Senior Police Officer Job in Walla Walla, WA

Vacancy No. CBSV-12801478-25-AH Department Veterans Health Administration
Salary $66,855.00 to $86,908.00 Grade 6 to 6
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 9/17/2025 Close Date 9/25/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Walla Walla, WA


Summary

You will serve as a Senior Police Officer with the Police Service of the Jonathan M. Wainwright Memorial VA Medical Center located in Walla Walla, WA.

This job is open to

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.

Duties

Duties include but are not limited to:

  • Protects individuals during any given situation against threats to personal safety when enforcing laws and regulations.
  • Responds immediately to and engages potentially armed individuals during active threat response situations.
  • Responds to highly dangerous and active crimes in progress, making independent decisions and taking immediate steps to preserve life and property.
  • Mitigates opportunities for assault, illegal entry, and theft involving highly protected information, property and/or processes at facilities containing special protective methods.
  • Provides patrol in vehicles, by foot and/or on a bicycle.
  • Responds to calls for police assistance, irregularities, and unusual or suspicious circumstances.
  • Conducts asset protection during transport.
  • Writes comprehensive incident reports.
  • Provides policing services in various environments where each type of jurisdiction (Exclusive, Concurrent and Proprietorial) has different enforcement rules.
  • Seeks, detects, seizes, and protects evidence and witnesses at the scene of an incident.
  • Detects and intervenes in criminal activity.
  • Conducts investigative contacts/stops, exercising search and arrest authority, detaining witnesses, and apprehending suspects.
  • Advises individuals of their rights (such as Miranda, Weingarten, Garrity, etc.), and protecting the constitutional and civil rights of persons.
  • Intervenes, when necessary, to deescalate situations and determine when and how much force must be applied.
  • Conducts prisoner transports to holding facilities and courts as required.
  • Conducts disaster response and recovery.
  • Provides Basic Life Support (BLS) to injured personnel and coordinates additional emergency response when needed.
  • Coordinates and directs search, rescue, and recovery for persons at high risk (e.g., missing or wandering patients, minors, etc.), including coordinating with local surrounding police departments to expand the search parameters.
  • Investigates incidents and takes steps to mitigate further risk and resolve situations.
  • Performs and provides training on drug and contraband intervention where contraband identification and knowledge is imperative.
  • Intervenes, when needed, to deescalate active suicidal behavior and/or prevents suicides.
  • Prepares case files and testifying in court as it pertains to enforcing laws and regulations.
Work Schedule: 12 hours Compressed tour, rotating days may be day or night
Position Description Title/PD#: Senior Police Officer/PD80705A
Physical Requirements: The work requires considerable and strenuous physical exertion on a regular and recurring basis, 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.

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. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents).
  • Effective May 7, 2025, driver’s licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
  • Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
  • 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 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).
  • 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 possess a valid driver's license as a condition of continued employment as a VA Police Officer.
  • The Selected Applicant must possess or have possessed arrest authority.
  • The Selected Applicant must pass an initial pre-employment medical examination and an annual medical examination to include psychological assessment.
  • 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.

GS-06 grade level: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes: 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; conduct 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. 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.

DRIVER'S LICENSE REQUIREMENT: This position requires a current, valid, state-issued driver's license. For the following question, indicate either Yes or No. Please select only one letter. NOTE: We cannot accept photographs, therefore; please do not submit a copy of your driver's license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you may be required to provide a copy of your valid state-issued driver's license.

FIREARM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: VA Police Officers are required to carry agency-approved firearms while on duty on VA property. Officers must achieve and maintain qualification/certification with the agency-approved firearms as condition of gaining and continuing employment as a Police Officer. Applicants must be able to possess firearms under the terms of the Gun Control Act of 1968, as amended (18 U.S.C. 922(g)(9).

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 the GS-06 grade level.

Additional information

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.

The following will be communicated to applicants for VA employment in a testing designated position and will also be included in all VA vacancy announcements for such positions: 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.

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.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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.

Your resume must be submitted in English and 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 of 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. Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages or encrypted, and digitally signed documents linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualifications.

Required Documents

Documents Accepted:

  • Cover Letter
  • DD-214/ Statement of Service
  • Disability Letter (Schedule A)
  • Disability Letter (VA)
  • License
  • Other (1)
  • PCS Orders
  • Performance Appraisal
  • Professional Certification
  • Resume
  • Separation Notice (RIF)
  • SF-15
  • SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
  • Transcript

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 09/25/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12801478.

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. You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.

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

Athena Houck
Address
Jonathan M Wainwright Memorial VA Medical Center
77 Wainwright Drive
Walla Walla, WA 99362
US

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.


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


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