COUNTY POLICE SERGEANT

Code: 01421 Local Competitive

Official job specification

The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.

Definition

Under the supervision of a County Police Lieutenant during an assigned tour of duty, has charge of the police activities intended to provide assistance and protection for persons, safeguard property, ensure observance of the laws, and apprehends lawbreakers; does other related duties.

Examples of work

• Visits and inspects patrol areas.
• Notes and reports suspicious activity, fires, and accidents as to their condition and location.
• Receives complaints and conducts needed investigations.
• Provides needed information to citizens and other interested parties.
• Notes conditions which may affect public safety and takes appropriate action to ensure that persons and property are safeguarded and good order is maintained, and that police officers are doing their work properly.
• Ensures that needed police protection is provided when large sums of money are in transit, when there are fires, outbreaks and other conditions which may result in disorder and when large numbers of people congregate for any reason.
• When necessary, apprehends, warns or takes into custody violators of the law.
• Supervises, evaluates, trains and provides guidance to subordinate personnel; may perform all tasks assigned to a police officer.
• Exercises all powers and rights of police officers in criminal and civil matters, and functions as a law enforcement officer for the detection, apprehension, arrest and prosecution of offenders against the law.
• Supervises the detection/apprehension of lawbreakers, preparation of charges against them, and collection and presentation of evidence of their offenses.
• Supervises work operations and/or functional programs, and has responsibility for performance evaluations and for effectively recommending the hiring, firing, promoting, demoting, and/or disciplining of personnel.
• May be assigned to duty with various inter-agency or shared services operations or organizations
• Recommends acquisition of needed materials, equipment and facilities.
• Revises work schedule to meet changes in workload considering factors such as priorities, peak loads, availability of personnel, time requirements, difficulty of assignments, and capabilities of employees.
• May make recommendations concerning maintenance and replacement of equipment and maintenance and safety of facilities.
• Informs employees about policies, procedures, and practices of management as they relate to the work of the organizational component which may be a subdivision of the agency; such as a division, section, bureau, unit, or position that is established to provide a specific function.
• May receive and resolve complaints from personnel, referring grievances and serious complaints not resolved to higher level supervisors.
• May receive and investigate complaints against personnel and/or the agency, including anonymous complaints.
• Identifies developmental and training needs of personnel and makes provision for such development and training.
• Tours and inspects duty stations to ensure compliance with regulations, job duties and appearance standards.
• Patrols assigned areas or buildings to quell disturbances and to keep order.
• May train personnel in performance of job duties.
• May prepare and schedule work assignments of personnel and issue daily duty assignments.
• May prepare and submit activity and time reports to superiors.
• Discusses cases with subordinates and recommends courses of action.
• Prepares, and supervises staff, in the drafting of reports detailing organizational component activities and submits same to superiors.
• May prepare preliminary budget proposals and reports.
• Takes corrective action with staff for violation of regulations in accordance with agency policies and procedures and resolves personnel problems or refers them to higher authority.
• Supervises assigned organizational component(s).
• Analyzes, resolves, or assists personnel in resolving work problems.
• Evaluates reports on personnel and operations, determines priorities, and assigns personnel to cases.
• May assist subordinates in operations.
• Speaks before education, community and/or professional groups on various law enforcement and/or public safety topics.
• Gives testimony in court.
• Prepares and directs the preparation of reports.
• Keeps needed records and files.
• Supervises subordinate police officers in performance of their patrol or duty.
• Will be required to learn how to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and computerized information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.

Education

Graduation from High School or Vocational High School or possession of an approved High School Equivalent Certificate.

Experience

Three (3) years of experience as a sworn law enforcement officer with a recognized law enforcement agency in work involving the investigation of criminal activities and apprehension of violators of the law.

<b>AGE:</b>

Minimum of eighteen (18) years of age.

License

Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey.

<b>SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS:</b>

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Knowledge of the laws and ordinances which are significant from the police point of view.
• Knowledge of the rules, regulations, policies, standards, internal organization and operating procedures of the county police department.
• Knowledge of the problems and procedures in providing proper police protection for persons and property.
• Knowledge of local geography, traffic conditions, places of amusement and local inhabitants prone to disregard police and social requirements.
• Knowledge of the problems and procedures involved in providing proper police protection at places where people assemble.
• Knowledge of the problems and procedures involved in providing proper charges against lawbreakers.
• Knowledge of the types of police communication that are useful and feasible in the police department.
• Knowledge of the procedures followed in providing police protection at places where large sums of money are in transit and other types of valuable property may be endangered.
• Knowledge of methods of detecting, apprehending, and preparing proper charges against lawbreakers.
• Knowledge of the methods likely to be effective in dealing with varied types of people.
• Knowledge of human behavior.
• Ability to analyze and interpret laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, standards and procedures and apply them to specific cases and situations.
• Ability to organize police work during an assigned tour of duty, analyze the problems that arise and develop effective work methods and procedures.
• Ability to give suitable assignments and instructions to the Police Officers on duty, provide them with advice and assistance when difficult and unusual situations arise, and check their work to see that proper procedures are followed, that reasonable standards of workmanship, conduct, and output are maintained, and that desired police objectives are achieved.
• Ability to supervise, evaluate, train and provide guidance to personnel.
• Ability to treat citizens and others with uniform courtesy and consideration.
• Ability to answer frequently repeated questions without loss of temper or equanimity.
• Ability to detect, apprehend and place proper charges against lawbreakers.
• Ability to establish and maintain helpful and cooperative relations with civic and business organizations, and other interested parties.
• Ability to perform varied investigation work.
• Ability to maintain custody of prisoners and detainees.
• Ability to make the best use of available personnel and facilities in carrying on police work,
• Ability to provide needed policies protection at places where people assemble in numbers, at places where traffic is heavy and at places where large sums of money are in transit and other types of valuable property may be endangered.
• Ability to make home visits under varying conditions and to talk to varied types of persons.
• Ability to analyze identification problems.
• Ability to take and maintain a firm and correct stand when controversies and differences of opinion arise.
• Ability to note significant conditions, and take the proper action in accord with prescribed procedures.
• Ability to physically subdue and restrain violent individuals.
• Ability to run up and/or down stairs under stressful conditions, and to run short sprints and long distances in a minimum amount of time.
• Ability to pursue individuals on foot and climb obstacles.
• Ability to prepare and supervise the preparation of clear, sound, accurate and informative reports.
• Ability to maintain and direct the maintenance of records and files.
• Ability to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
• Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English sufficiently to perform duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
• Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible if they perform essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.

Note

The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.

Appointees to this position must successfully qualify semi-annually in the use of firearms.

<b>CITIZENSHIP</b>:

Must be a citizen of the United States.

<b>MEDICAL EXAMINATION:</b>

Appointees may be required to pass a thorough physical and psychological examination to be administered by the Appointing Authority. Any psychological, medical, or physical condition or defect which would prevent efficient performance of the duties of the position, cause appointees to be a hazard to themselves or other, or become aggravated as a result of the performance of these duties, may be cause for rejection. Failure to demonstrate sufficient capacity to perform the duties of this position may be cause for rejection.