Rev. 09/202202/2023
CITY OF SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA
CLASS SPECIFICATION
TITLE: RECRUIT POLICE OFFICER (JOB CODE 689)
DEPARTMENT ACCOUNTABLE TO FLSA STATUS
Police Varies Non-exempt
CLASS SUMMARY
This position is an entry level, non-sworn position in the Police Department. Incumbents in the position are assigned to the Basic Peace Officer Academy and must satisfactorily pass all of the requirements that lead to the possession of the Basic Peace Officer Standards and Training Certificate before becoming candidates for the sworn position of Police Officer. Performs related duties as assigned.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
This is a trainee-level class in the law enforcement series responsible for becoming proficient in learning and performing the full range of law enforcement duties. Incumbents are responsible for learning various tasks, policies, and standard operating procedures within the Department.
Work is highly supervised and fits an established structure or pattern. A Recruit Police Officer must graduate from the Academy and be appointed as a Police Officer in order to retain employment with the City.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
• Completion of sixty (60) semester units or ninety (90) quarter units of academic level course work at an accredited college or university with no experience required; OR • Completion of thirty (30) semester units or forty-five (45) quarter units of academic level courses at an accredited college or university and two (2) years full-time, paid, recent police experience with a sheriff's department, state police, highway patrol, or municipal police department.
ACCEPTABLE SUBSTITUTION
None.
LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS
• Possession of an appropriate, valid California driver's license is required at time of appointment and for duration of employment.
• The minimum peace officer selection standards are set forth in Government Code (GC) Sections 1029, 1031, and 1031.4. Every California peace officer must be:
o Free from any disqualifications for employment, including felony convictions (GC 1029);
o A citizen of the United States or a permanent resident who is eligible for and has applied for citizenship Be legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law (GC 1031); and
o At least 21 years of age for specified peace officers (GC 1031.4)
RECRUIT POLICE OFFICER (689)
PHYSICAL AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS
• Must be at least 20 years of age at time of application filing and 21 years of age at time of job appointment;
• Must possess the strength and physical ability necessary to perform the essential functions of the position of Police Officer; and
• Must be willing to be fingerprinted.
Vision requirements:
• Vision including color, night, depth, and peripheral vision sufficient to perform all of the essential functions of the position of Police Officer;
• Visual acuity of not less than 20/80 vision in each eye uncorrected, and corrected to 20/30 in each eye.
EXCEPTION: Applicants with correction afforded by soft contact lenses are exempt from the minimum uncorrected vision standard of 20/80, provided their corrected vision is 20/30 in each eye.
Hearing, speech, and mental capabilities sufficient to perform all the essential functions of the position of Police Officer.
SPECIAL CONDITIONS
• Required to work a basic 5-day workweek during the Academy. • Attendance of classes at odd and unusual hours may be required, as well as working on weekends and designated holidays.
• Candidates are required to pass the following City examinations prior to being given a conditional offer of employment: oral examination, reading/writing assessment, physical ability assessment, and personal history questionnaire.
If given a conditional offer of employment, candidates must also pass a full background check which may include medical, psychological, and polygraph examination prior to appointment.
TYPICAL DUTIES
This description may not include all the duties listed below, nor do the examples cover all duties that may be performed.
Under immediate supervision, the incumbent will:
• Upon employment, will be required to attend a POST certified basic academy and participate in and pass all required classes.
• May also be required to ride on patrol as an observer. • May be required to direct traffic or perform other police-related functions when not attending classes.
• Perform other related duties as required.
RECRUIT POLICE OFFICER (689)
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, & ABILITIES
Possession of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities at a level necessary to do police work:
• Interest in Police Work - willingness to handle routine, repetitive tasks; enforce laws that may conflict with personal values; relate to others; become familiar with and work with residents of a diverse community; work with fellow officers and the general public in a community-based policing model; participate in situations which require courage; function in different roles; work under hostile conditions; work under hazardous conditions over long periods of time; change appearance for job requirements and conditions; accept new job duties; work weekends, holidays, shifts, overtime, and a 5-day work week during the academy and a “4/11 – 3/11” shift schedule upon graduating from the academy, subject to the operational needs of the Department.
• Ability to Take Orders - the ability to relate to supervisors; to maintain objectivity; take criticism and control temper; and willingness to enforce laws that may conflict with personal values.
• Ability to Take Responsibility - ability to work without supervision; reliability; ability to participate in situations which require courage; refrain from abusing authority vested in official role; maintain confidentiality of information; assume a command presence in conflict situations.
• Self Control - the ability to control one's temper; maintain objectivity; take criticism; function under oral or physical stress; use authority effectively; function in different roles; work under hazardous and hostile conditions for long periods of time; and work at accident and crime scenes which involve severe personal injuries or in situations which involve loss of life.
• Ability to Communicate Effectively - the ability to testify accurately; obtain information from witnesses under normal and stressful conditions; communicate in person, in writing, and via radio.
• Ability to Make Reasonable Decisions Rapidly - the ability to reason logically; apply discretion in maintaining confidentiality of information; observe and interpret what is observed; evaluate situations and people effectively; and apply good judgment.
• Willingness to Arrest People - willingness to take actions which will result in imposing penalties on others, including: depriving them of their freedom; taking a life if necessary; and fighting to win and injuring another if required and to enforce laws which may conflict with personal values.
• Ability to Learn - the immediate potential to learn to write readable, comprehensible reports; to read and interpret relevant laws and procedural material; read maps; apply regulations; communicate verbally with others under stress; analyze material and RECRUIT POLICE OFFICER (689)
situations; and record observations from accident and crime scenes.
• Emotional Stability - be free from any emotional or mental condition, including bias against race or ethnicity, gender, nationality, religion, disability, or sexual orientation, that might adversely affect the exercise of the powers of a peace officer; the ability to take verbal abuse; the possession of: honesty, integrity, maturity, tolerance, self- confidence, truthfulness, and psychological stability; ability to meet the physical and psychological demands of police work.
• Ability to Problem Solve - the ability to identify problems or issues that are of concern to residents of the City, and the ability to respond successfully to these problems through the resources of the Police Department, other City Departments, working collaboratively with the community, and/or other governmental or private agencies.
SUPERVISION RECEIVED
Works under the general supervision of academy staff or departmental Police Sergeant or other classification as assigned.
SUPERVISION EXERCISED
May act as a class student leader as assigned.
CLASSIFICATION HISTORY
Created 05/2004; Rev. 09/2022; Rev. 02/2023