Police Officer

River Falls, WI
River Falls Police Department

Salary: $67,849.60 – $84,489.60 Annually.

Position Summary:

In accordance with local ordinances, state statutes, federal law and established department policies, the Police Officer position is a sworn law enforcement position within the River Falls Police Department. This position is charged with the responsibility of serving the needs of the community through police action. This charge includes protecting constitutional guarantees of our democracy; safeguarding individual freedoms; protecting life and property by enforcing the law and reducing the opportunity for crime; maintaining public order by resolving conflict; facilitating the safe movement of vehicular and pedestrian traffic; and the provision of emergency service in response to the needs of the community. Police Officers must possess a high degree of integrity, ethics, and truthfulness to uphold the standards of the River Falls Police Department. The River Falls Police Department is a 24-hour, seven-days-per-week, community service organization and this position may involve rotating shift work including nights, weekends, and holidays. This position is part of the City of River Falls Professional Police Association Labor Agreement

Essential Functions:

1. Must work with various cultural and socio-economic communities and establish and maintain strong working relationships with City staff and other agencies.

2. Communicate clearly when operating radio, telephone, and dictation equipment, and in personal interaction with employees of a police department, governmental agencies, other law enforcement agencies and the public.

3. Handles arrest situations and procedures, including but not limited to determining violation and planning method of arrest; apprehending or arresting suspects; issuing citations; searching and booking suspects; transporting arrested persons; and providing appropriate warnings.

4. Conducts initial and follow-up investigations, including but not limited to interviewing witnesses, suspects, victims, etc.; gathering information; interrogating suspects; taking statements; conducting searches and pursuing possible leads or other information sources.

5. Prepare and complete investigative and other reports using appropriate grammar, spelling, and may include sketches, symbols, and mathematical computations.

6. Perform lawful searches of people, vehicles, buildings, and large outdoor areas which may involve seeing and detecting, standing, or walking for long periods of time.

7. Interacts with victims, witnesses, survivors, and outside agencies, including but not limited to briefing citizens, notifying family of victims; and referring victims to appropriate agencies. Able to do this with understanding, tact, compassion, sensitivity and courtesy and professionalism.

8. Must maintain a working knowledge and proficiency in all department equipment, including firearms, ammunition, police vehicles, communications, batons, flashlights, preliminary breath testing devices, intoxilyzer, armored vest, cameras, radar, evidence collection and preservation equipment, first aid, protective masks, fire extinguishers, drug testing, laptop computers, and basic functioning of the department’s computer system.

9. Must protect confidential and sensitive information.

10. Perform activities including problem solving and making the public aware of special areas of concern such as, delinquency, drug abuse, crime prevention, child abuse, and traffic safety through education, public speaking, and presentations.

11. Practices a community policing and problem-solving philosophy.

12. Controls scene of motor vehicle crashes and establishes proper priority at scene, including but not limited to establishing key events; administering emergency aid; informing persons of reporting procedures; preparing field sketches and scale diagrams; and directing traffic.

13. Assist with other duties as assigned.

Requirements:

  • Minimum of 18 years of age
  • High School Diploma or equivalent
  • Under Wisconsin State Statute 66.0501(1) must be a citizen of the United States
  • Two-year associate degree from a Wisconsin vocational, technical, and adult education district, or its accredited equivalent from another state, or a minimum of 60 semester full accredited college-level credits.
  • Be available for evening, weekend, and holiday work.
  • Valid driver’s license.
  • Applicant must not have been convicted of any federal felony or of any offense which if committed in Wisconsin could be punished as a felony unless the applicant has been granted an absolute and unconditional pardon.
  • Applicant must not have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence as defined in 18 USC 921(a)(33), convicted of domestic abuse in § 968.075(1)(a), Wis. Stats., or convicted of a crime that is subject to the imposition of the domestic abuse surcharge under § 973.055(1), Wis. Stats., regardless of whether any part of the surcharge was waived by the court under § 973.055(4), Wis. Stats., unless the applicant has been granted an absolute and unconditional pardon.

Preferred Requirements:

  • WI Law Enforcement Certification.