Police Officer - Cadet

• Please refer to the Town's Police website for a COMPLETE list of disqualifiers and tattoo policy*

TEST DATES: Written & Row Test - Saturday, August 1st

JOB SUMMARY

The Police Officer Cadet is responsible for a variety of duties that are necessary to fulfill the Police Department's mission. The Police Officer Cadet is a student and must complete an accredited Police Academy. All duties must be performed in an effective, efficient and safe manner that will foster the public's confidence and trust. This position demands special qualifications and proficiency in certain skills and abilities of a physical, mental and technical nature. As a condition of employment in the status of this position, all police officer cadets must be able to perform the entire list of duties as outlined in this job description. In addition, you must be motivated to accept new challenges and finding creative solutions, take ownership and pride by demonstrating the Town of Little Elm's Core Values of Integrity, Customer Service, Efficiency and Innovation.

CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT

The Police Officer Cadet will be required to sign a contract with the Town to maintain employment with the Police Department for 2 years from the date of graduation from the police academy. If the time requirement of 2 years is not fulfilled, the financial burden of the police academy and any fees/costs associated with the academy will be the responsibility of the Police Cadet.

The Police Officer Cadet will be paid their full-time salary while attending the academy. All costs for the academy will be covered by the Department. Upon successful completion of the academy and a passing score on the State Licensing Exam, the cadet will be elevated to the position of Police Officer.

EDUCATION/TRAINING/EXPERIENCE

All police officer cadets must possess, at a minimum, the following qualifications:

• Must be a United States citizen.
• Must be eligible for certification by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) as a Peace Officer.
• Must be 21 years of age.
• Must have a High School Diploma or GED equivalency certificate.
• Must be able to proficiently read and write the English language and pass a 12th grade Reading/Writing proficiency and comprehension test.
• Must have demonstrated a positive work history with a good attendance record.
• Must possess and maintain a good credit history and financial record.
• Must meet health standards not to pose a risk to health or safety of others in the workplace, or to persons they come into contact with while in the performance of duty. This risk shall include infections or communicable diseases deemed a medical high threat, and dysfunctional mental or psychological disorders. Assessment of risk to the health and safety of others will be based upon reasonable medical opinion and judgment.
• Must possess adequate vision and pass the department vision tests. Must possess 20/20 corrected vision and 20/200 uncorrected.

LICENSES OR CERTIFICATES

1. Must possess a valid Texas Class C driver's License.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Must be able to read and write the English language.

REASONING ABILITY

A police officer cadet must:

• Possess the ability to comprehend and carry out verbal and written instructions.
• Be able to formulate and employ appropriate courses of action when no specific role or procedure has been established.
• Be able to supply reasoning skills to successfully investigate crimes or events.
• Be able to supply theory-based instructions/training to actual situations.
• Possess adequate memory capacity sufficient to remember various types of information that is necessary to carry out their duties successfully.
• Must be able to assess a person's intentions, behavior, and emotional state in order to make appropriate reactive and proactive decisions and responses.
• Must be able to tolerate many types of stress without medication. They must be able to make appropriate decisions regarding the fight or flight psychological response.
• Must be able to control their emotions in the face of divergent interpersonal or life threatening and traumatic situations.

Emergency Action Abilities

All police officer cadets must be able to:

• Adequately maneuver a patrol vehicle at high rates of speed in traffic or confined areas while using all vehicle equipment, day and night, in all weather conditions. They must be able to exit their vehicle quickly (less than 5 seconds) and stand or assume positions wherein the vehicle is used for cover.

• Engage in physical combat using defensive and offensive tactics; overcome and apprehend violently resistive people, and properly use the baton, handcuffs, mace or spray, and riot gear.

• Rescue victims from danger, assess victim's physical condition, and deliver CPR and first aid.

• Pursue individuals outdoors in all terrains with sudden short durations of 100 yards or longer up to five (5) minutes. Climb stairs, surmount fences or walls.

• Must also be able to conduct searches or manhunts for three (3) hours or more over distances of at least two (2) miles.

• Safely operate their duty weapon with accuracy from standing, kneeling, prone positions and while moving on foot.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

A police officer cadet must have the ability to efficiently, effectively, and safely perform all of the essential required duties and tasks of the position. The following outlines the required abilities:

It is imperative that all patrol officers possess and maintain the essential physical abilities to perform their job safely. They must be physically capable to the extent that they are not a liability to themselves or others. They must be able to handle numerous emergency situations that will tax their physical abilities. They must be able to provide protection to themselves and others without the premature or unnecessary use of deadly force. They must maintain a standard of physical fitness in accordance with citizen expectations and department policy.

• Range of Motion/Flexibility: A police officer cadet must:

• Be able to move rapidly from a sedentary to active position in response to emergency conditions or perceived deadly force encounters.

• Have the flexibility to rapidly assume a variety of positions to employ "cover and concealment" during emergency circumstances or perceived deadly force encounters.

• Possess the necessary range of motion to overcome or respond to physical attack or effectively disengage an attacker or escape and summon aid.

• Possess the quickness to be able to run short distances in order to escape danger, retreat from attack or take over or chase suspects on foot for short and long distances.

• Manual Dexterity/Motor Skills: A police officer cadet must:

• Have the dexterity to be proficient in the use of their firearms and other defensive tactics equipment such as the baton, handcuffs, pepper spray, etc.

• Possess the ability to operate all the equipment and tools necessary to perform the job tasks such as computers, typewriters, mobile and portable radios, vehicles, fax machines, sirens, tape recorders, mobile data terminals, video and audio equipment.

• Aerobic Endurance: A police officer cadet must:

• Possess the ability to engage in foot pursuits of suspects without inordinate endangerment to themselves or others. They must also possess the endurance to overcome physical resistance after foot pursuits.

• Be able to remain on the job performing essential duties for a period up to sixteen (16) consecutive hours without relief.

• Strength: A police officer cadet must possess sufficient strength to:

• Deliver CPR for extended periods of time.

• Carry and use emergency equipment and supplies.

• Overcome resistance or subdue physically violent persons.

• Physically defend oneself or others from violent assault without the use of deadly force.

• Climb fences or walls of at least six (6) feet.

• Carry or drag a 150 lb. person from danger to safety for a distance of at least fifty (50) feet.

• Lift heavy objects such as in the case of emergency situations.

• Sight and Visual Activity: A police officer cadet must:

• Be able to discern the various colors and not have any color blindness that could prove a risk to himself or others.

• Possess adequate depth perception in order to judge distances and estimate speed.

• Possess adequate night vision that will permit the safe operation of motor vehicles, use of firearms, and allow identification of dangerous obstacles, or persons in conditions of darkness.

• Possess adequate peripheral vision to allow the safe operation of vehicles, especially in pursuit driving and to detect danger in a variety of environments.

• Hearing: A police officer cadet must:

• Possess the ability to hear adequately over the mobile and handheld radios as well as the telephone.

• Be able to determine the point of origin of noises or sounds as during building or area searches for example.

• Be able to identify different types of sound.

• Smell: A police officer cadet must possess the ability to smell smoke, electrical hazards, and different types of fumes, toxic or otherwise.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

In carrying out the duties of a police officer cadet, the following conditions or exposures can be expected to be encountered.

• Routine work indoors 80% of the job.
• Routine work outdoors 20% of the job.
• Working all shifts and days of the week.
• Emergency work call-out at a moment's notice.
• Close physical contact with people.
• Work in all weather conditions.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Listed below are many of the specific job tasks or functions typically required of a police officer cadet in the Training Division. This list should not be considered all-inclusive as additional job tasks may be required by either circumstances or ranking officers.

• Tests equipment for proper operation.
• Transports evidence/property/people.
• Utilizes laptop computers to enter offense reports.
• Administers first aid and initiates basic life support (CPR).
• Aids lost/stranded people.
• Answers inquiries about laws and legal procedures.
• Applies crime prevention techniques.
• Applies for and serves arrest warrants.
• Applies for and serves search warrants.
• Arranges removal of stalled/abandoned/wrecked vehicles.
• Arranges transportation/evacuation of injured/ill/deceased people.
• Arrests/cites violators of criminal law.
• Assists citizens with home lockouts.
• Assists citizens with vehicular lockouts.
• Assists the emergency dispatchers as directed.
• Attends departmental meetings.
• Attends special job-related meetings and training sessions.
• Cares for the needs of prisoners in custody or jail.
• Checks businesses for liquor/cigarette laws, and city license violations.
• Cites/arrests for traffic law violations.
• Collects and reports criminal intelligence information.
• Collects, marks, and preserves evidence at crime/accident scenes.
• Completes daily work logs/work records.
• Complies with department policies and procedures, rules, orders, and directives.
• Conducts building searches for suspects.
• Conducts elderly/disabled citizen checks.
• Conducts inventories of vehicles.
• Conducts jail check duties when prisoners occupy the city jail.
• Conducts jail transfers of prisoners to or from the city jail and other agency jails.
• Conducts residential/commercial security checks.
• Conducts stakeouts/surveillances for long periods of time.
• Controls crowds and traffic in areas of accidents, fires, and other emergency and non-emergency situations.
• Counsels offenders.
• Delivers mail and other correspondence as needed.
• Delivers well being, contact, and death messages.
• Directs and controls vehicular/pedestrian traffic movement.
• Escorts people and vehicles.
• Establishes barricades for various situations.
• Fingerprints people.
• Follows up on pending cases/investigations.
• Forces entry into locked buildings/vehicles.
• Guards and protects crime/accident scenes, property and other designated areas.
• Inquires into records and warrant files.
• Inspects prisoners for safety/well-being.
• Interviews or interrogates complainants, victims, witnesses, and suspects and records statements.
• Investigates all types of crime at a level appropriate to training and experience.
• Investigates vehicular accidents and completes accident reports.
• Maintains order in conflict situations.
• Operates audio/video recording equipment.
• Operates emergency equipment (police vehicle, fire extinguisher, etc.)
• Operates speed RADAR equipment.
• Operates vehicular mobile data terminals.
• Performs administrative assignments as required.
• Performs evacuations of people in cases of emergencies.
• Performs field sobriety tests.
• Performs foot patrol to deter and detect crime for periods of at least two hours continuously.
• Performs public speaking to citizen groups upon assignment.
• Performs required booking procedures of arrested prisoners.
• Performs vehicular patrol for periods of six to eight continuous hours.
• Photographs crime/accident scenes/ major events.
• Photographs individuals/property for identification.
• Prepares various law enforcement reports and documents as required.
• Properly utilizes department radio and telephone communications equipment.
• Protects people from injury and harm.
• Protects property from unnecessary damage.
• Regularly participates in practice and qualification with duty firearms.
• Renders professional opinions and assistance to citizens.
• Reports hazardous road conditions.
• Reports missing/malfunctioning traffic controls.
• Reports unsafe health and welfare conditions.
• Reports unusual or potentially dangerous situations.
• Rescues animals and people.
• Researches legal issues.
• Responds quickly and appropriately to emergency situations.
• Responds quickly and appropriately to emergency situations.
• Searches buildings, terrains, vehicles and people.
• Searches for missing persons.
• Sets up roadblocks.
• Temporarily performs tasks of other department personnel and supervisors, as required.
• Testifies at legal proceedings.
• Utilize computer systems to perform duties as required.
• Verifies authenticity of licenses, passes, and identification cards.

E.O.E. The Town of Little Elm does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability or military service in employment or the provision of services.