Police Cadet (Part-time)

The City of Tustin Police Department is currently seeking applicants for part-time Police Cadet. This is a part-time, at-will, non-benefitted position. Hours are limited to less than 1,000 hours per fiscal year. 

This position, under immediate supervision, performs a wide variety of routine law enforcement support duties as part of an apprenticeship program.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

The Police Cadet apprenticeship program is specifically designed to introduce young individuals to the various aspects of the law enforcement profession and help prepare them for a future career as a Police Officer or another related position. In accordance with well-defined policies and procedures, an employee in this classification assists full-time personnel with a variety of assignments throughout the Police Department including, but not limited to, Front Desk, Professional Standards, Communications, Investigations, Traffic, Property, Records, Crime Scene Investigation and Fleet Maintenance. Incumbents assume greater responsibilities and work with increasing independence as knowledge and experience are gained. Individuals employed as Police Cadets must be between the ages of 18 and 22 at the time of hire and be enrolled in an accredited two-year or four-year college/university within six (6) months of hire. To remain employed as a Police Cadet, the individual must be enrolled in minimum of 6 semester units (or equivalent) and maintain a grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or better. Though the Police Cadet position is intended for current college students, an incumbent may continue to be employed in this position for up to 12 months after graduation from college.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

Receives immediate supervision from sworn or civilian Police personnel.

No supervision is exercised.

SELECTION PROCESS

Each component listed below must be passed in order to continue to the next phase. Completion of the selection process may take up to six months. Applicants will receive written notification of their current status in the selection process.

1. Written Exam
2. Panel Interview
3. Background Investigation and Polygraph Examination
4. Interview with the Police Chief (or his designee)
5. Medical Examination (including a drug screen upon conditional offer of employment)

Candidates successfully completing all components of the selection process will be placed on an employment eligibility list from which hires may be made. The eligible list is valid for one year. The duration of the selection process typically lasts 9 – 12 months.

***IMPORTANT*** A comprehensive background investigation and polygraph will be conducted on any eligible persons considered for hire. Recent drug usage, theft or other illegal activity may be grounds for disqualification. A pre-employment medical AND a drug screen will be conducted upon a conditional offer of employment.

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Learns, understands and applies applicable laws, ordinances, policies and procedures.

• Provides technical assistance to the public at the front desk and over the telephone; evaluates and processes disturbance calls, complaints, and requests for police services; gathers information, records complaints, and prepares routine crime reports; directs callers to other departmental personnel or other agencies as appropriate

• Prepares and processes a variety of reports, forms, citations, applications, and permits; types, compiles, and tabulates basic statistical and financial data; tracks status of cases and warrants; maintains related files and records

• Prepares and issues parking citations to vehicles parked illegally; arranges for the towing and storage or impound of abandoned vehicles, illegally parked vehicles, vehicles with expired licenses, or vehicles in violation of other related laws and ordinances

• Directs and controls traffic during special events and peak traffic conditions

• Receives emergency and non-emergency telephone calls from the public for police, fire, or other services; communicates with callers to determine the nature of the call and provide appropriate assistance; maintains composure to ensure that complete and accurate information is transmitted to public safety and medical personnel

• Receives, classifies, indexes and stores property and evidence seized and recovered by police personnel, including money, firearms, narcotics, stolen property, and hazardous materials

• Assists with field investigations of crime scenes; protects crime scenes from contamination; takes photographs, and collects other related property and evidence; examines and processes evidence on scene and at the Police Department

• Transports police vehicles to City Yard for service

• Assists sworn and civilian personnel with essential non-emergency tasks

A combination of education, experience, and training that has provided the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities is required for entry into the classification.  A typical combination includes:

Education and/or Experience:

Graduation from high school and enrollment in an accredited two-year or four-year college/university, within six (6) months of employment, in a field applicable to law enforcement. To remain employed as a Police Cadet, the individual must be enrolled in minimum of 6 semester units (or equivalent) and maintain a grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or better.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, & ABILITIES

Knowledge of:

• General functions of a law enforcement agency

Skill to: 

• Operate standard office equipment, including a personal computer and related word processing, spreadsheet, and database software

• Operate a motor vehicle safely under various conditions

• Operate specialized equipment used in the area of assignment, including communications, photography, and recording equipment

Ability to:

• Accept supervisory authority and understand and follow oral and written instructions

• Obtain, record, and retain complete and accurate information from diverse individuals, including those who are emotionally distraught, angry or difficult to understand

• Maintain professionalism, courtesy, and composure at all times, including emergency and high-stress situations

• Prepare and maintain accurate and precise written documents such as technical reports, records, and correspondence that may serve as evidence in court

• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing, including making public presentations and composing detailed written reports

• Interpret, explain, and apply pertinent laws, codes, ordinances, and regulations

• Establish and maintain courteous and effective working relationships with staff, management, law enforcement officials, the general public, and others encountered in the course of the work

• Evaluate situations, identify problems, and exercise sound independent judgment within established guidelines

• Demonstrate tact, respect, and empathy to gain the cooperation and compliance of individuals and defuse conflicts

The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by employees to successfully perform the essential functions of this class.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

An employee in this classification works in both field and office settings. The employee is regularly required to sit; talk or hear, in person and by telephone; and use hands to handle, feel or operate objects, tools, or controls and reach with hands and arms. Position requires prolonged standing, walking, reaching, twisting, turning, kneeling, bending, squatting, and stooping in the performance of daily activities. The position requires the ability to exert a moderate amount of physical effort involved in lifting, carrying, or pushing property, evidence, tools, supplies and other materials typically weighing up to 50 pounds and to climb ladders, walls, fences, hillsides, or inclined surfaces to access crime scenes. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, far vision, color vision, and the ability to adjust focus to observe and recognize people, objects and environmental conditions during day and night. Employees may be exposed to heat, cold, precipitation, and humidity when working outside.

Mental Demands:

The incumbent is regularly required to use written and oral communication skills; read and interpret data, information and documents; analyze and solve complex problems; perform highly detailed work on multiple, concurrent tasks; and interact with staff, other law enforcement representatives, and the public. The employee may be subject to encounters with emotionally upset individuals and must remain calm and composed and exercise sound judgment in emergency situations. The employee works in a paramilitary environment with a highly structured chain-of-command system.

Work Environment:

The employee typically works in both field and office conditions. The employee frequently works outdoors and is exposed to variable weather conditions as well as road traffic. The noise level can occasionally be loud, above 85 decibels, when performing field duties on public streets. Frequent driving is required for traffic control monitoring and to respond to accident or crime scene sites. When working indoors, the employee works in office conditions with a noise level that is quiet or moderately quiet, at or below 85 decibels.

The City of Tustin is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities.