Police Officer – Lateral

DeKalb, IL
Northern Illinois University Police Department

Northern-Illinois-University Police

Overview

The position of Lateral Police Officer is a responsible professional public safety position with full executive law enforcement authority.

Certification: All Lateral transfer entry process candidates must provide documentation to show that they are currently or recently employed within the past 12 months as a full-time certified Peace Officer in the State of Illinois. Applicants must show they have been employed by a State of Illinois law enforcement agency as a full-time police officer for at least 2 years. Applicants must provide documentation that they have fulfilled the requirements of the Illinois Police Training Act.

Testing: Lateral transfer candidates who meet the requirements and are selected for entry will not be required to take any part of the entry-level exam process. Lateral transfer candidates will be required to complete all other phases of the selection process before receiving an offer of employment, such as background check, credit check, social media check, psychological examination, polygraph, medical examination, vision and drug screening. The psychological and all medical tests will be completed after receiving a conditional offer of employment. You will be contacted for an oral interview to confirm eligibility and initiate the background process. All appointments are subject to a probationary period of 12 months.

Position Summary

The position of Lateral Police Officer is a responsible professional public safety position with full executive law enforcement authority. Individuals working in this capacity protect the safety and security of persons, property, equipment and facilities, and protect and preserve individual civil rights in and around Northern Illinois University controlled lands. Police personnel enforce all applicable Federal, State and local laws, rules, regulations and University policies and procedures. Police officers maintain the public peace and order and assist in facilitating the adjudication of infractions of the University judicial Code and State or Federal Criminal or Civil Code violations.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

  • Preventing death or injury and protecting property while preserving the public peace, order and tranquility through the use of sophisticated technologies, aggressive mobile and foot patrols, covert and overt surveillance initiatives and the employment of appropriate investigative strategies.
  • Police officers are, at a minimum, required to function as First Responders and maintain such certification throughout the term of their employment. Cost of initial certification and regular maintenance will be provided by the department, if necessary.
  • Police officers in their capacity as First Responders are required to render effective medical assistance within their level of certification and expertise as may be necessary to ensure the health and wellbeing of anyone requiring such assistance.
  • The fair and impartial enforcement of State criminal, traffic and motor vehicle laws, and adopted edicts from the University Board of Trustees through a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the Illinois State Statutes and the University’s policies, procedures, rules and regulations and how they should be applied.
  • Collecting information relative to civil and criminal investigations, preparing cases for and providing testimony in court and preparing detailed reports on assigned complaints and communicating the outcomes in formal judicial and informal non-judicial settings effectively, both orally and in writing.
  • Directing motor vehicle and pedestrian traffic, conducting motor vehicle accident investigations, preparing required state motor vehicle accident reports and maintaining complete accurate, articulate accident investigation documents.
  • Engaging in regular foot and mobile patrol activities, responding to alarms, handling emergency complaints, serving warrants as required, engaging in self-initiated police activities and transporting prisoners.
  • Operating and maintaining department equipment in accordance with agency policy and procedures including but not limited to: emergency vehicles, RADAR, LIDAR or other speed measuring devices, breath/alcohol analyzers, mobile computing systems, automated defibrillators and office machines.
  • Performing building security and parking regulation enforcement.
  • Promote exceptional relationships with the university community.
  • Police officers may be required to operate communications equipment while temporarily functioning as a telecommunicator observing all of the policies and procedures pertaining to that position and caring for and maintaining the equipment in their control.
  • Police officers assist other jurisdictions upon request in non-emergency or emergency circumstances as provided for in the parent agency policies.
  • Performing other duties as may be required by supervisory or command personnel.

Minimum Required Qualifications (Civil Service)

CREDENTIALS TO BE VERIFIED BY PLACEMENT OFFICE

    1. High school graduation or equivalent
    2. Possession of a valid driver’s license
    3. No record of conviction of a felony or misdemeanors as identified in the Illinois Police Training Act (50 ILCS 705 et seq.), or a crime involving moral turpitude
    4. Eligibility for bonding, if required by the employing institution
    5. Successful completion of the Basic Law Enforcement Officers’ Training course as prescribed by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training & Standards Board, if required by the employing institution. All recruit law enforcement officers who successfully complete this course after September 1, 1984 are required to successfully pass the Law Enforcement Officers’ Certification Examination. (Applicants lacking such training at time of appointment will be required to complete such requirement during, and as a part of, their probationary period of employment in this class.)
    6. At least 21 years of age upon employment. (This requirement may be further defined by local recruitment, examination, and employment policies, provided age requirements have been met with regard to all other applicable state and federal regulations in this respect.)

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

Residency: Must establish residency within a 50-mile radius of the NIU Police Department (395 Wirtz Drive, DeKalb, IL 60115) before the end of the 12-month probationary period.

Fitness: Possess a current P.O.W.E.R. Test card from an ILETSB entity (such as NIPSTA, Triton College, Joliet Junior College, Southwestern Illinois College, etc.) issued within the last 6 months and presented no later than 14 calendar days after receiving notice you have entered the official Background Phase.

Employment Agreement: Those hired will be expected to sign a 2-year commitment to the agency.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) (Civil Service)

  1. Integrity (Being honest and ethical.)
  2. Knowledge of Principles, Practices, and Procedures of Police Work (Ability to develop and maintain working knowledge of principles, practices, and procedures of police work (such as Illinois Criminal Statutes, Illinois vehicle code, local ordinances, University rules and regulations, and civil law related to the police mission.))
  3. Verbal Communication (Ability to verbally communicate effectively during normal as well as stressful and emergency circumstances; ability to communicate clearly in writing, using correct grammar and spelling.)
  4. Decision Making and Problem Solving (Ability to analyze information and evaluate the potential results to choose the most appropriate solution.)
  5. Verbal Comprehension (Ability to understand and carry out oral and written instructions.)
  6. Information Seeking (Ability to pay attention to detail; gather and arrange information; and prepare complete, concise, and accurate reports.)
  7. Conflict Management (Ability to handle complaints, settle disputes, and resolve grievances and conflicts.)
  8. Knowledge of areas such as (but not limited to) psychology and customer service.
  9. Defensive Techniques (Ability to develop and maintain skill in the use of firearms and other defensive techniques (armed and unarmed.))
  10. Vehicle Operation (Ability to operate a vehicle in a safe manner during normal as well as stressful and emergency circumstances.)
  11. Computer Skills (Ability to use computer hardware and software (such as charting, data base, and word processing software).)
  12. Ability to develop and maintain working knowledge of University community geography.
  13. Ability to enforce laws, ordinances, rules and regulations with tact, impartiality, and firmness.
  14. Ability to mentally and physically react effectively, quickly, calmly, and rationally during time of conflict and emergencies.

Physical demands/requirements

Police officers may be required to exert themselves with no prior notification. In emergency circumstances an officer may be required to run up several flights of stairs and then provide emergency medical attention to include CPR for an extended period of time. An officer may have to get on his or her knees, bend over a person and provide effective chest compressions for up to ten (10) minutes without relief. The officer must be able to perform both at exceptional physical and cognitive levels. He or she must be able to assess the situation and make appropriate decisions regarding the use of available resources and appropriate responses. Officers may also be required to chase an on-foot-fleeing suspect for several hundred meters and then engage in unassisted hand-to-hand combat for two (2) to three (3) minutes. Offenders can range in weight from ninety (90) pounds to in excess of two hundred fifty (250) pounds or more. These encounters can be life threatening and require the officer be able to protect him or herself until assistance can arrive. Police officers must be able to think clearly in a crisis. They must have sufficient intellectual capacity to remain in control while managing stressful circumstances. Police officers are required to undertake foot patrol activities, which may entail up to sixteen (16) hours with limited breaks in the activity. They may have to stand while directing traffic for several hours or stand for several hours while performing security functions. Patrol officers may be required to sit for several hours in a patrol vehicle or a classroom with limited ability to stretch or reposition themselves. Police officers work in a variety of conditions. They may have to walk patrols in sub-zero conditions or temperatures above 90 degrees. They often wear protective clothing that exacerbates body temperatures in extreme heat. Police personnel may be confined to a patrol vehicle for extended periods or have to remain in a classroom for up to eight (8) hours per day. Police personnel may be required to enter areas filled with smoke or other toxins. They may be required to enter tight places or areas that have low light conditions. Officers often work at night, during weekends, on holidays and are subject to shift-work. The job of a police officer is unpredictable. He or she may be required to engage in extremely stressful and strenuous activities on a moment’s notice. While many of the activities listed above will not occur on a regular basis an officer must be prepared to undertake them at any given time. An officer must not suffer any physical or mental condition that could impair his or her ability to perform the required duties and responsibilities of the position or that would compromise his or her safety or endanger another. Police officers may be exposed to loud noises as a result of the use of firearms or other circumstances where excessive noise may exist. They must have good hearing and not suffer a deficit that is not correctable that may compromise their safety or that of another. Police personnel must have good vision. They must not suffer any visual deficit that is not correctable that could interfere with their ability to perform the duties and responsibilities of the position or jeopardize their safety or that of another.
Minimum Fitness Standards for Police Personnel Physical Requirements: There are minimum standards established by the State for a police officer. These standards are reasonable basic fitness measures for determining an officer’s ability to engage in regular police activities. There are four standards and can be found at the following link(s):

new-power-test-chart-2023.pdf (illinois.gov)
https://www.ptb.illinois.gov/media/1755/new-power-test-chart-2023.pdf

NIU will NOT be offering a Fitness Test. Applicants must obtain a P.O.W.E.R. Card from an ILETSB entity (such as NIPSTA, Triton College, Joliet Junior College, Southwestern Illinois College, etc.) issued within the last 6 months and presented no later than 14 calendar days after receiving notice you have entered the official Background Phase.

Appointment and Compensation Details

Standard Hours Per Week 42.0

Working Hours Varies by shift

Salary 2 years’ experience: $77,968.80 ($35.70 hourly), 5 years’ experience: $100,376.64 ($45.96 hourly)