Community Service Officer I/II - Police

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About the Department

The San José Police Department is dedicated to providing public safety through community partnerships and 21 st Century Policing practices, ensuring equity for all. The Department is committed to treating all of San Jose’s diverse community members with dignity, fairness, and respect, while protecting their rights and providing equal protection under the law.

Position Duties

The San Jose Police Department is seeking to fill positions for the Community Service Officer (CSO) classification. Under close supervision, this position will assist the Bureau of Field Operations in non-hazardous police functions, including but not limited to, assisting at one of the information centers or community policing centers, conducting investigations and performing non-enforcement related work.

The total salary range for Community Service Officer I classification is $80,633.28 - $97,996.08.

The total salary range for Community Service Officer II classification is $88,932.48 - $108,064.32.

These amounts include an approximate five percent (5%) ongoing non-pensionable pay. Actual salary shall be determined by the final candidates’ qualifications and experience.

Positions in these classes are flexibly staffed. CSO I is the entry level class in the CSO series. Incumbents perform assignments which involve responsible public contact work in crime and burglary investigation and the delivery of non-emergency police services. CSO I incumbents are expected to progress with appropriate training, experience and satisfactory performance to CSO II, the journey level of the class series. Incumbents are expected to wear a uniform but are unarmed and may be assigned to any shift including evenings, weekends and holidays. Work includes either inside or outside duties, exposure to weather and exposure to chemicals obtained as evidence. Incumbents may work four 10-hour days or five eight-hour days per week, depending on assignment. Work may include the physical ability to sit, stand, walk, push and/or pull, balance, stoop, kneel or crouch, crawl, lift and carry up to 50 pounds, climb stairs, use hands and fingers to handle or feel objects, tools, or controls, reach with hands and arms and enter and exit a vehicle.

Typical Class Essential Duties

(These duties and estimated frequency are a representative sample; position assignments may vary depending on the business needs of the department) At the discretion of sworn personnel, duties may include but are not limited to the following:

• Assist patrol teams with non-enforcement duties; completes routine police reports; maintains records of daily work activities
• Performs non-hazardous investigative duties related to the commission of crimes against property such as residential, commercial and vehicle burglary, petty theft, grand theft, vehicle theft and vandalism
• Collects and preserves evidence at crime scenes which includes the processing and lifting of latent fingerprints and taking photographs at designated crime scenes
• Recovers stolen vehicles and processes for evidence where found unattended
• Responds to and investigates traffic complaints such as road hazards
• Investigates non-injury vehicle accidents
• Directs and controls crowds and traffic at accidents or special events including setting up cone and/or road flare patterns
• Receives and responds to citizen inquiries; gives general assistance or directions as appropriate
• Performs routine office functions such as word processing, filing, record keeping, including the preparation of police reports
• Assist law enforcement in taking reports of and searching for persons reported as missing
• Protects crime scenes from bystanders
• Transports seized, found, lost, or abandoned property or evidence (non-controlled substances)
• Administers first aid as necessary
• Carries less lethal oleoresin capsicum OC for personal protection
• May assist in the training of new employees and less experienced subordinates
• Testifies in court when necessary

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions in this, or other divisions or departments. If you are interested in employment in this classification, you should apply to ensure you are considered for additional opportunities that may utilize the applicants from this recruitment.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience

Community Services Officer I

Completion of high school or equivalent (General Education Development [GED] Test or California Proficiency Certificate) AND one (1) year of experience involving a substantial amount of contact with the general public.

Community Services Officer II

Completion of high school or equivalent (General Education Development [GED] Test or California Proficiency Certificate) AND two (2) years of public contact experience including at least one (1) year within a law enforcement agency at a level equivalent to Community Services Officer I.

Required Licensing (such as driver’s license, certifications, etc.)

• Possession of a valid California Class C Driver’s License is required and must be maintained during the entire term of employment in the job class; failure to possess or maintain the valid required license shall result in discipline up to and including termination of employment.
  
• Successful completion of First Aid and CPR certification courses within six (6) months of appointment
  
• Must be 20 1/2 years of age at time of application.
  

Background: Must submit to a full background investigation including a polygraph and psychological evaluation.

Other Qualifications

Competencies

The ideal candidate will possess the following competencies, as demonstrated in past and current employment history. Desirable competencies for this position include:

Job Expertise - Demonstrates knowledge of and experience with applicable professional/technical principles and practices, Citywide and departmental procedures/policies and federal and state rules and regulations.

Analytical Thinking - Approaching a problem or situation by using a logical, systematic, sequential approach.

Decision Making - Identifies and understands issues, problems, and opportunities; uses effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions.

Multi-Tasking - Can handle multiple projects and responsibilities simultaneously; has handled a wide variety of assignments in past and/or current position(s).

Computer Skills - Experienced with common business computer applications including but not limited to: MS Outlook, MS Word, MS PowerPoint, MS Access, and MS Excel.

Teamwork & Interpersonal Skills - Develops effective relationships with co-workers and supervisors by helping others accomplish tasks and using collaboration and conflict resolution skills.

Communications Skills - Effectively conveys information and expresses thoughts and facts clearly, orally and in writing; demonstrates effective use of listening skills; displays openness to other people’s ideas and thoughts.
Applications will be reviewed after the job post closes. A status update will be provided approximately one to two week after the job announcement closes.

Selection Process
Currently, there is no official hiring timeline. This recruitment is aimed at establishing an eligibility list of potential hires for upcoming positions as they become available. By submitting your application, you will be considered for potential job openings as soon as they arise. This eligibility list will help us expedite the recruitment process when we are ready to hire. Candidates who meet the qualifications may be contacted for to begin the hiring process when the department is ready to offer Community Service Officer positions.

The selection process will consist of an evaluation of the applicant's training and experience based on the application and responses to the Job Specific Questions. Only the candidates whose backgrounds best match the position will be invited to proceed in the selection process. Additional phases of the selection process will consist of one or more interviews , one of which may include a practical/writing exercise .

A hiring timeline and start date will be provided at the Employment orientation.

Employment Orientation - Your attendance to the Employment Orientation is mandatory to move forward to the Written Exam. The Employment Orientation provides applicants with more details regarding the day to day duties of the position(s) and an overall understanding of the hiring and training process as well as information regarding the Background Process and requirements. The information session is tentatively scheduled for - TBD

Multiple Choice and Writing Proficiency Exam - Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will be invited to take a pass/fail multiple choice and writing proficiency exam. The exam is tentatively scheduled for - TBD

Oral Interviews - Applicants who pass the multiple -choice and writing proficiency exam will be invited to the oral interview phase. The oral interview is tentatively scheduled for - TBD

Background Investigation - If you pass all the examinations and are among the most qualified group of applicants, you may be considered for employment. If selected, you will be required to pass a thorough background investigation, polygraph, and psychological screening before appointment to the position. For more information regarding the Background Process click HERE.

If you have questions about the duties of these positions, please contact Lt. Jermaine Thomas at jermaine.thomas@sanjoseca.gov .

If you have questions about the selection or hiring processes, please contact Alexandria Rodriguez at alexandria.rodriguez@sanjoseca.gov.

Additional Information:

Employment Eligibility: Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of San Jose will NOT sponsor, represent or sign any documents related to visa applications/transfers for H1-B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application.

You must answer all job-specific questions to be considered for this vacancy or your application will be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Applicants are expected to write their own essays/responses. Please be advised that use of AI content in your responses may result in your removal from the hiring process.

Please note that applications are currently not accepted through CalOpps or any other third party job board application system.

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions in this, or other divisions or departments. If you are interested in employment in this classification, you should apply to ensure you are considered for additional opportunities that may utilize the applicants from this recruitment.

Please allow adequate time to complete the application and submit before the deadline or the system may not save your application. If your online application was successfully submitted, you will receive an automatic confirmation email to the email address you provided. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE THE CONFIRMATION, please email CityCareers@sanjoseca.gov and we will research the status of your application.

The City of San Jose offers a wide range of core health benefits including Medical, Dental, Vision, Employee Assistance Program, Life Insurance, Disability, and Savings Plans. Please visit the City's benefits pagefor detailed information on coverage, cost, and dependent coverage.

For information on the City’s Retirement Plan(pension for full-time employees), please visit the Office of Retirement Services website. You will be able to view information based on different Sworn/Federated job classification.

In additional to the benefits above, there is an additional perks siteto explore further benefits of working for the City of San Jose like paid leave, educational reimbursements, and holiday pay are specific to the job classification and union membership.

Closing Date/Time: 1/21/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

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• City of San Jose

• 408-535-1285

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