POLICE OFFICER

General Statement of Duties and Distinguishing Features of Class

The City of Mason Police Department is a community-oriented policing agency and believes that contemporary challenges require the police to provide full-service policing, proactive and reactive, by involving the community directly with them as partners in the process of identifying, prioritizing, and solving problems.  Citizens share in the rights and responsibilities implicit in identifying, prioritizing, and solving problems as full-fledged partners with the police.

The City of Mason provides police services to the citizens with an efficient complement of police officers who must operate in a broad range of police activities.  There are few specialized duty assignments in the Mason Police Department.  The Police Officer is relied upon by the City and the citizens for protection of life and property through the enforcement of state and local laws.

This is a public service job based in trust, credibility, and competency.  It is a critical requirement of this position that the incumbent displays the desire and ability to perform and behave (on duty, as well as off duty) in a manner that does not damage or endanger the loss of trust with the public, co-workers, and other public safety forces.  Candidate must meet the following qualifications and requirements at time of appointment. 

Examples of Work (Illustrative Only)

•  Patrols the city in a police cruiser for long periods of time.  In performing this function, is frequently confined to a sitting position in the cruiser for periods of at least two hours at a time, also frequently experiences activity requiring the officer to get in and out of the vehicle quickly and repeatedly;
• Engages in emergency driving activities including high speed response and high speed pursuit with emergency lights and siren;
• Pursues suspects on foot and, when performing this function, is called upon to run, jump, crawl, and climb;
• Arrests violators of the law and in performing this function, under some circumstances, physically subdues the violator and lifts the violator or otherwise physically places the violator into the police vehicle for transport;
• Carries a loaded handgun and, when circumstances require, fires it rapidly and accurately with either hand from a variety of positions in a variety of climatic and urban environments;
• Renders first aid including CPR at accident scenes and at calls for service;
• Reads and studies training materials, reports, evidence, and files;
•  Writes reports, takes witness statements, and keeps/maintains daily activity logs or journals;
• Observes events, persons, and circumstances which must be remembered and accurately related through testimony in court;
• Through spoken word, establishes order in unruly crowds and in small groups of individuals who are under great stress from fear, anxiety, or other emotional disturbance;
• Works rotating shifts; and
• Communicates by using radio equipment and must be able to hear and speak clearly, especially when excited and under stress.

Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities: The following is preferred:

• The Police Officer must maintain competency in firearms qualification requirements promulgated under the Ohio Revised Code and departmental policy
• Mentally, must be able to understand, interpret, and apply principles of police procedure in a variety of situations, must be able to comprehend, remember, and apply legal concepts involved in the administration of due process of law, and
• Must have a high degree of skill in interpersonal relations since Mason Police Officers have a great deal of public contact and must, by necessity, interact cooperatively within the Police Department; 
• The Police Officer operates in a paramilitary organization and must be able to accept and obey authority.

Minimum Education, Experience, and Requirements

• Applicants must be a U.S. citizen and must be a minimum of 21 years of age at time of NTN testing.
• Applicants must possess or be able to obtain a valid Ohio driver’s license by time of appointment, have a good driving record;
• Must possess a minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent;
• Non-Certified officers must complete state mandated training of 20 weeks, and;
• All officers must complete a City of Mason Police Field Training Program lasting 3 to 4 months;
• Officers are required to qualify several times a year with on- and off-duty weapons, as well as additional training on an electronic firearms system that focuses on prudent decision making in the use of force.