Clarification from the agency

ALL US CITIZENS DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.205) for this occupation.

At the full performance level (GS-07) the major duties of this position include but are not limited to the following:

• Conducts investigations, apprehensions and detentions of individuals suspected or convicted of offenses against the criminal laws of the United States.
• Protects individuals during any given situation against threats to personal safety when enforcing laws and regulations.
• Responds immediately to and engages potentially armed individuals during active threat response situations.
• Responds to highly dangerous and active crimes in progress, making independent decisions and taking immediate steps to preserve life and property.
• Mitigates opportunities for assault, illegal entry, and theft involving highly protected information, property and/or processes at facilities containing special protective methods.
• Reacts to neutralize threats, secure resources and mitigate further risk to personnel or property.
• Provides patrol in vehicles, by foot and/or on a bicycle.
• Responds to calls for police assistance, irregularities, and unusual or suspicious circumstances.
• Conducts asset protection during transport.
• Writes comprehensive incident reports.
• Provides policing services in various environments where each type of jurisdiction (Exclusive, Concurrent and Proprietorial) has different enforcement rules.
• Seeks, detects, seizes, and protects evidence and witnesses at the scene of an incident.
• Detects and intervenes in criminal activity.
• Enforces traffic rules and regulations, including those related to speeding and reckless operation of vehicles while impaired or intoxicated.
• Conducts investigative contacts/stops, exercising search and arrest authority, detaining witnesses, and apprehending suspects.
• Advises individuals of their rights (such as Miranda, Weingarten, Garrity, etc.), and protecting the constitutional and civil rights of persons.
• Intervenes, when necessary, to deescalate situations and determine when and how much force must be applied.
• Conducts prisoner transports to holding facilities and courts as required.
• Executes disaster response and recovery procedures.
• Provides Basic Life Support (BLS) to injured personnel and coordinates additional emergency response when needed.
• Coordinates and directs search, rescue, and recovery for persons at high risk (e.g., missing or wandering patients, minors, etc.), including coordinating with local surrounding police departments to expand the search parameters.
• Investigates incidents and takes steps to mitigate further risk and resolve situations.
• Performs and provides training on drug and contraband intervention where contraband identification and knowledge is imperative.
• Intervenes, when needed, to deescalate active suicidal behavior and/or prevents suicides.
• Prepares case files and testifying in court as it pertains to enforcing laws and regulations.

Work Schedule: 12 hour shifts 7A-7P or 7P-7A that require weekdays, weekends and holidays.
* Candidates must be willing to work 12 hour shifts to include weekends and holidays and extended hours if determined by the needs of the service. Furthermore, candidates must be willing to be placed, detailed, or temporarily assigned to other related services and/or locations, if necessary.
Position Description Title/PD#: Police Officer/PD99926S
Physical Requirements: The work requires, on a regular and recurring basis, considerable and strenuous physical exertion such as running, frequent climbing of multiple flights of stairs, and carrying items weighing over 50 pounds. It requires stamina, physical agility, dexterity, and the strength to pursue, apprehend or detain persons who are often uncooperative, assaultive, and/or armed.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
• Subject to a background/suitability investigation
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• May serve a probationary period
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AT VA FACILITIES

• Law Enforcement personnel are required to carry agency-approved firearms while on duty on VA property must achieve and maintain qualification with the agency-approved firearm as condition of gaining and continuing employment.
• Applicants selected for this position must be proficient in the English language in accordance with Public Law 94-102 dated November 23, 1977.
• An individual who is convicted of a domestic violence charge cannot be authorized to own, be issued, purchase, or otherwise have possession of a handgun under the Lautenberg Amendment (PL 104-208) to the Gun Control Act of 1968 (18 USC 922).
• A background security investigation will be required for all new hires. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication.
• This is a drug testing position. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with the VA.
• Arrest Authority: At the GS-06 grade level and above applicants should have arresting authority - presently or in the past. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on OPM's web site at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications.
• New VA Police Officers are required to successfully complete the 8-week Basic Police Officer Course in Little Rock, Arkansas. Satisfactory completion of this course is a condition of continued employment.
• The incumbent must meet and maintain physical, psychological, and weapons qualifications as outlined in VA Directives/Handbooks 0730 and 0720.Incumbent must successfully complete an annual physical and psychological examination.
• Certification in basic CPR is required. The in incumbent is trained in the use of the automatic emergency defibrillator (AED).
• Must maintain a valid state driver's license.
• Will be required to carry Law Enforcement Credentials in the performance of official duties.
• Failure to successfully meet the above could be grounds for termination.

Specialized Experience GS-07
To qualify for the GS-07 level, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-06 level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: knowledge of a body of basic laws and regulations, law enforcement operations, practices, and techniques and involved responsibility for maintaining order and protecting life and property. Specialized experience includes: 1. Conducting investigations, apprehensions and detentions of persons suspected or convicted of criminal violations; 2. Maintaining order to protect life and property; 3. Taking initial complaints; 4. Interviewing witnesses; 5. Securing a crime scene and conducting limited searches; 6. Responding to emergency situations; 7. Gathering information and preparing reports; and 8. Conducting routine patrol, traffic control, and traffic accident investigations.

Creditable specialized experience may have been gained in work on a police force; through service as a military police officer; in work providing visitor protection and law enforcement in parks, forests, or other natural resource or recreational environments; in performing criminal investigative duties; or in other work that provided the required knowledge and skills. Experience as a security guard or corrections officer is generally not qualifying.

Note: You must provide detailed information of your experience performed. Information such as "I was a Patrolman", "I was a Police Officer for a number of years," or "I enforced Federal, State, county, and laws" is insufficient to determine your qualifications. Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hour worked per week.

SCREEN-OUT ELEMENT: Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element, which usually appears as question 1 in the on-line questionnaire. Those applicants who appear to possess at least the minimal acceptable qualification requirement are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated. The potential eligibles are then rated against the remainder of the Job Elements:

• Arrest
• Criminal Investigation
• First Response
• Public Safety and Security
• Security

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Conditions of Employment:

• Must be qualified in the use of the departmental approved firearm and be able to qualify semi-annually with their assigned firearm.
• Must maintain a valid State Driver's License. (This will be collected during interview or following hiring selection)
• Must maintain their bi-annual certification in CPR - Basic Life Support.
• Must Maintain certification as a VA Police Officer
• Must successfully pass an annual physical and psychological examination. The position is expected to maintain a high standard of physical fitness and hand and eye coordination in order to maintain semi-annual qualification with the assigned firearm and annual qualification with the assigned departmental issued intermediate weapons.
• Officers are required to work rotating or flexible shifts. When needed and/or required to meet the Police Mission, normal tours of duty are supplemented with augmentation tours consisting of 8, 10 and 12-hour shifts. The employee is subject to random drug testing.
• Must be able to maintain a favorable adjudicated Minimum Background Investigation (MBI).
• This position is covered by the Domestic Violence Misdemeanor Amendment (30 Sep 96) of the Gun Control Act (Lautenberg Amendment) of 1968. An individual convicted of a qualifying crime of domestic violence may not perform the duties of the position.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received.