Police Officer

Position Summary

Police Officers are responsible for providing protection of life and property within the municipal boundaries of the Town of Palm Beach. Work activities include responding to calls for service and/or emergencies, including calls which are of a criminal nature; crime prevention and suppression; investigation of crimes and criminal activity; apprehending violators of State and Local Laws and Ordinances; preparing official reports and other documents, including legal affidavits, summonses, and citations; performing first aid and/or other assistance to injured persons, mentally or physically handicapped, persons stranded or lost motorists, and others who may need aid or assistance. Officers are required to maintain physical skills necessary to perform job tasks; retain Police Standards Certification and certification in firearms and other lethal/non-lethal weapons, as required.

Key Responsibilities

• Preserves the peace by responding to calls for assistance involving altercations between people, including but not limited to domestic disturbances, fighting, and neighborhood disputes; performs crowd and traffic control; enforces state and local laws and ordinances relating to keeping of the peace; provides foot patrol to residential and business areas in order to maintain community relations.
• Protects life by responding to calls for service and emergency assistance; renders aid to the physically injured, handicapped, and others requiring assistance, including but not limited to victims of accidents, criminal incidents, drowning or other water related incidents, and mental or physical disabilities; investigates safety hazards and take action to correct potential problem areas, including road hazards, defects, and environmental hazards.
• Protects property by performing security checks of residences and businesses, physically walking through residential areas and viewing all areas of buildings to insure their physical integrity; observes potential of real hazards including but not limited to natural disasters, fires, alarms, gas leaks, hazardous material spills, roadway debris, and other structure and infrastructure defects, and take corrective action by contacting proper authorities for assistance and/or securing areas through the use of barricades of other devices; takes found property into custody for safekeeping.
• Investigates violations of state laws and local ordinances, and arrests violators using the degree of force necessary in accordance with state law and department policy; secures and protects crime scenes in order to identify and collect any physical evidence present; obtains descriptions of suspects and vehicles involved in crimes or criminal activity; enforces traffic laws on order to curtail violations which endanger lives and property, including excessive speed, driving under the influence of alcohol/drugs, and careless driving.
• Prepares incident and accident reports, affidavits, citations, legal documents, memorandums, and other job related forms and documents; prepares and testifies in court as to report information and action taken; uses computers to enter and query information as necessary in the performance of official duties.
• Participates in job related training and course to maintain skills, knowledge, and abilities necessary to perform duties, including continued Police Standards Certification, certification in lethal and non-lethal weapons, and other job related areas as required.
• Maintains physical condition necessary to perform official duties and day to day operations, and to operate job related equipment, including lethal and non-lethal weapons, radios, handcuffs, fire extinguishers, first aid kits, water rescue apparatus, crime scene kits, and other equipment as needed.
• Performs service related activities including assistance to broken down, lost, or locked out motorists, animal complaints, nuisance calls, and other calls for service as warranted.
• Drives and operates police vehicles in routine and emergency situations, including normal day to day driving, emergency responses to calls and high speed pursuits of offending vehicles.
  
  

Minimum And Preferred Qualifications

• Must be Florida Certified Police Officer, United States citizen, 19 years of age or older.
• If not Florida certified, the hiree must successfully complete any academic requirements as set forth in F.S.S Chapter 943.
• Must not have ever been arrested for a crime classified as a felony or have been convicted of a felony or a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude.
• Any military service must have been completed with an honorable discharge.
• Must possess a valid Florida Driver License or the ability to obtain same within 30 days of employment.
• Must not have any tattoo, body ornamentation, body art piercing (other than small hole ear piercings), or intentional disfigurement on the neck, face, head, or that would be visible when wearing a standard uniform consisting of short-sleeved collared shirt, uniform trousers, or uniform shorts.
• Must not have used any tobacco products in the last 12 months, including electronic cigarettes and vapor devices.
  
  

Skills and Competencies

• Knowledge and skills to make sound decisions during emergency conditions.
• Ability to observe situations analytically, competently, concisely, and objectively and record them clearly.
• Ability to enforce laws, ordinances and regulations with firmness, tact and impartiality.
• Ability to develop skills in the care and use of firearms.
• Ability to safely operate and care for a motor vehicle or bicycle under both routine and emergency conditions.
  
  

This is an non-exempt position paid on an hourly basis which is eligible for overtime.

The Town of Palm Beach offers a compressive benefits package that includes health, prescription, dental and other supplementary benefits. Refer to the Police Benefits Page for more information on these programs.

The Palm Beach Police & Fire Foundation is a community-based nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the Town of Palm Beach First Responders and the community at large. Please see this website for information on benefits the Palm Beach Police & Fire Foundation offers to our first responders outside of the Town’s benefit https://palmbeachpoliceandfirefoundation.org/recruitment/

01

Are you a certified Florida Police Officer, certified out-of-state Police Officer, previously certified Florida or out-of-state officer and eligible for FDLE Equivalency of Training (full-time police officer for at least a year, and separated within the past 8 years), currently enrolled in a Florida Police academy, or recently completed a Florida Police academy?

• Yes
• No
  
  

02

If you answered yes to the question above, please state if you are a certified Florida Police Officer, certified out-of-state officer and eligible for FDLE Equivalency of Training, currently enrolled in a Florida Police academy, or recently completed a Florida Police academy.

03

Which best describes your certified Police Officer experience?

• None
• Less than 2 years
• 2 years to less than 5 years
• More than 5 years
  
  

04

Are you able to meet all of the following minimum qualifications as established in Florida Statute 943.13: be at least 19 years of age; be a citizen of the United States; have earned a high school diploma or equivalent (GED); not have been convicted of any felony or of a misdemeanor involving perjury or false statement; and never have received a dishonorable discharge from any of the Armed Forces of the United States?

• Yes
• No
  
  

05

Do you have a valid State of Florida Driver's License or have the ability to obtain same within 30 days of employment?

• Yes
• No
  
  

06

Have you interviewed for this position within the past two years?

• Yes
• No
  
  

07

Do you have tattoos, body ornamentation, body art piercing (other than small hole ear piercings), or intentional disfigurement on your neck, face, head, or on your arm below the wrist (other than a tattoo in the place of a wedding band)?

• Yes
• No
  
  

08

If you have tattoos on your forearms, please list the total number, short description, and approximate percentage of each forearm covered by tattoos.

09

Do you have any tattoos commonly associated with gangs, organizations, or groups which advocate hate, intolerance, or discrimination?

• Yes
• No
  
  

10

Have you used any tobacco products 6 or more times in the last 12 months, such as cigarettes, cigars, pipes, smokeless tobacco, or electronic cigarettes or alternative devices that provide vapor of nicotine, and/or other substances which simulates smoking (personal vaporizer, electronic nicotine delivery system, etc.)?

• Yes
• No
  
  

11

Have you used any controlled substance or other illegal drug (to include medicinal marijuana or THC containing products) in the ONE YEAR prior to employment application submission? This does not include lawful substances prescribed for you by a licensed physician/dentist for a valid medical purpose and taken in accordance with the prescription instructions.

• Yes
• No
  
  

12

Have you EVER used any controlled substance or other illegal drug? This does not include use lawfully prescribed for you by a licensed physician/dentist for a valid medical purpose and taken in accordance with the prescription instructions.

• Yes
• No
  
  

13

If you answered yes, please list the drugs and approximate dates of use. If no, reply N/A.

14

Have you EVER been arrested for a crime classified as a felony?

• Yes
• No
  
  

15

Have you ever been detained or arrested by Law Enforcement under suspicion of committing a misdemeanor or felony crime (this does not include non-criminal traffic offenses, but does include incidents where charges were later dropped, nolle prossed, or expunged)?

• Yes
• No
  
  

16

If yes, please disclose reasons and approximate dates below.

17

Have you ever failed to successfully complete a probationary period or resigned in lieu of termination at a place of employment?

• Yes
• No
  
  

18

If yes, please list which employer from your application below.

• Required Question