Richland is located in sunny eastern Washington at the confluence of the Columbia and Yakima Rivers. The community offers an unparalleled combination of natural beauty and top-ranked city services that contributes to the high quality of life that its residents treasure. Skiers and hikers don't have to go far to pursue their favorite sports. The Blue Mountains and the Cascade Range are short drives away and offer spectacular venues. Richland is ideally suited to boating and water skiing. Strong breezes have added to the popularity of sail boarding, wind surfing, and conventional sailing. 

The City receives wide recognition for the beauty of its integrated parks, river shore, commerce centers, and living spaces. Richland is a full-service municipality serving a resident population of more than 56,850. Originally incorporated as a small farming community, Richland now focuses on energy research, environmental remediation, and technology. With a significant concentration of scientists, engineers, technicians and researchers, Richland's population has relatively high income and education levels. Benton County ranks third in the state in median family income. 

The municipal government employs over 570 people to deliver $135 million in annual services. Like its neighboring cities, Richland delivers a variety of public safety, street maintenance, basic utility, and recreational services. The City is also an electric distribution utility, operates its own public library, and administers a regional emergency management and 911-dispatch center.

The Richland Police Department is a community-oriented law enforcement agency that maintains a close working relationship with the citizens they serve. The Department consists of 73 commissioned officers and 20 non-commissioned professional staff. The Department structure includes four divisions, each overseen by a Commander. The Operations division consists of four patrol squads. The patrol officers work a 12-hour shift schedule, with every other weekend off.

The Investigations division includes the Detectives, Street Crimes Unit, School Resource Officers (SRO), the Traffic Safety Unit, and the Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children (SER ICAC) task force.

The Administrative Services division includes Training, Professional Standards, and Accreditation.

The last is the Professional Staff division, and it includes Code Enforcement, Records, Evidence, Crime Analysis, and the Quartermaster.

The City of Richland also manages Benton County Emergency Services which is home to Southeast Communications Center and Benton County Emergency Management. The department also serves the region with a Bomb Squad, participates in the regional SWAT team, and regional Drug Task Force.

GENERAL SUMMARY

Under the direction of a Police Sergeant or designee, performs police protection and other services to safeguard the lives, property and constitutional rights of the citizens of Richland; responds to crime and accident scenes, emergency situations and other requests for assistance; detects, apprehends and arrest criminals; enforces the laws and ordinances of the City and performs a variety of specialized duties as assigned. Subject to 12-hour shifts, callback, standby and overtime as required.

Incumbents in this class are allocated to one or more specialized full-time assignments on a rotational basis. Each optional assignment within this classification is compensated in accordance with collective bargaining agreements recognizing difficulty and responsibility of each assignment.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Duties listed are representative of the types of tasks and functions performed by positions of this class of work. Percentage of time and rank of importance of duties are not listed since both will vary by position and work location.

· Provides a variety of police protection and other services to enforce the laws and ordinances of Richland and safeguards the lives, property and constitutional rights of citizens.

· Responds to a wide variety of calls from citizens in need of first aid, information and general assistance.

· Provides first aid and rescue services at crime scenes, accidents and other emergency situations.

· Communicates with other City personnel, law enforcement agencies and health care providers to coordinate efforts, resolve problems and exchange information.

· Prepares accurate and detailed investigative and incident reports in a timely manner; completes a variety of forms and issues citations as appropriate.

· Utilizes and maintains a variety of specialized equipment such as firearms, police vehicles, radios, baton, handcuffs, flares and others according to established procedures.

· Participates in or provides training and instruction in specialized police duties as directed.

· Maintains proficiency in driving and the use of firearms.

· Performs other duties as assigned.

PATROL OPTION

· Responds to observed or reported suspected or actual harmful or illegal conditions or activities through investigating activities or taking appropriate action required for preventing, subduing or alleviating such conditions or activities.

· Prepares formal descriptive reports of, and provides testimony about potentially, suspected or actually harmful or illegal conditions or activities, and of actions taken in response to such conditions or activities, for use by the department and other public agencies.

· Provides direction or information to individuals or groups for the purpose of preventing, subduing or alleviating harmful, dangerous or illegal situations.

· Participates in various in-service training programs and conducts law enforcement classes in schools.

· Apprehends traffic violators, issuing citations and warnings, tests and books offenders.

· Conducts residential and commercial security surveys.

· Testifies in court concerning investigations conducted and arrests made in the course of assigned duties.

DETECTIVE OPTION

· Investigates criminal complaints to determine if a case is valid and able to be prosecuted by the City Attorney or County Prosecutor.

· Observes, interviews and interrogates victims, witnesses and suspects.

· Researches cases and develops investigative strategy.

· Prepares cases for trial including preparation of evidence, photographs, and documents; presents material in court as necessary.

· Conducts background investigation of offenders as necessary, including detailed checks of automated information.

· Conducts crime scene investigation including photography, evidence gathering and measuring.

· Apprehends and arrests persons suspected or convicted of committing crimes.

· Performs surveillance duties as assigned.

TRAFFIC OPTION

· Enforces traffic laws; issues citations and makes arrests as necessary.

· Investigates accidents and determine causes; documents occurrence, provides for injured parties and provides traffic control.

· Provides assistance to patrol officers as necessary.

· Responds to complaints regarding abandoned vehicles, parking or other traffic-related issue.

COMMUNITY SERVICES OPTION

· Provides instruction in schools and the community regarding crime prevention and other law enforcement subjects.

· Develops curriculum for specific educational programs in such areas as drug education and crime prevention.

· Learns and implements prescribed programs such as DARE in school classrooms.

· Makes presentations to community groups as necessary including parents, clubs and special interest groups.

· Assists in preparing grant applications for community relations programs.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required to successfully perform the essential functions of the position.

Knowledge of:

• Applicable Federal, State, and local laws, rules, codes and regulations related to assigned activities.
• Principles, practices and procedures used in police work.
• State, County and City laws and ordinances.
• Geography of the City and specific areas of assignment.
• Transportation as it relates to traffic flow, street layouts, response routes, transportation industry hazards and emergency response.
• Rules of evidence and laws of arrest.
• Operation of a variety of specialized police vehicles and equipment.
• Applicable safety procedures, practices and industry standards.
• Modern office practices, methods, procedures and equipment.
• Record-keeping principles, procedures, and techniques.
• Health and safety laws, regulations and policies applicable to assigned tasks.
• Education and training related to industry standards, state requirements and career development.
• Basic first aid procedures.
• Computer hardware and software, including office applications, records management systems, data entry and web-based training resources.

Skills and Abilities to:

• Learn, read, interpret, apply and explain laws, codes, rules, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Exercise independent discretion when responding to emergencies.
• Protect the lives, property and constitutional rights of the citizens of Richland.
• Present evidence and testimony in court.
• Follow oral and written instructions.
• Observe legal and defensive driving practices.
• Maintain current knowledge of the law and modern law enforcement techniques.
• Respond to crime and emergency scenes and take immediate and appropriate action.
• Maintain proficiency in driving and in the use of firearms in accordance with departmental guidelines.
• Analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action.
• Participate in specialized programs and assignments to support police-related activities and community relations.
• Understand and work within scope of authority.
• Comply with health and safety standards and regulations.
• Perform strenuous physical tasks such as running and subduing fleeing suspects, climbing fences and lifting and carrying injured persons.
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing; comprehend and use English effectively including producing all forms of communications in a clear, concise and understandable manner to intended audiences.
• Organize and prioritize a variety of projects and multiple tasks in an effective and timely manner; work independently with little or no direction, set priorities and meet deadlines.
• Use tact, initiative, prudence and independent judgment within general policy, procedural and legal guidelines.
• Establish, maintain and foster positive and effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
• Operates a variety of modern office equipment and personal computers in a windows-based computing environment using standard or customized software application programs appropriate to assigned activities.
• Provides continuous effort to improve operations, decrease turnaround times, streamline work processes, and work cooperatively and jointly to provide quality customer service.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

· High school diploma or equivalent.

· Completion of initial written and physical agility exams as outlined by the City of Richland’s protocols.

LICENSES, CERTIFICATIONS & OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

· Valid Washington State driver’s license upon hire date.

· Twenty-one (21) years of age at time of application.

· U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or a deferred action for childhood arrivals recipient.

· Obtain a Basic Law Enforcement School Certificate issued by the State of Washington Criminal Justice Training Commission (Out of state candidates, who have previously certified in another state, must pass the CJTC equivalency examination) within six (6) months of hire date.

· Satisfactorily complete field training provided the Richland Police Department, in which methods, procedures and techniques of law enforcement work are presented by field training officers, before completion of probationary period.

WORKING CONDITIONS

The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. The work environment characteristics described are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Environment:

• Typically performed in the field, which requires travel daily of Richland City streets.
• The position involves work outdoors on a year-round basis and is subject to extreme weather conditions
• The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet to moderate, depending on whether in the office and/or in the field.
• May be exposed to moving mechanical parts and vehicles within an accident site.
• May be exposed toverbal abuse and violence in the line of duty.
• Employees may interact with upset staff and/or public and private representatives in interpreting and enforcing departmental policies/procedures and state laws.

Physical Demands:

• Operate a motorized vehicle which includes driving in inclement weather conditions, including high speed chases.
• Operate standard equipment for assigned tasks.
• Ability to sit, stand, walk, bend, lift, reach with arms and hands, kneel, crouch, crawl and stretch, the ability to climb or balance.
• Ability to lift, push, carry and pull materials, objects or persons weighing up to 100 lbs. on occasion using the assistance of others and proper lifting techniques.
• Ability to run, jump, climb fences, fight and shoot in stressful situations.
• Physical strength to restrain and control persons and physically defend self.
• Manual dexterity of hands and fingers to handle or operated objects, controls, tools or guns in the performance of assigned tasks, to include repetitive keyboarding, grasping, and reaching to operate a computer keyboard, mouse and/or standard office equipment.
• Corrected vision for closeness, distance, color, peripheral and depth perception, with the ability to adjust focus, and to read print and a computer screen.
• Hear and speak to communicate in person, before groups, and over the telephone.

Richland Police Department - Police Officer has 6 vacancies.

We are actively accepting lateral, exceptional entry level, and entry-level applications for the Police Officer position, and will be holding oral boards monthly until all position vacancies are filled.

See the following links for salary/benefits informational fliers: Hiring Brochure and Recruitment Flyer. To view the current Police Guild CBA for more information on salary and benefits, please visit the City's benefits and compensation page.

See the following links for salary/benefits informational fliers: Entry Level Police, Lateral Police Officer, Exceptional Entry Level. To view the current Police Guild CBA for more information on salary and benefits, please visit the City's benefits and compensation page.