officers are expected to handle difficult and emergency situations independently, maintain radio availability, and enforce federal, state, county, and city laws and ordinances. The position requires responding to emergency calls, investigating various incidents, interrogating suspects, preserving evidence, making arrests, and preparing detailed reports. Community-oriented policing, assisting citizens, and coordinating with other law enforcement agencies and city departments are also key aspects of the role. Excellent customer service skills are essential for maintaining effective working relationships.

Requirements

• Must be 21 years or older by the time the academy is completed.
• Must have the ability to become a certified law enforcement officer in the State of New Mexico within one year.
• Must be able to successfully pass physical fitness tests required for law enforcement certification in the State of New Mexico.
• Must possess, or be able to obtain by time of hire, a valid driver's license with an acceptable driving record for the past three years.
• Must be a United States Citizen.
• Must not have felony convictions or disqualifying criminal histories.
• Must not have used any illegal drugs within the past three years, with the exception of marijuana (marijuana use will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis).
• Must be able to read and write the English language.
• Must be of good moral character and of temperate and industrious habits.
• 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 making decisions.
• Ability to follow verbal and written instructions.
• Ability to learn the City's geography.
• Extensive background checks 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.

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 uniformed shift work, which may include days, evenings, and nights, including weekends and holidays.
• Perform security patrols, traffic control, investigation, and first aid at accidents.
• Detect, investigate, and arrest persons involved in crimes or misconduct.
• Handle difficult and emergency situations without assistance, using own judgment.
• Maintain radio or telephone availability to respond to police matters.
• Conform to Federal, State, County, and City laws and ordinances.
• Patrol City streets, parks, commercial and residential areas to preserve peace and enforce the law.
• Control vehicular traffic, prevent or detect and investigate misconduct involving misdemeanors, felonies, and other law violations.
• Serve and protect the community.
• Respond to emergency radio calls and investigate accidents, robberies, civil disturbances, domestic disputes, fights, drunkenness, missing children, prowlers, and abuse of drugs.
• Take appropriate law enforcement action.
• Interrogate suspects, witnesses, and drivers.
• Preserve evidence.
• Arrest or cite violators.
• Investigate and render assistance at the scene of vehicular accidents.
• Summon ambulances and other law enforcement vehicles.
• Take measurements and draw diagrams of accident scenes.
• Conduct follow-up investigations of crimes committed during assigned shifts.
• Seek out and question victims, witnesses, and suspects.
• Develop leads and tips.
• Search crime scenes for clues.
• Evaluate evidence and arrest offenders.
• Prepare cases for testimony and testify in court proceedings.
• Prepare a variety of reports, such as offense/incident, field interrogation cards, DWI, towed vehicle, and accident reports.
• Undertake community-oriented police work.
• Assist citizens with matters such as stalled vehicles, crime prevention, drug abuse, traffic and bicycle safety.
• Participate in investigating criminal law violations occurring within city limits.
• Obtain evidence and compile information regarding crimes.
• Prepare cases for filing charges.
• Testify in court.
• Conduct patrol activities, including directing traffic and investigating reported or observed violations of law.
• Coordinate activities with other officers or city departments.
• Exchange information with officers in other law enforcement agencies.
• Obtain advice from the City Attorney or District Attorney's Office regarding cases, policies, and procedures.
• Maintain contact with police supervisory personnel to coordinate investigation activities.
• Provide mutual assistance during emergency situations.
• Provide general information about department activities.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, officials, and the general public using excellent customer service skills.
• Operate a motor vehicle to carry out the business of the department and the City.
• Maintain departmental equipment, supplies, and facilities.
• Maintain contact with the general public, court officials, and other City officials in the performance of police operating activities.
• Serve as a member of various employee committees (non-essential).

Benefits

• $5,000 upon date of hire (sign-on bonus).
• $5,000 upon successful completion of Field Training Program (sign-on bonus).
• $5,000 upon successful completion of probation (sign-on bonus, subject to reimbursement contingent on three years of continuous employment).

What This Job Offers

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