The written exam will be held on Monday, August 31, 2026 for applicants who are already certified officers. Testing times will be announced after all applications are received.
Applicants must be a US Citizen, a minimum of 21 years of age at time of testing, possess a high school diploma or GED, a valid driver’s license, successfully pass extensive background and medical examinations and be free of felony convictions.
SUMMARY
The Patrol Officer / Corporal, under the supervision of the Patrol Division Shift Supervisor, performs such tasks required for the enforcement of federal and state laws and city ordinances to provide for the general protection, safety, and well being of all residents, businesses, and visitors to the City of Fort Smith, Arkansas. This includes the protection of life, the prevention of crime, the apprehension of criminals, and a proactive approach in the prevention, detection, and investigation of criminal activity.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
Note: All City of Fort Smith positions require the employee to provide good customer service to both internal and external customers, maintain positive and effective working relationships with other City employees, and have regular and reliable attendance that is non-disruptive. Must show cooperation and respect to fellow employees and supervisors at all times.
1. Enforce traffic laws, direct traffic, investigate traffic accidents, assist stranded motorists, and render aid to injured motorists.
2. Patrol assigned areas to detect possible criminal activity or other conditions that may endanger public safety.
3. Respond to calls regarding domestic violence and make arrests as necessary and appropriate.
4. Prepare and submit detailed written reports pertaining to crimes that have been reported or investigated during the tour of duty.
5. Respond to active burglar alarms, hold up alarms and other situations regarding possible crimes in progress.
6. Respond to calls for service.
7. Investigate criminal activity.
8. Serve arrest and bench warrants as necessary.
9. Make arrests and transport prisoners to the detention center.
10. Testify in court regarding traffic citations and criminal arrests.
11. Investigate reports of suspicious vehicles and/or suspicious persons.
12. Provide authorized information to attorneys, news media, and other interested parties.
13. Render assistance to citizens.
14. Perform other related duties as directed.
15. Regular attendance and timeliness is 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, skills, and/or abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE
- High School diploma or GED is required.
- Certification as a law enforcement officer by the Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training is required. If not currently certified as a Law Enforcement Officer in Arkansas, this requirement will be satisfied during the first year of employment.
OTHER SKILLS and ABILITIES
The Patrol Officer / Corporal is a certified, sworn law enforcement officer and must be able to perform all of the duties and functions as defined in the job description for a law enforcement officer for the City of Fort Smith. He / She must have excellent communication skills in both oral and written forms. The incumbent must possess critical thinking skills and have the ability to analyze situations and adopt a quick, effective, and reasonable course of action during stressful, emotional, and/or physically taxing situations. Organizational skills and close attention to details are required to successfully perform this job. The Patrol Officer / Corporal must have thorough operational knowledge of the use of a personal computer system, as well as various software packages. A Patrol Officer / Corporal must have a good understanding of the constitutional rights of all citizens and the limitations those rights place on police activities. This position requires a thorough understanding of federal, state and local laws, and the ability to enforce those laws without violating citizens’ constitutional rights. A Patrol Officer / Corporal must keep abreast of ever-changing legislation and Supreme Court rulings and how those changes impact his job. The incumbent must be able to apply the law to everyday scenarios and police-citizen encounters. The incumbent must have a thorough knowledge of state laws and local ordinances as well as a complete working knowledge of the rules and regulations and policies and procedures of the
Fort Smith Police Department. The Patrol Officer / Corporal needs to be familiar with the operations of the Fort Smith Municipal Court and the Sebastian County Detention Center.
Additionally, a Patrol Officer / Corporal must be proficient in the use of firearms, as well as less-lethal and non-lethal weapons. He or She must be able to safely operate a motor vehicle in a variety of adverse conditions and maintain qualification with all weapons. He or She must be certified to use a Radar/Lidar and certified to operate a Breath test machine.
The incumbent must possess a valid driver’s license.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an officer to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions provided that those accommodations comply with the City of Fort Smith's Alternate Duty Policy.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee must frequently stand, walk, talk, and hear. The officer may occasionally be required to run or to exert sufficient physical energy to affect an arrest of an individual who is physically resisting that arrest.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those the Patrol Officer/Corporal encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions provided that accommodations comply with the City of Fort Smith's Alternate Duty Policy.
The noise level in the work environment while within the police department is usually moderate. Outside the police department, the noise level can be loud.
HIRING PROCESS
You must complete the following steps in the hiring process for Police Officer in order to be considered for hire. Upon successfully passing all steps, you will be given a start date for the police academy.
1. Completed application with all required documents
2. Written exam
3. Physical agility test
4. Background investigation
5. Police Review Board
6. Conditional job offer (includes physical, drug screen, polygraph and psychological evaluation)
