Lateral Police Officer

Required at the time of hire or learned within a short period of time in order to perform the essential duties.

Knowledge of:

• Police methods and procedures including patrol, crime prevention, traffic control, investigation and identification techniques.
• Criminal law and criminal procedure with particular reference to the apprehension, arrest and custody of persons committing misdemeanors and felonies, including rules of evidence pertaining to the seizure and preservation of evidence.
• Offensive and defensive weapons nomenclature and theory.
• Use of firearms and other modern police equipment.
• First aid principles, practices and techniques.
• Self-defense tactics.
• Interviewing and interrogation techniques
• Departmental rules and regulations, policies, procedures and directives.

Ability to:

• Observe accurately and remember names, faces, numbers, incidents and places.
• Use and properly care for firearms.
• Understand, interpret and apply laws, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Prepare clear, accurate and grammatically correct written reports.
• Analyze situations quickly and objectively and take necessary emergency action.
• Identify potential crime situations or traffic hazards and take preventive actions
• Meet the first aid requirement as prescribed by the State of Illinois.
• Learn the operation of standard equipment and facilities required in the performance of assigned tasks.
• Meet the physical requirements established by the Department.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
• Maintain physical condition to perform essential duties as specified by police officer certification.

Maintain physical condition appropriate to the performance of assigned duties and responsibilities which may include the following:

• Effecting arrests
• Subduing resisting individuals
• Chasing fleeing subjects
• Running, walking, crouching or crawling during emergency operations
• Moving equipment and injured/deceased persons
• Climbing stairs/ladders
• Performing life-saving and rescue procedures
• Walking, standing or sitting for extended period of time
• Operating assigned police equipment and vehicles.

Effectively deal with personal danger which may include exposure to:

• Armed/dangerous persons
• Dangerous animals
• Communicable disease
• Hazards of emergency driving
• Hazards associated with traffic control and working in and near traffic
• Natural and man-made disasters

Maintain effective audio-visual discrimination and perception needed for:

• Making observations
• Communicating with others
• Reading and writing
• Operating assigned equipment and vehicles

Maintain mental capacity which allows the capability of:

• Exercising sound judgement and rational thinking under dangerous circumstances
• Evaluating various options and alternatives and choose an appropriate and reasonable course of action.
• Demonstrating intellectual; capabilities during training and testing processes

Experience and Training Guidelines:

• Experience:
• Two years of law enforcement experience is required
• Training:
• Possession of an Associate’s degree or successful completion of sixty (60) semester hours at an accredited college of university
• License or Certificate:
• Possession of, or ability to obtain, an appropriate, valid driver’s license
• Possession of a police officer certificate