School Police Officer

Position Definition:  The School Police Officer will have the responsibility to protect and maintain a safe and secure school environment for educators and students. 

Relationship:  The School Police Officer shall be directly responsible to the Supervisor of Special Education.

Qualifications: 

Education/Experience: 

• Associates Degree in Criminal Justice or related field, preferred.

• PA State Police Academy Training.

   

Skills/Knowledge: 

• Possesses the ability to work independently in assigned settings and in a team environment.
• Maintains complete confidentiality.
• Demonstrates the ability to make professional decisions.
• Demonstrates the ability to learn, apply, and follow CLIU and SPS procedures, policies, and protocols efficiently and accurately.
• Possesses excellent interpersonal skills, demonstrated by patience, understanding, and congeniality.
• Possesses excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Possesses the ability to conduct a thorough and fair criminal investigation.
• Possesses the ability to organize, plan, and manage job responsibilities in order to complete assignments with minimal supervision.
• Possesses the ability to complete tasks with attention to detail and accuracy.
• Possesses the skills to provide the highest level of customer service, with patience and knowledge of the Department's services.

Physical:

• Ability to stand, bend, stoop, sit, lift, reach, and communicate (vision, hearing, and speech) to effectively carry out functions, duties, and responsibilities.
• Exerting up to twenty (20) pounds of force occasionally and/or up to forty (40) pounds of force as frequently as needed to move objects.
• Ability to independently ambulate in and around office areas.
• Ability to travel to and from assigned work locations without employer support.
• Speaking and hearing ability sufficient to communicate effectively by phone or in person at normal volumes.
• Vision ability adequate to read correspondence, computer screen, forms, etc.
• Ability to exhibit appropriate manual dexterity to effectively carry out functions, duties, and responsibilities.
• Ability to conduct a safety restraint protocol which requires:
• a normal degree of flexibility;
• the ability to stand, walk, run, and shuffle for at least several minutes;
• the ability to kneel on one and two knees and then stand up;
• the ability to bend the trunk at 45 degrees and twist to either side;
• the ability to grasp firmly and raise hands above the head;
• the ability to learn and correctly demonstrate multi-step physical skills

Authority:  The School Police Officer will have the authority to perform all functions listed below, in accordance with established policies and procedures.

Functions/Duties/Responsibilities: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function/duty/responsibility at acceptable standards. In accordance with both state and/or federal law, reasonable accommodations will be considered upon employee request.

Essential:

• Investigates and takes appropriate action of allegations of criminal incidents, in accordance with SPS protocols.
• Provides law enforcement and police services to the school, school grounds, and school buses.
• Acts as a liaison between law enforcement and school.
• Acts as a role model to students.
• Enforces state and local law ordinances; makes appropriate referrals to juvenile authorities or government agencies.
• Prevents juvenile delinquency through close contact and positive relationships with students.
• Develops crime prevention programs and conducts security inspections to deter criminal or delinquent activities.
• Establishes and maintains close partnership with school administration to provide a safe school environment.
• Visible within the school community; attends and participates in school functions.
• Builds a working relationship with student and parent groups.
• Works with student support staff to assist students and provide services to students involved in situations where referrals to service agencies are necessary.
• Assists in conflict resolution efforts.
• Assists school counselor with truancy cases.
• Initiates interaction with students in classrooms and general areas of school buildings.
• Maintains effective working relationships with persons affiliated with the school district and persons from outside agencies.
• Completes necessary reports and forms, in accordance with departmental procedures.
• Follows work schedule as approved by Supervisor of Special Education.

Secondary: 

• Performs other duties as assigned by Supervisor of Special Programs and Services, and/or designee.