Patrol Officer - Yarmouth Police Department

Town of Yarmouth
JOB DESCRIPTION
Reviewed 11/2

POLICE OFFICER

GENERAL

Under general supervision of Police Sergeant, Captain and Chief of Police, a Police Officer

performs a wide variety of duties involved the enforcement of laws and the prevention of crimes;

controls traffic flow and enforces state and local traffic regulations; issues citations; participates

in and conducts a variety of criminal investigations; makes arrests; provides support and assistance

to special crime prevention and law enforcement programs; and performs a variety of technical

and administrative tasks in support of law enforcement services and activities.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Patrol designated areas of the Town in car, by foot, or other means to preserve law and

order, discover and prevent the commission of crimes, and enforce traffic and other laws

and ordinances; protect real and personal property by providing security checks of

residential, business, and public premises; maintain awareness of and remains alert for

wanted suspects, known criminals, stolen vehicles, missing persons, traffic violators, and

crimes in progress; issue warnings and citations.

• Respond to calls for the protection of life and property, the enforcement of laws and

ordinances, general public service calls, and complaints including those involving

automobile accidents, traffic hazards, misdemeanor and felony incidents, domestic

disturbances, property control, civil complaints, and related incidents; investigate

complaints and takes appropriate action, which may include the use of deadly or non-

deadly force; use sound judgment under adverse, stressful conditions.

• Conduct investigations at scenes of incidents to which summoned or incidents observed;

determine what, if any, crime has been committed; identify, collect, preserve, process, and

log evidence; locate and interview victims and witnesses; identify and interrogate suspects.

• Work in partnership with the District Attorney’s Office to obtain and file criminal

complaints on arrested subjects.

• Prepare and serve search and arrest warrants; apprehend and arrest offenders for crimes

committed under federal, state, and local laws and codes; control and mitigate people under

the influence of drugs or alcohol or other potentially hostile situations.

• Serve as liaison and public relations officer to the public; establish and preserve good

relationships with the general public; answer questions from the public concerning local

and state laws, procedures, and activities of the department; make presentations before a

variety of public groups to promote crime prevention activities and to enhance public

understanding of Police activities.

• Contact and cooperate with other law enforcement agencies in matters relating to the

apprehension of offenders and the investigation of offenses; may respond to requests for

assistance from agencies outside the Town for mutual aid in the suppression of civil

disturbances, apprehension of criminals, or other related requests.

• Participate in continuous training to enhance law enforcement skills including firearms

proficiency, defensive driving skills, apprehension and arrest techniques, investigative

skills, and general law enforcement skills.

• Perform a variety of administrative and other types of duties in support of law enforcement

services, programs, and activities; attend meetings.

• Initiate and complete reports, legal documents, and other required paperwork; prepare a

variety of reports including those on activities, operations, arrests made, and unusual

incidents observed; prepare investigative reports and case information.

• Testify in courts and at hearings; prepare and present case evidence; respond to

mandatory court calls during irregular hours.

• Direct traffic at accidents, fires, special events, and other emergency situations; provide

traffic and crowd control at events.

• Enforce parking regulations; issue citations; tow vehicles that are in violation.
  

• Maintain contact with police supervisory personnel to coordinate investigation activities,

provides mutual assistance during emergency situations and provides general information

about Department activities.

• Coordinates activities with other officers or other Town departments as needed.
  

• Maintain normal availability by radio or telephone for consultation on major emergencies

or precedent.

Detective Assignment

• Serve on assigned taskforces; gather knowledge about individuals or groups who are

involved in criminal activity in order to understand how they function, describe their

current activities, forecast future action they may undertake, and provide intelligence and

resources that will eradicate criminal activity; coordinate and participate in multi-

jurisdictional intelligence gathering and suppression operations.

• Receive, review, and analyze reports and case information on law enforcement activities

requiring special and detailed investigations.

• Coordinate and conduct complete and detailed investigations of crimes involving

juveniles and adults, crimes against persons and property including child and elder abuse

claims, homicides, rape and assaults with deadly weapons, and crimes involving vice,

gaming, and narcotics violations; follow cases from reporting, to arrest, to prosecution.

• Contact, interview, and interrogate victims, complainants, witnesses, suspects, and others

involved in cases and incidents; obtain statements, documents, and factual and physical

evidence.

• Collect, preserve, maintain, and book evidence and recovered property found that is

involved with suspected crimes.

• Perform undercover activities, conduct surveillance activities, and other observation

assignments.

• Prepare investigative reports and case information; recommend disposition of cases

including to discuss recommended disposition of cases with legal authorities.

• Review information and evidence obtained for presentation in court cases; testify in court

concerning evidence and facts gathered during the investigative process.

• Remain on-call during stipulated time periods to respond to incidents that will probably

require major investigative follow-up and criminal identification work at the scene of the

incident.

• Serve as Court Officer for the department.

• Perform related duties as required.
  

QUALIFICATIONS

K nowledge of:

• Department organization, policies, and directives, after instruction.

• Principals, practices, and procedures used in law enforcement.

• Federal, state, county, and city laws and ordinances.

• Recent legislation and court decisions affecting law enforcement.

• Rules of evidence and laws of arrest.

• Interviewing and interrogation techniques.

• Geography of the town, county, and specific areas of assignment.

• Traffic accident investigation procedures and techniques.

• Traffic and crowd control techniques.

• Crime scene preservation and investigation methods and techniques.

• Proper care and use of modern police equipment.
  

• Principals and applications of public relations.

• First Aid and CPR techniques

• Record keeping.
  

Ability to:

• Gather, assemble, analyze, evaluate, and use facts and evidence.

• Analyze situations and adopt effective courses of action.

• Interpret, explain and apply laws and regulations.

• Think clearly and act quickly in a variety of situations.

• Communicate clearly and concisely both orally and in writing.

• Correctly use grammar, spelling, punctuation, and vocabulary as it pertains to the English

language.

• Use interpersonal skills using tact, patience, and courtesy.

• Observe, record, and recall accurately information, direction, or complaints given to or

received from supervisors, citizens, or suspects, even after long periods of time.

• Use and care for safety equipment and departmental equipment, including office business

machines and computers.

• Administer First Aid and CPR.

• Work irregular and on-call hours including weekends, nights, evenings, and holidays.
• Possess sufficient physical ability to meet all Department and Maine Criminal Justice

• Ability to receive certification or begin his/her training at the Maine Criminal Justice

• Work independently in the absence of supervision.
  

Education/Experience:

• Must be 21 years or older.

• Must possess, or be able to obtain by time of hire, a valid Maine Driver’s License,

without record of suspension or revocation in any state.

• High school diploma or equivalent, supplemented by an Associate’s Degree from an

criminal justice administration, public administration, or a related field; or an equivalent

combination of education and experience.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Must be found to be free from any physical, emotional, or mental condition which might affect the

exercise of the powers of a police officer, or adversely affect the ability of the officer to perform

essential job functions. Physical condition shall be evaluated by a licensed physician and the

emotional and mental condition shall be evaluated by a licensed psychologist. The medical

examination which includes the psychological examination will only be given after all other testing

for the position has been successfully completed and a conditional offer of employment has been

given to the applicant.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT

The conditions herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to

successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may

be m ade to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

Physical Demands: Primary functions may require maintaining physical condition

necessary for sufficient mobility to work in a law enforcement setting; restrain or subdue

individuals; walk, stand, sit, or run for prolonged periods of time; occasionally stoop, bend,

kneel, crouch, reach, and twist; occasionally climb and balance; regularly push, pull, lift,

and/or carry light to moderate w eights; frequently lift and/or move moderate to heavy

weights; occasionally lift and or move heavy weights; wear a police utility belt

(approximately 20-25 pounds); during special operations wear other police equipment

weighing up to an additional 30 pounds; operate law enforcement and general office

equipment; requires a sense of touch, finger dexterity, and gripping with hands and

fingers; ability to communicate verbally to exchange information; ability to operate office

equipment including use of computer keyboard; ability to operate a vehicle to travel to

various locations; ability to operate firearms, electronic control weapons, impact weapons

and handcuffs; see in the normal visual range with or without correction; vision sufficient

to read computer screens and printed documents and to operate equipment; hear in the

normal audio range with or without correction; any other requirements of the Maine

Criminal Justice Academy.

Work Environment: Reactive emergency, natural or man-made disaster, and routine peace

keeping environments with travel from site to site; work in intense life-threatening

conditions; exposure to dangerous persons, firearms and communicable diseases;

frequently exposed to outside weather conditions, such as extreme cold, extreme heat, rain

or snow. The employee is required to work frequently with the public in crisis and non-

crisis situations; exposed to potentially hostile environments. The employee is

occasionally exposed to fumes or airborne particles; extreme/uncomfortable conditions in

various types of structures. The employee is infrequently exposed to explosives, toxic or

caustic chemicals, moving mechanical parts, working in high, precarious places, and risk

of electrical shock. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate; however,

the noise level is occasionally very loud due to sirens, firearm training, etc.

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The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may

be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the

position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and

employee, and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and

requirements of the job change.