School Resource Officer/Certified Officer

Description

School Resource Officer/Certified Officer Pay:  $24.95 per hour

Schedule:

Days: Monday – Friday

Hours: 8:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.

Definition:  Under general supervision, performs a variety of investigative/law enforcement work associated with juveniles and adults, provide a safe school environment, mentor juveniles, teach a variety of subjects, develop community relationships, and develop and maintain community policing programs.

Essential Functions: Required to make decisions regarding criminal activities, assessing unusual circumstances, determine various approaches and research incomplete or conflicting data.  Provide a safe environment inside and outside the school setting.  Develop relationship with students, staff, and the community. Flexibility and judgement are required to interpret and adapt guidelines within state statutes, department policy, precedents, and regulations to each case being called upon.

Tasks:

• Conduct comprehensive criminal investigations for misdemeanor and felony crimes such as, burglary, public affray, battery, crimes against children, missing persons, harassment, fraud, and juvenile delinquent acts. 
• Responds to calls and complaints involving batteries, assaults, sexual assaults of adults and children, domestic disturbances, other criminal activities, and civil complaints to secure the crime scene, identify witnesses, conduct preliminary investigations, and generally re-establish law and order at the scene.
• Interview/interrogate victims, suspects, and witnesses to obtain and verify information pertinent to the investigation and resolution of a variety of criminal/potentially criminal incidents.
• Prepare reports, criminal complaints, search warrant affidavits, and other related technical/legal documents.
• Appears in court to present evidence and sworn testimony on behalf of the State or City.
• Develop relationships with school staff, administrators, mental health professionals, and community organizations to provide a holistic approach to student well-being, addressing both safety concerns and the social-emotional needs of students and school staff.
• Problem-solving and conflict resolution within the school setting, such as conflicts between students, bullying incidents, and harassment.
• Focus on education and prevention by proactively implementing programs related to substance abuse, conflict resolution, bullying prevention, and other relevant topics.

• Create a safe and welcoming environment where students and school staff are comfortable approaching officers about concerns while demonstrating empathy, understanding, sensitivity, and building trust.
• Conduct security evaluations ensuring required drills are completed and evaluate drill competency.
• Provide for security and safety plans and ensure manning for school events.
• Develop and manage community policing programs by evaluating and tracking community needs.
• Build relationships with community groups and businesses as partners in community policing programs.

Knowledge, Abilities, Skills, and Other Characteristics:

• Knowledge of problem-solving and critical thinking techniques and methods.
• Knowledge of Federal, State and Municipal laws and ordinances.
• Knowledge of law enforcement principles and practices, including investigation, identification, and custody of persons and property and Magistrate and District Court procedures.
• Knowledge of the equipment used in law enforcement, including weaponry, evidence processing tools, and communications.
• Knowledge of youth development, understanding the unique needs, challenges, and development stages of juveniles to appropriately interact with students and address their concerns.

§  Ability to marshal community resources outside and inside the law enforcement community.

• Ability to develop community and neighborhood partnerships.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other law enforcement/regulatory agency/organization staff, city officials, criminal justice system staff, Artesia Public Schools, and the public.
• Ability to understand and interpret complex statutes, ordinances, regulations, and standards and properly prepare and process needed documents such as criminal complaints, juvenile citations, and affidavits.
• Skills in conducting investigations of criminal activities.
• Ability to travel outside the city, county and state when required.

Qualifications: 

• Applicant must be 21 years of age at time of hire.
• Graduation from a standard senior high school or equivalent.
• Applicant must pass a rigid background check.
• Applicant cannot have been convicted of any felonies, nor a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude.
• Applicant cannot have a conviction for Driving While Intoxicated (D.W. I.) within the past three years.
• Applicant cannot have a conviction for Domestic Battery.
• Must possess and maintain a valid New Mexico Driver’s License.
• Applicant must pass a post-offer pre-employment physical, psychological and vision examination. 
• Applicant must pass rigid drug screen requirements.
• Must possess and maintain certification as a State of New Mexico Police Officer or be approved for certification via the NMDPS Certification by Waiver course.
• Must be a United States citizen.

• Must live within a 65-mile radius as measured from the intersection of 13^th and Main Streets in Artesia, NM. 

• Three (3) years’ full-time experience in law enforcement as a sworn officer.
• Advanced training or formal education in mental health awareness, instructor development, school resource officer, and adolescent development accredited by the New Mexico Department of Public Safety or obtained through a reputable provider of such training is preferred.
• Must have the ability to be trained in basic school resource officer certification, instructor development, mental health awareness, crime prevention through environmental design.

Physical Functions:

• Ability to sit for up to eight hours per day with the opportunity to stand and walk intermittently.
• Ability to walk up to four hours per day with the opportunity to stand and sit intermittently. 
• Ability to stand up to two hours per day with the opportunity to sit and walk intermittently.

§  Ability to bend at waist and twist/rotate waist, crouch, climb, kneel, crawl, and remain in a prone position during crime scene processing or in an emergency situation.

• Ability to carry ten pounds on waist and four pounds on chest for a full shift.
• Ability to work with arms bent and extended throughout the workday.  May be required to work with arms extended for a longer period of time during an emergency situation or while on a crime scene.
• Ability to push and pull with arms up to fifty pounds with force during an emergency situation.  Ability to twist/rotate arms during an emergency situation.
• Ability to lift and carry items such as: fire extinguisher, first aid kit, evidence kit, ballistic shield, patrol rifle and shotgun to and from vehicle as needed.  These items can weigh up to fifty pounds.  May be required to lift and carry animals and people during an emergency situation.
• Ability to push and pull with legs with a force of up to fifty pounds plus, twist and rotate legs, and balance on feet during an emergency situation.
• Ability to operate a patrol vehicle or an unmarked unit with automatic transmission.
• Ability to safely and accurately utilize issued weapon systems.
• Ability to grasp and manipulate objects with hands and perform five finger dexterity movements throughout the workday.  This hand work requires good hand-eye coordination and may require bilateral coordination of hands throughout the workday.

Working Conditions:

• Performs duties both inside and outside of a controlled environment.  The amount of time spent inside a controlled environment versus outside such an environment will vary depending on the duty assignments given as an SRO team member and the types of activities being investigated.  Employees are commonly exposed to temperature extremes and other environmental extremes to include biohazards and chemical hazards depending on the weather, and location of the work assigned.
• Employees are commonly exposed to intermittent noise factors such as sirens, gunfire, and loud voices.  In addition, employee may be exposed to intermittent body exertion such as shooting firearms, off-road travel, physical confrontation, running and climbing.
• Employees may be exposed to the following hazardous conditions:  Physical confrontation, driving hazards, high speed chases, animals, gunfire, rescue attempts in difficult terrain, and remote possibility of hazardous materials spill/environments.
• Employee may be exposed to exhaust fumes, human and animal odors, dusts, and mists.
• Employee may work on even carpeted/tiled floors, concrete, and asphalt.  Employee may also work on uneven ground, which could be natural ground.  Employee may be required to climb stairs, ladders, work on inclines or ramps, and catwalks or scaffolding.  The working surface may be dry, wet, or slippery.
• Employee may work alone with or without direction, may work with one or two other people, and at times may work with a large group of people.
• Employee may work in and around blood, semen, urine, and other possible biohazards.

Equipment, Tools, and Materials

• Utilizes the following tools and equipment:  Computers and computer software, cell phone, radio, marked SRO unit, body camera, firearm, shotgun, patrol rifle, flashlight, handcuffs, lights/siren/PA system, first aid kit, entry tools, and fire extinguisher.

Are you a returning applicant?