Police Intern

Under general supervision, provides administrative support for the Police Department.  Intern will shadow members of the Police Department. Intern must exercise independent judgment, discretion and initiative in completing assignments. Employee must also exercise considerable tact and courtesy in frequent contact with the general public. 

The Suffolk Police Department provides college students with valuable knowledge of the inner workings within the Police Department.

• Our objective is to provide the intern the opportunity to observe and learn general law enforcement duties, responsibilities, methods and procedures of the Suffolk Police Department. The intern will work with experienced police officers, and other non-sworn employees to further his/her opportunities for a career as a sworn police officer and/forensic technicians. Students will receive hands-on experience in the areas of patrol techniques, criminal investigations, community policing, and telecommunications. 

• The internship is not a paid position. Interns are not considered employees of the Police Department. Interns shall have no right to such typical employee benefits such as wages, retirement pay, sick leave, paid vacation, workman’s compensation, or any other benefits or compensation generally associated with the employer/employee relationship.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions herein described.  Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were actually written out in this job description.  

• Must at least 18 years old and and currently enrolled in a college/university criminal justice, forensics, or related program.  

• Must commit to at least 120 hours, to successfully complete the program. 

• Must attach to this application a letter of reference from a faculty advisor, including the required amount of hours needed to complete the internship.  
• Must successfully complete the background check, conducted by the Background Investigations Unit. 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of City and departmental rules, regulations, policies and procedures, and the ability to interpret them.
• Knowledge of the organization and functions of the City and department.
• Knowledge of modern office practices and procedures including a knowledge of popular computer-driven word processing, spreadsheet, desktop publishing and graphics, and file maintenance programs.
• Ability to summarize, tabulate, or formats data or information in accordance with a prescribed schema or plan, to facilitate the identification and extraction of useful information
• Ability to information, guidance, or assistance to people which directly facilitates task accomplishment; may give instructions or assignments to helpers or assistants.
• Ability to use addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, and/or calculates ratios, rates and percent.
• Reads technical instructions and procedures manuals to solve practical problems such as routine office equipment operating instructions; composes routine and specialized reports, forms, and business letters, with proper format.
• Makes frequent decisions, affecting the individual, co-workers, and others whom depend on the service or product; works in a somewhat fluid environment with rules and procedures but many variations from the routine.
• Ability to inspect items for proper length, width and shape.
• Ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under stress when confronted with persons acting under stress.
• Ability to maintain moderately complex records.
• Ability to draft routine documents.
• Ability to understand oral and written instructions.
• Ability to develop and modify work procedures, methods and processes to improve efficiency.
• Ability to compile data from a variety of sources and prepare clear reports from such information.
• Ability to exercise tact and courtesy in frequent contact with City employees and the general public.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments.

• Internships generally adhere to these timeframes and application deadlines (subject to change): 
  • Fall (Aug-Dec): June 15 deadline
  • Winter/Spring (Jan-May):  November 15 deadline
  • Summer (May-July): May 15 deadline