Job Description

Summary: General police work in the protection of life and property through the enforcement of laws and ordinances.

Application Deadline: Open continuously.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. These  are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work  performed. The omission of specific duties does not exclude them from  the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to  the position.

• Patrols a designated area of the City in police car or motorcycle as  assigned to preserve the peace, to prevent and discover criminal acts and to enforce traffic regulations. Answers calls and complaints  involving drunkenness, domestic disputes, fires, thefts, accidents and other felonies and misdemeanors. Makes arrests as appropriate and  transports suspects to the Police Department for questioning and/or booking.
• May pursue suspicious persons by chasing on foot and/or in the police vehicle.
• Required to be proficient in all aspects with all weapons associated with police work.
• Is responsible for being knowledgeable of the crime problem in  assigned work area and developing strategies to combat the problem.
• Administers first aid, makes preliminary investigations, protects  physical evidence, locates witnesses and makes arrests at scenes of crimes or other incidents.
• Interviews complainants and witnesses to obtain information about  crimes. Assists in investigative work on assignment to Criminal Investigative Division. Prepares evidence for issuance of complaints and  testifies as a witness in court.
• Patrols school zones and high activity areas when assigned. Directs  traffic, investigates accidents, recovers stolen automobiles, prepares detailed reports, gives advise and interprets laws and ordinances and  provides general information to the public.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Qualification Requirements: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the  knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Minimum Requirements
Florida Statute 943.13 describes ten minimum requirements an individual  must meet to become employable as a sworn law enforcement officer in the  State of Florida. The requirements are:

• Be at least 21 years of age
• Be a United States citizen
• Be a high school graduate
• Not have been convicted of any felony, or a misdemeanor involving  perjury or false statement, or have received a dishonorable discharge  from any of the Armed Forces of the United States
• Have documentation of his or her processed fingerprints on file with the employing agency
• Have passed a physical examination performed by a licensed physician
• Have good moral character as determined by a background investigation
• Execute and submit to the employing agency an affidavit, attesting to his or her compliance with the above requirements
• Complete a Commission approved basic recruit training program
• Achieve an acceptable score on the officer certification examination

If you do not meet these minimum requirements, Florida law prohibits the Port Orange Police Department from offering you employment as a police officer. Some of these requirements cannot be rectified, such as having been convicted of a felony. However, many of them can, such as completing a Commission approved basic recruit training program. As stated in the City of Port Orange employment application, "Should the eligibility list not have candidates of sufficient quality for  employment with certificates, the Chief of Police may sponsor a  candidate to the basic standards school." 

Language Skills: Ability to read and interpret  documents such as laws, ordinances, safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and standard operating procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively with citizens and/or employees of the City.

Mathematical Skills: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers,  common fractions, and decimals. Ability to computer rate, ratio, and percent.

Reasoning Ability: Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or  diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations: Complete a Commission approved basic recruit training program. Florida drivers license.

Other Skills and/or Abilities:

• Ability to analyze situations quickly and objectively and to determine proper course of action to be taken.
• Ability to cope with situations firmly, courteously and tactfully and with respect for the rights of others.
• Ability to learn the geography of the City and its physical and social characteristics.
• Ability to learn modern police laws and ordinances.
• Ability to perform sustained acts of physical exertion and endure entire periods of duty under unfavorable conditions.
• Ability to write and speak effectively

Physical Demands: The physical demands described  here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is  regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, and sit. The employee is occasionally required to run, climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl.

The employee must regularly lift, carry and/or move up to 25 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds, and occasionally lift  and/or move more than 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral  vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works in outside weather conditions and is regularly exposed to extreme heat. The employee frequently works near moving vehicles and in precarious places and is frequently exposed to vibration. The employee is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions and fumes or airborne particles.

The noise level in the work environment is usually very loud.