Police Officer

Salary: 37.5-hour

Position Summary:

Under general supervision enforces laws and ordinances, maintains order, prevents crime, makes arrests, and does related work as required.

Essential Functions:

• Effect an arrest forcibly if necessary, using handcuffs and other restraints; subdue resisting suspects using maneuvers and weapons and resort to use of hands and feet, and other approved weapons in self defense.
• Prepare investigative and other reports, including sketches, using appropriate grammar, symbols, mathematical computations and the use of a computer.
• Exercise independent judgment in determining when there is reasonable suspicion to detain, when probably cause exists to search and arrest and when force may be used, and to what degree.
• Operate a law enforcement vehicle during both day and night; in emergency situations involving speeds in excess of posted limits, in congested traffic and in unsafe road conditions caused by factors such as fog, smoke, rain, ice and snow.
• Communicate effectively and coherently over law enforcement radio channels while initiating and responding to radio communications.
• Gather information in criminal investigations by interviewing and obtaining the statements of victims, witnesses, suspects and confidential informers.
• Pursue fleeing suspects and perform rescue operations which may involve quickly entering and exiting law enforcement patrol vehicles.
• Lifting, carrying and dragging heavy objects, climbing over and pulling up oneself over obstacles, jumping down from elevated surfaces, climbing through openings, jumping over obstacles, ditches and streams, crawling in confined areas, balancing on uneven or narrow surfaces and using body force to gain entrance through barriers.
• Load, unload, aim and fire from a variety of body positions handguns, shotguns, and other agency firearms under conditions of stress that justify the use of deadly force and at levels of proficiency prescribed in certification standards.

Requirements:

• A high school diploma or a GED equivalent is required, as certified by the Rhode Island Department of Education.
• Successful completion of training and satisfactory performance with the recommendation of the appointing authority at the completion of a probationary period which is at least one (1) year after graduation from the Rhode Island Municipal Police Academy.