Police Officer Job in Spokane, WA

Vacancy No. CBSV-12656321-25-CMS Department Veterans Health Administration
Salary $52,493.00 to $68,243.00 Grade 6 to 6
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 12/31/2024 Close Date 1/13/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Spokane, WA


Summary

You will serve as the Police Officer with the Police Service of the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center located in Spokane, Washington.

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

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

ALL US CITIZENS. Current and Permanent employees of the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center will receive first consideration. DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.201) for this occupation.

Duties

Serve and protect Veterans, patients, employees, contractors, volunteers, affiliates, visitors, and others who frequent VA facilities.

Provide policing services in a variety of jurisdictional environments, where each type of jurisdiction (Exclusive, Concurrent, and Proprietorial) has different enforcement rules and requires Police Officers to understand the complexities and legally apply the correct set of laws, regulations, and processes.

Protect against threats to personal safety when force becomes necessary to enforce laws and regulations.

Be required to carry a firearm.

Intervene when necessary to deescalate situations and determine when and how much force must be applied.

Participate in investigations, apprehensions, or detention of individuals suspected of criminal violations.

Identify and preserve evidence.

Write comprehensive incident reports.

Prepare case files and testifies in court as it pertains to enforcing laws and regulations.

Be required to drive a police vehicle and transport suspected criminal violators.

Follow the lead of your Senior Police Officer.

Obtain assistance from a more Senior Police Officer or supervisor in cases where policy is not clear.

Be instructed by a supervisor who will assign work assignments and provide updates on new policies, guidelines, laws, and Federal statutes.

Have your work reviewed by a supervisor to ensure that correct actions were taken in support of the agency's crime prevention and enforcement program priorities.

Perform other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Rotating days Sunday through Saturday, 7:00 am to 7:00 pm or 7:00 pm to 7:00 am.
Position Description Title/PD#: Police Officer/PD99925S

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.

Work Conditions: The work involves both moderate and high risks and possible endangerment of life or serious injury that requires the exercise of safety precautions and use of personal protective equipment The work is performed in settings in which there is regular and recurring exposure to moderate to severe discomforts and unpleasantness, such as high temperatures in confined spaces, high temperatures due to mandatory protective personal equipment, or adverse weather conditions during extended periods of traffic and patrol duties. The work involves moderate risk requiring exercise of safety precautions when working around hazardous materials such as toxic gases, explosives, infectious biological materials, and others that pose a moderate risk of exposure.


Requirements

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
  • Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
  • Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.
  • The Selected Applicant must pass an initial pre-employment medical examination and an annual medical examination to include psychological assessment.
  • The Selected Applicant must be proficient in the English language.
  • The Selected Applicant must possess a valid driver's license as a condition of continued employment as a VA Police Officer.
  • The Selected Applicant must successfully pass Police Officer Standardized Training (POST) at the Law Enforcement Training Center (LETC).
  • The Selected Applicant must successfully pass the POST/R (refresher) training course on a recurring basis as defined by VA.
  • The Selected Applicant must work uncommon tours of duty as needed, to include nights, weekends, holidays, overtime, rotating shifts, and emergency call-backs.
  • The Selected Applicant must be eligible for Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Credential and must maintain PIV credential eligibility during their services with the agency.
  • Must maintain a high state of physical condition and appearance when wearing the police uniform in accordance with established.
  • Must meet the standards as outlined in the Lautenberg Amendment (PL 104-208) to the Gun Control Act of 1968 (18 USC 922). (see below for details)
  • 5 CFR § 330.502 - General restriction on movement after competitive appointment applies.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

English Language Proficiency: Individuals serving in direct patient care positions must be proficient in both spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).

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 within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. For a 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.

You may qualify based on your experience as described below:
  • Specialized Experience: You must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 level. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position. Examples of qualified specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: experience which provided 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; conducting routine foot and/or vehicle patrols; responding to routine and emergency calls for police assistance; issuing traffic citations; questioning individuals at the scene of a crime; informing individuals about their rights as suspects; subduing unruly individuals; and preparing written reports involving criminal and/or civil offenses. You must possess knowledge of applicable laws of the Federal, State, county, or municipal government, possess arrest authority and the ability to use a firearm. In addition, you must have sufficient knowledge to prevent and/or resolve criminal offenses at the scene; conducting preliminary investigations at a crime scene; pursuing and apprehending persons fleeing from a crime scene or resisting arrest; providing testimony in court; taking charge of a crime or accident scene; and interviewing witnesses of a crime or accident. Examples of creditable experience include work on a police force, through service as a military police officer; or performing criminal investigative duties. 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.

You MUST possess a valid State license, have a safe driving record, can pass a road test, and demonstrate that I am medically qualified to operate a motor vehicle safely.

You MUST be able to legally able to carry a firearm, and are you willing and able to achieve and maintain qualification/certification with the agency-approved firearm.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE: Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position. Examples of qualified specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: experience which provided 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; conducting routine foot and/or vehicle patrols; responding to routine and emergency calls for police assistance; issuing traffic citations; questioning individuals at the scene of a crime; informing individuals about their rights as suspects; subduing unruly individuals; and preparing written reports involving criminal and/or civil offenses. You must possess knowledge of applicable laws of the Federal, State, county, or municipal government, possess arrest authority and have the ability to use a firearm. In addition, you must have sufficient knowledge to prevent and/or resolve criminal offenses at the scene; conducting preliminary investigations at a crime scene; pursuing and apprehending persons fleeing from a crime scene or resisting arrest; providing testimony in court; taking charge of a crime or accident scene; and interviewing witnesses of a crime or accident. Examples of creditable experience include work on a police force, through service as a military police officer; or performing criminal investigative duties. 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.

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.

Education

There is NO educational substitution for this position.

Additional information

The VA has adopted Core Values and Characteristics that apply universally across the Department. The five Core Values define "who we are," our culture, and how we care for Veterans, their families and other beneficiaries.

The Values are Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect and Excellence ("I CARE").

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more information.

This is a testing designated position. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drugs use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/.

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

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.

Resume Reminder- Your resume must include the following information for each job listed:

  • Job title Duties (be as detailed as possible)
  • Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)
  • Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)
  • Series and Grade, if applicable, for all Federal positions you have held
  • Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all the questions by addressing your work experience in detail.
Recommended: Even though we do not require a specific resume format, your resume must be clear so that we are able to fully evaluate your qualifications. To ensure you receive appropriate consideration, please list the duties you performed under each individual job title. If we are unable to match your experiences with the positions held, you may lose consideration for this vacancy. We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
  • Arrest
  • Criminal Investigation
  • First Response
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Public Safety and Security
  • Security

Required Documents

Documents Accepted:

  • Cover Letter
  • Other (1)
  • Resume
  • Separation Notice (RIF)
  • SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

Documents Required:
  • Resume

Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application.Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).You will not be contacted for additional information. Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.

Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply. Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.

Applications are accepted online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

All applicants are encouraged to apply online.

To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 01/13/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12656321.

1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.

2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.

NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

Agency contact information

Christian Sheehy
Address
Mann-Grandstaff Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center
4815 North Assembly Street
Spokane, WA 99205
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

After the vacancy announcement closes, applicants are evaluated to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email.

Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical, and administrative, remote, and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers, and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows, and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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