Duties
The major duties of the Police Officer include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Prevents, detects, and investigates criminal activity.
- Critical awareness of extraordinary conditions or circumstances that indicated criminal potential or criminal activity.
- Diligent patrol of assigned beats to reduce and deter the opportunity for the commission of crime.
- Detect violations of the law and make apprehensions when appropriate.
- Cooperate with and assist members of the Force, as well as other law enforcement agencies.
- Safeguards the characteristics and facilities of the parks and other areas of responsibility.
- Maintains and displays a professional self-assured presence and a self-confident manner; controls or contains demonstrations; maintains control over special events such as parades, festivals, and athletic events.
- Provides service, assistance, and information to the public consistent with assigned duties.
Specialty Units are available to officers depending on competitive selection process and completion of training. The United States Park Police offers the following full-time specialized units:
- Motorcycle Unit
- Aviation Unit
- Special Weapons and Tactics (S.W.A.T.)
- K-9 Unit
- Marine Patrol Unit
- Major Crimes Unit
- Crime Scene Identification Unit
- Narcotics and Vice Unit
- Traffic Safety Unit
- Horse Mounted Patrol
- Intelligence and Counterterrorism Branch
- Physical Security/ Icon Protection Unit
- Multi-Agency Task Force positions
- Dignitary Protection
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- U.S. Citizenship required.
- Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males.
- Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
- High School Graduate or earned General Education Development (GED).
- Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
- You will be required to submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test result prior to appointment. In addition, this position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use.
- You will be required to pass a pre-employment medical exam. In addition, this position is subject to biennial medical exams up to age 40 and annually beyond age 40.
- If you are a new employee or supervisor in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
- You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.
- You will be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver's license is required at the time of application.
- Must be able to legally possess firearms under the Lautenberg Amendment to the 1968 Gun Control Act. You will be required to maintain firearms proficiency.
- You must obtain and maintain a government charge card for travel purposes and may be required to travel overnight away from home.
- You will be required to maintain a Law Enforcement Commission.
- Meet the age requirements outlined below.
- Must meet vision requirements.
- Must not have any Felony Convictions.
- Must not have any convictions of Domestic Violence.
- Multiple misdemeanor conviction's may also be subject to disqualification.
- Additional circumstances presented during the application process that indicate a disregard for the Public Trust, at the discretion of the Agency, may be cause for disqualification according to requirements of 5 CFR 731.202(b) and Agency Qualification Standards.
- Achieve and maintain at least a "Secret" level security clearance.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position at the SP-01 grade level, you must possess all of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:
EXPERIENCE: You must have at least two years of progressively responsible experience that demonstrates the ability to learn and apply detailed and complex regulations and procedures that involve making sound judgment based on the application of directions, regulations, or laws. Examples of qualifying examples include, but are not limited to: Work on a police force, service as a military police officer, specialized military experience, security guards, physical security, visitor protection and law enforcement in parks, forest, or other natural resources or recreational environments, and/or criminal investigations; qualifying experience not immediately related to law enforcement may include, but is not limited to supervisory/managerial experience or personal work related experience that demonstrates the ability to independently manage critical tasks.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Successful completion of 60 credits hours/2 years of higher education.
-OR-
Successful completion of a COMBINATION of education and experience as described above.
Volunteer Experience: 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; religious; 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.
Education
To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above. Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Veterans with a service connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher. Under Category Rating, candidates will be rated and ranked into one of three categories:
- Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position
- Well Qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job
- Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.