Community Outreach Specialist

Salary : $76,939.20 - $95,867.20 Annually

Location : Coon Rapids, MN

Job Type : Full time

Job Number : 202500331

Department : Police

Opening Date : 01 / 28 / 2025

Closing Date : 2 / 9 / 2025 11 : 59 PM Central

Summary of Position

Are you passionate about building strong connections, fostering community engagement, and making a positive impact? Join the Coon Rapids Police Department as a Community Outreach Specialist and play a key role in strengthening relationships between law enforcement and our community! Under direct supervision of the Police Captain, non-sworn position is responsible for facilitating positive police / community relations; implementing and maintaining community-based crime prevention efforts; implementing, maintaining and monitoring online / social media crime prevention efforts; supporting community-wide outreach and engagement; analyzing crime trends and disseminating data for strategic and tactical use.

The City of Coon Rapids employs a great team of people dedicated and service centered! Our mission revolves around the understanding that only together, can we provide outstanding leadership and services that strengthen our community. Serving our Citizens and local businesses is essential in our work. Our vision is to strengthen our community with a respectful, collaborative, and innovative employee culture that values employee growth, personal balance, and contagious enthusiasm. Our core values include dedication to essentials such as trust, teamwork, innovation and commitment to excellence!

Hiring Range : $36.99 - $39.10 / hr

Salary Range : $36.99 - $46.09 / hr

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The City of Coon Rapids is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and actively seeks a diverse workforce that reflects the community we serve. The City welcomes, and encourages any qualified applicant to apply regardless of race (including traits associated with race, including but not limited to, hair texture and hair styles such as braids, locks and twists), color, creed, religion, familial status, sex (including pregnancy or related conditions, gender identity / expression, and sexual orientation), parental status, marital status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, political affiliation, military service, or other non-merit based factors or any other basis protected by law.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Essential duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.

• Assists in the development and implementation of new initiatives or programs that address crime problems in the City and facilitates positive police / community relations and encourages citizen and commercial participation in selected crime prevention programs.
• Monitors, designs and edits a variety of public informational materials disseminated via social media as well as broadcast and print news media, ensuring appropriate messaging of positive, educational, public safety or crime-related information based on intended audiences.
• Disseminates relevant crime prevention, crime statistical information and safety information to residents, businesses and civic organizations in an appropriate manner.
• Prepares crime statistics and annual reports at the request of department and City staff.
• Initiates and maintains Community Watch programs including Nextdoor and others.
• Assists in coordinating on-going public relations activities.
• Assists other departments in community engagement efforts, as needed.
• Responds to a variety of public inquiries in a courteous manner; provides appropriate information within the area of assignment; responds quickly and effectively to incoming calls / emails regarding questions, comments or complaints, or redirects them appropriately.
• Maintains regular and reliable attendance during scheduled work hours and outside regular hours as necessary.
• Maintains positive professional working relationships with all staff levels, other jurisdictions and outside agencies, and the general public.
• Performs essential position duties and responsibilities under the working conductions and physical demands described herein.
• Provides effective and respectful communication and interactions with other employees, supervisors, individuals from other organizations, and citizen customers.
• Performs other related functions as apparent or delegated.
• Technical skills to design studies and reports to accurately depict the Police Department and emerging trends.
• Analyze crime trends, crime patterns and accident statistics using GIS mapping to identify and direct targeted enforcement activities in conjunction with department supervisors.
• Create Coon Rapids-based information advisories to share timely information with department staff, community members, local businesses and public safety partners.
• Provide staff with real-time intelligence during critical incidents
• Network with analysts and crime prevention specialists from other departments to promote information sharing.
• Manage the information flow from regional, statewide and federal agencies in an accurate, efficient and legal manner.

Required Knowledge and Abilities

To perform this position successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and / or abilities required.

Knowledge of :

Ability to :

Service - We value outstanding service. Our City deserves the best.

Qualifications and Other Information

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS :

A combination of training and experience substantially equivalent to the following :

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS :

PHYSICAL DEMANDS :

The physical demands described herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential duties of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions.

This work requires the occasional exertion of up to 10 pounds; work regularly requires sitting, speaking or hearing, using hands to finger, handle or feel and repetitive motions and occasionally requires standing, walking, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling, reaching with hands and arms, pushing or pulling and lifting; work has standard vision requirements; vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, operating machines and observing general surroundings and activities; work has no exposure to environmental conditions; work is generally in a moderately noisy location (e.g. business office, light traffic).

EQUIPMENT / JOB LOCATION :

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT :

The position description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.

The City of Coon Rapids is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.

For additional City benefit information please click the link below.

By checking yes below, you indicate you have thoroughly completed the City application, which includes providing all previous employers and reasons for leaving all past jobs. Incomplete responses or a response that refers us to "See Resume" or "See Previous Response" may disqualify your application. If you haven't thoroughly completed the application, you will need to go back and complete the information to be considered an applicant. Additionally, you acknowledge that you have completed the all of the supplemental questions. Failure to provide complete responses to all of the supplemental questions may negatively impact further advancement in the hiring process. I have read and understand the above instructions regarding my application.

In order to be considered for this position candidates must meet the minimum qualification which are listed below. Please review and answer - do you possess all the minimum qualifications?

What is your highest level of education?

If you answered you the above question that you have a degree, what major(s) do you hold your degree in?

Do you have previous experience in a similar role (Media Relations, Public Information, or Community Engagement)?

Do you possess a valid MN driver's license with a good driving record?

Please select below software programs you've used professionally, and have at least one year of experience. Check all that apply.

Do you have experience preparing and analyzing complex data and comprehensive reports?

Do you have experience managing multiple social media platforms with a professional organization?

Are you eligible for veteran's preference points?The City of Coon Rapids operates under a point preference system, which awards points to qualified veterans to supplement their application. Ten points are granted to non-disabled veterans on open competitive examinations; 15 points are awarded if the veteran has a service connected compensable disability as certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA).To qualify for preference for a competitive exam, you must have a passing score for the position and be a qualified veteran. Qualified veteran means a citizen of the United States or a resident alien separated from active duty under honorable conditions from any branch of the United States armed forces : 1) after having served on active duty for 181 consecutive days; OR2) by reason of disability incurred while serving on active duty; OR3) who has met the minimum active duty required as defined by Code of Federal Regulations, Title 38, Section 3.12a; OR4) who has active military service certified under section 401, Public Law 85-202.Active military service must be certified by the United States Secretary of Defense as active military service and a discharge under honorable conditions must be issued by the Secretary. Veterans preference may be used by the surviving spouse of a deceased veteran and by the spouse of a disabled veteran who, because of the disability, is unable to qualify. You are ineligible to receive points if are were divorced from the veteran or were widowed and have remarried.Claims must be made on this application and documentation submitted within seven days of the application deadline for the position for which you are applying. The information you provide will be used to determine your eligibility for veteran's preference points. You are not required to supply this information, but we cannot award veteran's preference points without it. You must submit a copy of the "Member Copy 4" of your DD214 or other military documents to substantiate the service information requested. Additional preference is awarded to qualified disabled veterans. Disabled veterans must also supply a letter from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Spouses applying for preference must supply the "Member Copy 4" of the veteran's DD214 and the veteran's letter from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or proof of death.Documentation must be within seven days of the application deadline. If your supporting documentation is not submitted within seven days of the application deadline, Veterans Preference Points will not be awarded.

Required Question

Salary : $76,939 - $95,867