Clarification from the agency

ALL US CITIZENS DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.201) for this occupation.

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• Protects the civil rights of all individuals on VA controlled property;
• Prevents, detect and investigate crimes;
• Patrols assigned areas on foot or by motor vehicle;
• Subdues persons causing disturbance or who threaten harm to themselves or others;
• Follows rules/procedures concerning search and seizure of evidence and contraband;
• Obtains search and arrest warrants;
• Arrests violators;
• Provides basic first aid and CPR prior to arrival of emergency medical personnel;
• Prepares report of activities and events that occurred during shift;
• Performs traffic control; and
• Assists citizens in emergency situations;
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Designated Drug-Testing Position: 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 VA. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test result is received.

A current, valid state-issued Driver's License is required for this position. *** There are 8 different Community Based Outpatient Clinics that fall under Greater LA location that you may be required to travel or could be assigned.

Work Schedule: Compressed/Flexible Schedule. Candidates must be willing to work weekends, irregular work hours 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.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Police Officer/PD99925-A, PD99925A, and PD99925S
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required
Retention Incentives Authorized: Authorized (please refer to "Additional Information" below).

Conditions of employment

• At the time of application, you must be a US Citizen to apply for this position.
• Selected applicants are required to successfully complete a comprehensive medical and psychological examination prior to entering on duty to determine fitness for duty as a Police Officer.
• Selected applicants are required to successfully complete a background Investigation, which may include the administration of a polygraph examination.
• New VA Police Officers are required to attend a ten-week course at the VA Law Enforcement Training Center in Little Rock, Arkansas.
• A Police Officer may be expected to continue irregular duty hours either at the Medical Center, local police offices, or at court especially during investigations of serious criminal incidents.
• Working Conditions may include people experiencing extreme poverty and personal hardship, such as separation from family who are difficult, hostile or distressed. Investigators also may witness drowning's, vehicle accidents, and other tragedies.
• Applicants are required to undergo and successfully pass a pre-employment drug screening test and must submit to random drug testing after employment.
• Applicants are required to undergo and successfully pass a pre-employment physical.

Qualifications

All applicants are highly encouraged to apply to both GS-05 & GS-06 grade level positions to increase the likelihood of appearing on a certificate.

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

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-05 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-04 and for the GS-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

For the Police Officer, GS-5 position:
Applicants must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-4 level in the federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector that has given you the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of a Police Officer, including: 1) Applying knowledge of law enforcement operations, practices, and techniques to perform routine/recurring assignments and maintaining order to protect life and property; 2) Preparing police reports concerning incidents and actions taken; 3) Responding to emergency calls for service while adhering to state and federal laws; and 4) Patrolling areas to detect, deter, and defend against threats.

***NOTE: This information must be supported in your resume. 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. At this level, police work must have included patrolling assigned area(s) to enforce laws and ordinances, regulate traffic, control crowds, prevent crimes and/or arrest violators. Experience as a security guard or corrections officer is generally NOT qualifying. Note: 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; ~OR~ Please see requirements for substitution of education below.

For the Police Officer, GS-6 position:
Applicants must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector that has given you the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of a Police Officer, including: 1) Issuing citations for violations of the law; 2) Preparing reports and orders for dissemination to other law enforcement officials; 3) Protecting property, equipment, data, or materials; 4) Taking initial complaints; interviewing witnesses; securing a crime scene and conducting limited searches; 5) Responding to emergency situations; 6) Gathering information and preparing reports; 7) Conducting routine patrol, traffic control, and traffic accident investigations.


You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

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

Investigation of Fitness
A character investigation may be conducted on applicants selected for employment. The purpose of such an investigation is to secure evidence of the candidate's honesty, integrity, general character, and loyalty to the U.S. Government. Such investigations will be conducted under the security requirements of the hiring agency.

Medical Requirements
The duties of these positions require moderate to arduous physical exertion and/or duties of a hazardous nature. The following medical requirements apply to all applicants: good near and distant vision, ability to distinguish basic colors, and ability to hear the conversational voice. Agencies may establish additional, job-related physical or medical requirements provided that the specific position(s) involves the arduous or hazardous duties to which the physical requirements relate.

Applicants and employees must have the capacity to perform the essential functions of the position without risk to themselves or others. Applicants and employees must possess emotional and mental stability. In most instances, a specific medical condition or impairment will not automatically disqualify an applicant or employee. A medical condition or impairment is disqualifying only if the condition, for good medical reason, precludes assignment to or warrants restriction from the duties of the specific position. For some positions, the loss or impairment of a specific function may be compensated for by the satisfactory use of a prosthesis or mechanical aid. Reasonable accommodation shall also be considered in determining an applicant's ability to perform the duties of a position. Reasonable accommodation may include, but is not limited to the use of assistive devices, job modification or restructuring, provision of readers and interpreters, or adjusted work schedules.

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.

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.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

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.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.