Police Officer

Summary Description

Under the general direction of the Sergeant/Captain, performs law enforcement and crime prevention services for the safety and protection of life and property in the Urbandale community.  Preserves peace, order, safety, problem resolution and educates the Urbandale community.  Also performs investigative work in preparation for arrests and/or criminal prosecution.

• An additional $600/year if you have 60 college credit hours or an associate degree.
• An additional $1,000/year if you have 120 college credit hours or a bachelor’s degree.
• Paid Parental Leave
• Shift differential if working overnight shifts.
• An $800/year clothing allowance.
• Longevity pay
• Senior Officer pay - $1,000 per year after five years of service and $2,000 per year after ten years of service
• Long Weekends: every other Friday, Saturday and Sunday off
• Pension/retirement plan
• Paid overtime
• $7,500 Certified Officer Signing Bonus
• The City of Urbandale may pay some or all of the balance due on employment contracts for certified officers.

Routine Job Duties/Responsibilities

• Interprets and enforces municipal, state, and federal regulations, codes, laws, and ordinances in assigned areas of the City.
• Responds to immediate calls for services in the answering of complaints, including handling “walk-in” complaints.
• Conducts uniformed preventative patrols in a 24 hour a day, seven day a week environment.
• Conducts preliminary investigations of crimes and completes appropriate reports, including, but not limited to: major crimes; traffic; theft; personal/familial and neighborhood disputes/assaults; intoxication; residential/commercial security alarms; etc.
• Prepares and completes supplementary reports related to complaints and investigations.
• Makes determination to arrest and processes arrested subject(s), which includes, but is not limited to: searching and/or seizing persons, vehicles, and/or property; collecting, preserving and processing evidence; interviewing victims/witnesses/suspects; transporting offenders; testifying in court proceedings; etc.
• Identifies and corrects safety hazards around public roadways, including, but not limited to: crash analysis, accident investigations; assisting stalled motorists or disabled vehicles; directing and controlling traffic; providing information on hazardous street conditions (e.g. non-working traffic signals, visibility during blizzards, flooded roadways, etc.), impounding vehicles, checking vehicle registration, issues traffic citations, etc.
• Acts as a partner with citizens, neighborhood groups, school systems, etc. in the resolution and identification of problems and/or for education etc., which may include, but is not limited to: referrals to other agencies; welfare checks; unlocking motor vehicles; education on law enforcement and crime prevention related topics, assisting with animal control related calls, ; Civil Code Enforcement, etc.
• Assists in emergency situations, including, but not limited to responding to Fire and EMS calls; watching and reporting on potentially severe weather conditions, etc.
• Inspects and maintains vehicle and all related law enforcement equipment.
• May be assigned to specialized police responsibilities and/or units, such as, but not limited to: Accident Investigation (AI); Field Training Officer; Firearms Instructor; Bike Patrol; Suburban Narcotics Unit and other assigned task forces; Suburban Emergency Response Team (SERT); etc.
• May provide direction and oversight to one or more Urbandale Police Reserve Officer(s).
• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with other law enforcement agencies in matters relating to the apprehension of offenders and the investigation of offenses.
• Performs other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Periodic Job Duties/Responsibilities:

• Assists in receiving, searching, booking, fingerprinting, photographing and supervising prisoners
• Orders and maintains equipment and supplies.

Typical Qualifications

Must be able to pass a pre-employment offer: professional reference checks, drug screen, 411 physical, motor vehicle report and background check including polygraph and MMPI. Any combination of education and experience providing the required skill and knowledge is qualifying.   Typical qualifications would be equivalent to:

• High School Diploma or GED is required but those with at least an AA degree in an accredited college or university in diversified academic subjects or 3 years of active military, may be given preference.
• Twenty years of age on or before application deadline date. Citizen of the United States at the time of application.  No felony convictions or convictions for crimes involving moral turpitude.
• Uncorrected vision of not less than 20/100 in both eyes, corrected to 20/20.
•  Certification as an Iowa Police Officer within twelve months of employment
• NCIC Certification within twelve months of employment
• CPR/First Aid/AED certifications within twelve months of employment
• Valid Iowa Drivers' License
• Ability to meet all physical standards for the job as specified by the Police Retirement System
• Ability to perform physical functions of the job while wearing personal protective equipment.
• Positions filled within the Urbandale Police Department require employees to reside within a 50 mile radius of the police department.