Police Officer

Lancaster, PA
Lancaster Police Department

Salary: $63,341.00 – $90,488.00 Annually

Closing Date: 5/15/2025

Position Summary:

The work of the sworn police officer involves responsibility for the protection of life and property, prevention of crime, apprehension of criminals and the general enforcement of state and local laws (ordinances). Duties normally consist of routine patrol, preliminary investigation and traffic regulation. Police officers also may be assigned duties as detectives, school resource officers, crime prevention officers, department training officers, task force officers, evidence technicians, field training officers, accident investigators, firearms instructors, TEAM officers, hostage negotiators, K-9 officers or special response team officers. Work involves an element of personal danger. The employee must be able to exercise sound independent judgment under stress. Assignments may include work on special tasks, which call upon specialized abilities and knowledge possessed by the officer. Work assignments can be general or specific and instructions are received from a supervisor who reviews work methods and results through reports, personal inspection and discussion. Finally, sworn police officers work under the agency chain of command structure.

Essential Functions:

  • Performs preventive patrol in assigned beat;
  • Continually observes for criminal activity, safety hazards, traffic violations, persons needing assistance, etc;
  • Becomes and remains familiar with patrol beats, geographic locations, known offenders, neighborhood routines, potential problem areas;
  • Conducts security inspections and surveys of buildings and businesses and makes recommendations regarding security, etc;
  • Makes presentations to groups and individuals on subjects related to the job’s tasks and functions;
  • Handles complaints made by the public;
  • Observes for, detects and investigates violations of laws and ordinances and documents those actions for future use;
  • Conducts interviews and interrogations of victims, witnesses, suspects and offenders;
  • Conducts searches of person, vehicles, places and things;
  • Identifies and arrests offenders, including subduing resistive arrestees;
  • Seeks and serves arrest warrants, search warrants and other court documents;
  • Assists prosecutors in the preparation of cases for trial;
  • Appears and testifies in court, juvenile hearings, at deposition sessions and similar proceedings;
  • Enforces traffic and parking laws, including driving under the influence detection and apprehension;
  • Controls, regulates and directs vehicular and pedestrian traffic;
  • Investigates traffic accidents, including protecting the scene, aiding the injured, controlling traffic, clearing the scene, determining the cause, preparing reports and diagrams;
  • Assists disabled motorists;
  • Deals with children of all ages in a variety of situations, such as delinquents, minors requiring authoritative intervention, neglected, abused, runaways, lost, found, victims of crimes, public relations and instructional functions and informants.

Requirements:

  • Graduation from High School or completion of a GED is required.
  • Possession of a valid Pennsylvania State Driver’s License is required.
  • Police officer positions involve regular and irregular shift work and shift rotations necessary to provide police services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year (weekends and holidays included).
  • Work shifts for patrol officers are normally twelve (12) or eight (8) hours in duration for detective but may be extended in the event of emergency, disaster, manpower shortage, workload or work-in-progress.
  • High percentage of attendance, on-time arrival to work and ability to work overtime when necessary are required.