Police Officer – Amherst College – Amherst, MA

Amherst College invites applications for the Police Officer position. The Police Officer is a full time, year round position, job group and level PT-1. Given Amherst’s distinction as one of the most diverse liberal arts colleges in the country, the successful candidate will demonstrate the ways in which they bring value to and will work towards supporting a broadly diverse community with regard to race, ethnicity, ability, socioeconomic status, gender, nationality, sexual orientation, and religion.

Adhering to the principals of community policing and community oriented problem solving, the Police Officer works to intentionally build community within a diverse community, and enforces federal and state laws, municipal ordinances, and Amherst College rules/regulations. Investigates reports of crimes, accidents, and incidents. Provides emergency response to criminal activity, fires, medicals, fire alarms, intrusion alarms, and uniform patrol of the college properties and surrounding properties by cruiser, foot, or bicycle.

The Police Officer position is considered an essential position meaning the employee is expected to report to work even if the College is closed for weather related or other reasons. Some overtime, weekend and occasional shift change work is required. Due to the nature of the position, must respond to emergencies as needed.

Summary of Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

• POLICE FUNCTION – Enforce federal, state and municipal ordinances and college policies. Protect civil rights, provide intervention and mediation to disputants, provide intervention, protection and assistance in domestic violence cases. Detect criminal activity and take appropriate action against violators. Identify, collect and preserve evidence. Process arrested individuals, including determining charges, fingerprinting, photographing, initiating NCIC check, searching, removing and inventorying personal belongings and transporting arrested persons to lock-up; monitoring all prisoners in jail lockup, according to Massachusetts law. Apply for and serve arrest warrants; process paperwork on arrests and activity reports; serve court papers; provide court testimony. Upon request, provide assistance to the local police off campus.
• COMMUNITY POLICING – Engage the diverse community on a daily basis on a non-law enforcement level: work and train with the residence life student staff, campus wide bicycle patrols, meeting with groups and departments on campus, provide formal safety lectures and classes (such as RAD). Make public presentations regarding crime prevention and safety to a diverse audience.
• PREVENTIVE PATROL – Patrol buildings, grounds, and other facilities, checking doors to be sure they are properly secured. Checking for utility and structural problems, reporting any problem to the appropriate department. Monitor access to buildings and with prior notice provide access, but at times, use own discretion as to who should be admitted, maintaining an awareness of anti-bias practices.
• MEDICAL EMERGENCIES – Respond to all accidents or injuries occurring on College property and assess medical needs. Provide emergency first aid/CPR in life-threatening situations until relived by emergency medical personnel. Assist ambulance personnel in any way necessary, including lifting equipment and stretchers; provide evaluation and care for intoxicated persons. Provide intervention, support and arrange for medical assistance in mental health emergencies. Arrange transportation for the sick and injured to appropriate medical facility.
• FIRE PREVENTION and RESPONSE – Respond to and investigate causes of fire alarms and when cleared by AFD, reset alarms. Monitor proper evacuation for all fire alarms, conducting room-to-room searches, if necessary, and reporting offenders name to appropriate authority. Conduct fire drills. In the event of fire or other potential disaster, participate in evacuation activities.
• TRAFFIC CONTROL – Patrol campus roads monitoring for moving and parking violations. Enforce the regulations of the College and laws of the Commonwealth through the issuance of citations. Directing traffic and parking at College functions, towing hazardous parked vehicles or those in violation of regulations. Investigate accidents on College property. Provide parking control, on request, so that routine maintenance, road work, etc. may be accomplished.
• PROVIDE SERVICES – Open buildings when they are closed to permit use by authorized individuals. Activate and deactivate intrusion alarm systems to allow for opening or security of a building. Crowd control at various events. Give directions and routine information to the College community. Respond to calls for building services at times when Facilities Services desk is closed and notify appropriate personnel. Provide animal control services. Work in the Dispatch Center and perform all duties and responsibilities of a dispatcher when assigned. Provide protection for and transportation of College funds on campus and to local banks. Investigate intrusion alarms. Is an integral component in the College’s Emergency Preparedness Action Plans, e.g bomb threat or other potential disasters.0