Police Patrol Officer (Entry Level or Lateral Transfer)

City of Pueblo•Pueblo, CO

11d•Onsite

About The Position

The Police Patrol Officer is an FLSA non-exempt, entry-level position under the general supervision of a Police Sergeant. The role involves skilled police work and substantial public contact, including patrol, criminal investigations, traffic-law enforcement, related law-enforcement activities, and community services. Officers work in partnership with the community to identify and resolve issues, provide public safety, and maintain peace, safety, and order. They must exercise judgment, initiative, and skill, and work independently without direct supervision. The position can involve highly stressful emergency situations where injury or death may occur. Candidates with qualifying experience and Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certification may be eligible for a higher entry pay rate and an abbreviated academy. Qualifying experience is a minimum of two years of patrol work as a state, county, or municipal officer, together with Colorado POST Certification or a state equivalent. Eligibility is determined by the Pueblo Police Chief or designee as part of the offer process; qualifying candidates may receive up to pay step 5, depending on experience. Officers work varied 8- or 10-hour shifts and may be required to work nights, weekends, holidays, and mandatory overtime. Work is regularly outdoors and occasionally indoors, year-round, with frequent exposure to extreme temperatures and all weather conditions. Officers may also encounter wet or humid conditions, loud noise, heavy traffic, hazardous materials, communicable diseases, threatening people, and other hazardous situations. The work includes periods of high activity and stress, sometimes after extended sedentary periods, and handling dangerous or hostile individuals. Candidates must pass written and physical ability examinations. After hire, employees must complete required internal training and pass applicable written, firearms, driving, arrest-control, and physical ability tests, as well as psychological and medical examinations and a post-conditional-offer drug screen. Required licenses and certifications must be maintained throughout employment.

Requirements

Be a U.S. citizen at the time of application and at least 21 years old by the date of the written exam.
Have a high school diploma or GED at the time of application.
Have and maintain a valid Pueblo Police Department physical abilities certification at the time of interview; the City offers testing for eligible candidates.
Have a valid driver’s license at application and obtain a valid Colorado driver’s license within 30 days of employment; maintain a valid license during employment and immediately report changes in license status. Restrictions that hinder City driving may result in disqualification.
Not have been convicted of a felony, a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, a misdemeanor affecting eligibility for Colorado POST certification, or a DUI/DWAI within the preceding five years.
Candidates with prior military service must provide a DD-214 showing an Honorable or Uncharacterized character of service.
Have no marijuana use within one year before application and no use of illegal drugs specified in the posting within five years before application.
Be willing to undergo a comprehensive background check, including a Truth Verification Analysis, and pass a post-conditional-offer drug screen, psychological evaluation, and medical examination.
Be willing to work any shift, weekends, holidays, and mandatory overtime, and meet attendance and punctuality standards.
Successfully pass a written examination, physical ability examination, firing-range qualification, driving criteria, and arrest-control test.
Be in good physical condition, able to make a forceful arrest, meet department medical standards, and perform the physical requirements of the role, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Demonstrate knowledge of applicable laws and regulations, department policies and law-enforcement practices, self-defense, de-escalation, traffic laws, map navigation, basic grammar and writing, customer service, observation and analysis, and basic arithmetic.
Demonstrate sound judgment, decision-making, communication, teamwork, professionalism, integrity, emotional stability, initiative, and the ability to work independently and handle stressful or emergency situations.
Use and operate assigned police equipment, including computers, cell phones, radios, lidar devices, body-worn and dash cameras, portable breath tests, firearms, tasers, OC spray, and pepper-ball guns.
Proficiently use firearms and less-lethal weapons, perform investigative work, testify in court, and operate a motor vehicle under adverse conditions.
Have a good driving record and strong written and oral communication skills.
Comply with the department’s tattoo and body-marking restrictions, including disqualification for specified markings on the head, scalp, face, ears, neck above the collarbone, or hands, subject to the stated exemptions.
Maintain all required licenses and certifications throughout employment.

Nice To Haves

Colorado POST Certification.
Higher education.
For lateral-transfer eligibility: at least two years of patrol experience as a state, county, or municipal officer and Colorado POST Certification or a state equivalent.

Responsibilities

Perform proactive police patrol, respond to calls for service, enforce laws, maintain order, prevent crime, provide services to the public, and enforce traffic laws and direct traffic.
Investigate crimes; gather evidence; interview people; issue citations; make arrests; prepare reports and cases for prosecution; and testify in court.
Observe, listen, analyze, and assess problems in varied circumstances, applying knowledge, reason, and judgment to make appropriate decisions.
Interact effectively with culturally diverse groups and individuals, calm emotional people, and provide superior customer service.
Communicate effectively with a wide variety of people, verbally and in writing.
Maintain self-control under stress and physical and mental fitness appropriate to the position.
Establish and maintain effective working relationships and function as part of a team.
Follow verbal and written instructions and orders, and comply with organizational values, policies, and procedures.
Complete required reports, documentation, forms, and logs.
Inspect and maintain police equipment, facilities, and uniforms to ensure proper function, use, and appearance.
Work varied hours, holidays, and weekends.
May act as Police Sergeant in the Sergeant’s absence.
May perform duties of similar classifications at an equal or lower pay grade as assigned.