The City of Delaware is building an eligibility list to fill lateral & entry-level Police Officer openings. Patrol Officers respond to over 30,000 calls for service covering 19 square miles of the city. Our officers have the opportunity throughout their career to specialize in a variety of policing areas from detectives to community relations to bike patrol, canine handler or specialized task/tactical units.
Position is responsible for the enforcement of state and local laws and ordinances, for responding to calls for protection of life and property, for conducting criminal and non-criminal investigations, apprehension of criminals and to perform other assigned law enforcement and public safety duties. Duties normally consist of patrol and enforcement activities in the city on an assigned shift. Work may involve elements of danger and involves many emergencies which demand that an officer must be able to exercise sound judgment and act without direct supervision. Officers may be delegated to assignments in specialized areas. Position is under the direct supervision of the Patrol Sergeant or other officer-in-charge (OIC).
Essential Functions
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Performs preventative and self-initiated patrol tasks in an assigned area, on foot, in assigned vehicle or on bike.
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Enforces state and local laws and City ordinances.
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Maintains community presence and responds to calls for service and takes appropriate action.
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Investigates complaints; interviews suspects and witnesses.
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Responds to calls related to the protection of life and property, traffic incidents and other public safety emergencies.
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Determines existence of probable cause and identifies and takes suspects and offenders into physical custody or refers charges for review and prosecution.
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Conducts preliminary and follow-up investigations.
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Performs traffic enforcement duties.
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Performs routine security inspections.
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Conducts searches and seizures.
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Prepares complete and detailed reports and other related documents in a timely manner.
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Demonstrates regular and reliable attendance.
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Maintains physical fitness standards.
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Maintains all equipment necessary for the daily performance of job duties.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Knowledge
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Knowledge of good English and mathematics.
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Knowledge of standard first aid administration (after training).
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Knowledge of police policies, practices and procedures (after training).
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Knowledge of equipment used in the performance of assigned duties (after training).
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Knowledge of state, federal and local laws (after training).
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Knowledge of methods, objectives and procedures of court proceedings (after training).
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Knowledge of officer safety skills including defensive tactics, handcuffing and firearm operation (after training).
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Knowledge of personal computers and job-related software.
Skills
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Skill in safely operating assigned vehicle at all times, especially in heavy traffic and under adverse weather conditions.
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Skill in operating police equipment, such as: radar, laser, BAC Datamaster, photography equipment, weapons, radio, teletype, and other related equipment (after training).
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Skill in using tact, discretion, initiative and independent judgment within established guidelines.
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Skill in developing and maintaining good relationships with informants and contacts which may be helpful in criminal investigations.
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Skill in communicating in the English language.
Abilities
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Ability to operate Department vehicles and equipment.
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Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with City staff, associates, City officials, prosecutorial staff and the general public.
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Ability to work independently as well as in teams.
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Ability to work under stressful conditions, to respond immediately in crisis situations, and to balance priorities.
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Ability to analyze situations quickly and objectively, to recognize actual and potential dangers, and to determine proper course of action.
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Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, orally and in writing.
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Ability to make sound and reasonable decisions in accordance with laws, ordinances, regulations and established procedures.
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Ability to maintain confidentiality of restricted information.
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Ability to lift and/or move heavy objects or persons in the course of rescue activities.
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Ability to physically restrain persons in the course of law enforcement activities.
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Ability to give chase on foot in the course of criminal apprehension activities.
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Ability to withstand working outside in all extreme weather conditions.
Disqualifiers
Candidates may be disqualified or removed from the recruitment process for, but not limited to the following, at any time:
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Inability to establish minimum requirements or qualifications
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Failure to pass any of the assessments, tests or oral review board required for the position
Felony and Criminal Activity
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Conviction of or admission to any crime classified as a felony under Ohio Revised Code or any other applicable state code.
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Conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude or an offense of violence.
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Deception or fraud on application or examination.
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Making false statements of material fact in the application, testing process or during any part of the hiring process.
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Use, threatened use or attempt in using political influence in securing employment.
Driving
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Conviction of, plea of "no contest," participation in a diversion program in lieu of conviction of an OMVI or equivalent offense, or conviction which is the result of a plea bargain from an original charge of OMVI within the 36 months prior to the date of application.
Drug Use
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DEA Drug Schedules
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Drug use is evaluated in accordance with the DEA’s controlled substance schedules (Schedules I through V), which classify substances based on their potential for abuse, accepted medical use, and safety under medical supervision.
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Schedule I substances (e.g., marijuana, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), MDMA (ecstasy), heroin, methaqualone, and peyote) are considered to have a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use under federal law.
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Schedule II-V substances have accepted medical uses but vary in their potential for abuse and dependency.
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Common Schedule II drugs/substances include Vicodin, methadone, Dilaudid, oxycodone, fentanyl, Adderall and Ritalin.
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Common Schedule III drugs/substances include Tylenol with codeine, ketamine, anabolic steroids, and testosterone.
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Common Schedule IV drugs/substances include Xanax, Soma, Darvon, Darvocet, Valium, Ativan, Ambien, and Tramadol.
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Common Schedule V drugs/substances include antidiarrheal, antitussive, and analgesic drugs, including Robitussin AC, Lomotil, Motofen, Lyrica, and Parepectolin.
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FBI Drug Use Standards as a Benchmark
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We adopt guidelines similar to those used by the FBI in assessing drug history:
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No use of Schedule I drugs (excluding marijuana) within the last 10 years.
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No use of marijuana or cannabis derivatives within the last 12 months, regardless of state legalization.
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Cannabidiol (CBD) or hemp-derived products that consist of more than 0.3 percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) meet the legal definition of marijuana.
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No misuse of prescription drugs (Schedule II-V) within the last 3 years.
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No misuse of or over-the-counter/legally obtained substances (e.g., inhalants, solvents, etc.) within the last 3 years.
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No sale, distribution, manufacturing, or transporting of drugs of any kind within the last 5 years.
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Consideration will be given to whether the substance was sold with/without profit to the applicant, the amount sold was de minimus, and if the sales occurred when the applicant was a juvenile.
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No use of any other drug of abuse (not including those listed above) within the last 5 years.
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No use of anabolic steroids without a prescription from a licensed practicing physician within the last 10 years.
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Additional Considerations
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Applicants must truthfully and fully disclose any prior drug use during the background investigation process.
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Falsification, omission, or misrepresentation may result in disqualification.
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Any illegal drug use while previously employed in a position of trust, or any drug use that could impact security or public trust, is grounds for disqualification.
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Each case is evaluated individually, considering the nature, frequency, and timing of drug use in relation to the position sought.
Employment
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Dismissal from public employment for just cause.
Additional
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The individual cannot be located, fails to report for an interview or other step in the selection process as directed by the Commission or Appointing Authority and/or fails to report for duty as directed by the Appointing Authority.
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The individual has tested positive on a required drug test in that the test showed the presence of a drug of abuse as defined in Sections 3719.011 of the Ohio Revised Code in a body fluid unless such substance is identified as a prescribed medication (prescribed medication does not include medically prescribed marijuana). This provision is only applicable to entry level applicants.
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The individual has a documented pattern of poor work habits and performance with previous employers. This includes but is not limited to excessive absenteeism, poor quality of work, excessive tardiness, and inability to get along with others in a work environment or any thefts.
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Information showing that an applicant meets all of the minimum qualifications as stated in an examination announcement must appear on the application itself. No additional information will be accepted after the application filing deadline. Failure of an applicant to indicate on his application the qualifications as to education, certification, licensing, or any other requirement shall be sufficient cause to exclude an applicant from examination. A defective or incomplete application may be corrected by the applicant, and resubmitted by the filing deadline. Certification of an individual to an eligible list who has not met all of the requirements of these rules shall not be considered a waiver of any requirements, and shall not bar removal of the applicant from an eligible list by the Appointing Authority or the Commission as a result of the failure.
Next Steps in the Recruitment Process
After the application is submitted, candidates will be invited to complete a physical agility test. The physical agility assessment is a pass/fail test in which candidates must pass all stages in order to advance. To view the physical agility assessment activities, and the minimum scores for each, click here. Afterwards, passing candidates will be invited to participate in an oral panel interview. The oral panel interview accounts for 100% of a candidate's overall score. A minimum passing score of 75% is required for the oral panel interview. Additional points will then be awarded for certified police office status, education and current military/reserve/honorable discharge status. Candidates who successfully pass all phases of the recruitment process will have their name placed on an Eligible List and shall remain on there for a period of one-year from certification by the City of Delaware Civil Service Commission.
Additional post-certification steps include completion of a background assessment waiver, BCI/FBI fingerprinting, completion of non-medical psychological indexes, completion of non-medical polygraph and interview with the Police Chief. Once a recommendation for hire has been made, candidates must successfully complete a full psychological examination, pension physical and drug screen prior to appointment.
Learn more about the compensation and benefit package by reviewing the FOP Contract.
The class specification which appears above is intended to be sufficient merely to identify the class and be illustrative of the kinds of duties that may be assigned to the position allocated to the class and should not be interpreted to describe all of the duties which may be required of employees holding a position assigned to this class.
The City of Delaware is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendment Act (ADAAA), the City of Delaware will provide reasonable accommodations, upon reasonable request, to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective employees and incumbents to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.
