Police Officer

Under general supervision, serves and protects the lives and property of the public by enforcing the city, state, and federal laws and ordinances; arrests offenders of the law; provides crime prevention programs and other community services; and performs other specialized assignments and related duties as assigned.

The following duties have been provided as examples of the essential types of work performed by positions within this job classification. Management reserves the right to add, modify, change or rescind work assignments as needed.

Patrols assigned area of the city for the prevention of crime and enforcement of all applicable criminal, traffic and other laws and ordinances.

Carries out duties in conformance with federal, state, city and county laws and ordinances.

Responds to calls for service involving crimes such as robberies, assaults, homicides and narcotics.

Responds to general public service calls for situations such as civil disturbances, animal control, home and business security checks, EMS assistance, family counseling and mediation.

Secures the scene of a crime; gathers and preserves evidence; makes arrests and books prisoners.

Performs a variety of general and specialized criminal investigations involving property and persons.

Performs special assignments such as patrolling the waterways and enforcing the laws of the water and beach areas; and supporting the patrol division with the use of K-9's in narcotic detection, evidence searches and criminal apprehension.

Prepares reports to accurately document all police activity; prepares and presents cases for prosecution and gives testimony in court.

Participates in numerous crime prevention programs including drug and alcohol abuse programs for school-aged children, Neighborhood Watch programs, assistance with at-risk youth, and the production of TV and radio public service announcements.

Knowledge of federal, state and city laws governing police operations, custody of prisoners, search and seizure, and the rules of evidence.

Knowledge of principles, practices and protocols of modern police work and law enforcement methods including public relations and Community Policing.

Knowledge of the principles and practices of the criminal justice system.

Knowledge of departmental policies and procedures.

Knowledge of occupational hazards and safety practices applicable to police work.

Knowledge of the proper care and maintenance of law enforcement equipment.

Ability to safely operate assigned vehicles, tools and equipment.

Ability to perform specialized assignments, which may require additional training.

Ability to remember names, faces and details of incidents and to collect and preserve crime scene evidence.

Ability to analyze situations, maintain composure, and make effective and reasonable decisions.

Ability to remain in control physically and emotionally during stressful situations.

Ability to pursue and control suspects, perform work requiring physical vigor, use self-defense techniques and meet departmental firearms qualifications.

Ability to learn the city's geography.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with supervisors, co-workers, vendors and the general public.

Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.

Exposure to extreme weather conditions, hazardous chemicals and infectious disease, potential physical harm and dangerous machinery.

May work extended hours including nights, weekends and holidays.

Frequent use of assigned vehicle, hand-held radio system, patrol-base radio, telephone, and computer system. Handgun, 9 mm pistol, 12 gauge shotgun,.223 rifle, automatic defibrillator, impact weapon (baton), pepper spray, handcuffs, ballistic vest, mobile digital video camera and radar/laser instrument, etc.

Graduation from High School or equivalent; or an equivalent combination of training and experience. Graduation from an accredited Florida Police Academy preferred. Possession of a valid Florida Driver's License and Florida Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission Certificate of Compliance in Law Enforcement. Additional training/certifications may be required for certain specialized assignments.

The City of Vero Beach provides a wide array of benefits to meet the diverse needs of our employees. Our comprehensive benefit programs include medical, dental and vision plans; life insurance coverage for you and your dependents; employee long term disability coverage; flexible spending plans for medical reimbursement and dependent care; an employee assistance program for you and your dependents; a voluntary 401a Retirement Plan with generous employer contribution, and voluntary 457(b) tax-deferred compensation and ROTH IRA plans to supplement your retirement. We also provide an extensive wellness program that includes health fairs and much more!

Job Description