Location
Description
Under general supervision of a Police Sergeant, the non-sworn Community Service Aide provides technical police services in crime prevention, crime investigation, and crime response which do not require full police powers and assists police officers in the maintenance of law and order.
CLASS CHACTERISTICS
The Community Service Aide is a journey-level classification, fully competent to independently perform a variety of patrol and special assignment support duties. A Community Service Aide may be assigned to an organizational unit including Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving (COPPS) and Investigations. This classification has clear guidelines to help with independent decision-making, and supervision is available when unusual or complex situations arise.
EXAMPLES OF DUTIES (illustrative only):
- Receive and transmit calls for service over the police radio.
- Issue vehicle parking and registration citations.
- Mark, arrange tow, and maintain files for abandoned vehicles; cite vehicle/owner for violation after a given period of time of being marked.
- Direct traffic at major injury collisions, chemical spills, malfunctioning traffic signals, and special events.
- Drive a marked police vehicle; transport children to foster care facilities, citizens including stranded motorists, and city staff; deliver messages, property, and evidence as dispatched to court, citizens, or other agencies.
- Interview witnesses or others involved search for, collect, and identify evidence; and write reports for crimes with no suspect, lost and found cases, and non-injury collisions.
- Engage in general patrol observation; report any suspicious activity to dispatch and patrol officers.
- Patrol and enforce animal regulation laws and ordinances, which include receiving and investigating complaints and reports regarding stray, dangerous, unwanted or improperly controlled dogs, livestock and other animals; answering emergency calls and investigating persons bitten and quarantining the animal; and impounding, transporting and giving first aid to animals.
- Verify and certify mechanical violations receiving a citation have been corrected.
- Search files for information to aid in apprehending a criminal, returning lost property, determining the disposition of a vehicle and other problem resolution.
- Assist in the processing of evidence to include crime scene photography, sketching, video, evidence collection, and preservation as well as other duties associated with evidence processing. Assist in routine equipment/vehicle maintenance.
- Assist with clerical functions such as entering data and conducting file searches on the computer and typing filing, and form completion.
- Provide municipal code updates and additions for best practices and law changes.
- Coordinate training of both current employees (CPT) and new employees (FTO).
- Testify in court.
- Inspect and clean the holding facilities and radio-equipped vehicles in order to maintain health/safety standards.
- Search and/or obtain specimens from same-sex prisoners.
- Performs related work as required.
Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving (COPPS):
- Perform community outreach.
- Assist, participate, and support community events (e.g., Shop with a Cop Coffee with Cops, National Night Out, Summer Sandlot etc.).
- Assist with the neighborhood watch program/meetings.
- Assist with COPPS unit projects.
- Liaison with Youth and Family Services (YFS).
- Performs related work in COPPS as required.
Investigations:
- Ensure registration of habitual sex and narcotic offenders are complete and organized.
- Attend a basic POST approved Crime Scene Investigation course and other applicable, advanced trainings.
- Assist with the collection and preservation of evidence to include taking crime scene photographs, searching and dusting for latent fingerprints, crime scene diagrams, laser scanning of crime scenes, and attending autopsies. Arrange for proper identification of evidence.
- Assist Detectives with basic investigative follow-up (e.g. no identified suspect fingerprint results, gather surveillance footage, etc.)
- Performs related work in Investigations as required.
Ideal Candidate
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Any combination of education, training, and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge, skills and abilities would be:
Education and Experience:
Equivalent to high school graduation, G.E.D., or California High School Proficiency and one (1) year of experience in clerical, police services, or related work.
OR
15 semester units of college level work in law enforcement/criminal justice.
OR
Successful completion of a basic police academy.
Desirable qualification of six (6) months experience in caring for animals.
Licenses and Certificates:
Must possess a valid California Driver’s License and currently have a good driving record of at least (2) two years duration according to the Department of Motor Vehicle’s negligent operator guidelines.
KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES
Knowledge Of:
- State laws and local ordinances pertaining to the care, treatment, impounding of animals and provisions relating to collections from the sale of dog licenses.
- Various breeds of animals, their care and feeding.
- Proper spelling, punctuation, and grammar of the English language.
- Departmental policies and procedures; laws, ordinances, codes, rules, and regulations applicable to reporting, investigative, support, and other duties.
- Written and verbal communication techniques.
- Basic arithmetic.
- General principles and practices used to establish effective police/community relations.
- Knowledge of crime scenes and crime scene investigations (CSI-Duties).
Ability To:
- Establish and maintain effective relations with the public and fellow employees.
- Read and follow established written or verbal instructions.
- Exercise tact and good judgement.
- Write accurate, concise reports.
- React with reasonable and effective courses of action, according to various situations including the issuance of court citations or other legal action.
- Learn the use and care of tranquilizer guns and other assigned equipment.
WORKING CONDITIONS, ADA AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS
The City of Union City is an equal opportunity employer. The City of Union City will comply with its obligations under the law to provide equal employment opportunities to qualified individuals with disabilities.
Other Requirements:
- Must be eligible as an insurable risk as determined by automobile insurance underwriters.
- Must pass a background investigation which meets the P.O.S.T. – mandated guidelines for Peace Officer Applicants.
- Must be 18 years of age by the time of appointment.
- Willingness to work rotating shifts and irregular duty assignments required.
Physical and other Requirements:
- Ability to work outdoors under various climatic and geographic conditions.
- atter.
- Work in an environment, including but not limited to, exposure to high frequency and constant noise, dust, allergens, chemicals, solvents, fumes, smoke,gases, and biological m
- Positions in this class typically require: standing, sitting, walking, pushing, reaching, lifting, pulling, stooping, grasping, crouching, repetitive motions, kneeling, and fingering
- Lift items weighing up to 60 pounds (weight of a dog) occasionally.
Benefits
Retirement: CalPERS enrollment in either 2% @ 60 (Classic Employees) or the new 2% @ 62 (New Employee) formula is dependent on the individual’s eligibility, as per AB 340. The City does not participate in Social Security therefore there are no Social Security tax deductions (except 1.45% Medicare). Other Deferred Compensation Plans available (457(b) Plan and ROTH IRA) available.
Life Insurance: Premium is paid by the City. Life insurance and AD&D is equal to $100,000 each. Long-term and short-term disability insurance premium is paid by the City. Additional voluntary supplemental life insurance is available.
Medical/Dental: The City provides up to $2,200/month to purchase medical, dental and vision benefits. Retiree medical benefit after 15 years of service (see MOU for details on benefits).
Leaves: Employees shall accrue 3.69 hours of Sick Leave per pay period with no limit on accumulation and 80 Vacation Hours for the first three years.
Holidays: 126 hours total (66 hours paid; 60 hours banked time).
Uniform: $1000/annual uniform allowance paid over 26 pay periods.
Other: 4/10 work schedule; All necessary equipment is provided.
Special Instructions
APPLICATION PROCESS:
Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application. Application and resume will be reviewed and evaluated using, in part, the criteria contained in this posting.
The selection process may consist of one or more of the following components: a written exam, an oral interview, and medical exam. Only a limited number of persons whose application materials clearly demonstrate that they meet the needs of the City in terms of training, experience, education, and other job related characteristics will be invited to participate in the selection process. Meeting the minimum qualifications does not guarantee an invitation to participate in the process.
Applicants who are invited to continue in the selection process will be notified by e-mail. Successful candidates’ names will be placed on an employment eligibility list. The eligibility list will remain in effect for a minimum of one year from the date the list is established. Additional vacancies that occur for this classification may be hired from the list.
As part of the application process, you may be requested to furnish certain criminal history.
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION:
The City of Union City provides reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities, upon request. Please contact the Human Resources Department if you will need reasonable accommodation for any aspect of the selection process.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:
The City of Union City is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity at all levels of its workforce.