The City of Moorhead is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Police Officer.This hiring process seeks to fill several current openings and to establish an ongoing eligibility list for 2022 future hiring purposes. Moorhead has a strong commitment to serving our community with excellence. The department trains and equips its officers well to work in a rapidly growing community. Lateral entry credit based on previous experience as a patrol officer is possible for qualifying applicants and can expect an expedited FTO process.

About the Department:

The Moorhead Police Department was established in 1881 and currently has 61 sworn officers and 17 civilian employees. We believe in community policing and providing professional police services to our residents and large college population. The department has 36 patrol officers, 3 school resource officers, 9 detectives, 8 sergeants, and 2 lieutenants, a Captain, Deputy Chief and Chief. There is plenty of opportunity for growth and interesting assignments including field training, internal instructor positions, K-9, SWAT / Bomb / Negotiations, School Resource Officers, DARE, and Investigations.

About the Community:

The City of Moorhead is a community of 44,000 people located in a metropolitan area of over 238,000 people. The metro area is home to excellent educational institutions with Minnesota State University Moorhead, Concordia College, M|State, and North Dakota State University (Fargo, ND) as well as excellent primary and secondary public and private schools. The area offers great shopping, restaurants, entertainment including USHL Hockey, Professional Baseball, Bluestem Center for the Arts, an International Airport and is close to lakes and forested areas of northwestern Minnesota. We are a community of great neighborhoods, new schools, and have all the conveniences of a metro area, but just a 35 minute drive to the lakes area and the best of Minnesota outdoors.

The hiring Process:

The hiring process includes an oral interview, extensive background investigation, psychological examination, fitness and medical examination. Listed below are the interview dates. 

Interviews:

• To Be Determined  (those selected will be notified of a specific date and time)

New Police Officer Salary Practice

• The City has implemented an accelerated step program for newly hired Police Officers.
• Receive a step increase every 6 months until you reach Step 5. After Step 5 steps increase annually.
• Candidates with qualifying Police Officer experience may be eligible to start at a higher step.
• Additionally, receive a 3% increase in January 2023 and 2024 per current 3-year Union Contract

New Vacation Accrual Increases

• The City has implemented a new vacation accrual schedule with accelerated movement.
• New hires accrue 80 hours of vacation per year.
• Unused vacation can carry over to a maximum of 240 hours.
• An additional 8 hours is accrued each year through the start of their 15th year.
• Vacation is accrued based on hours worked.

POLICE OFFICER JOB DESCRIPTION:
This protective service position performs intermediate/difficult work enforcing laws, investigating criminal activity, ensuring public safety, maintaining records and files, testifying in court, preparing reports, and related work as required.  

Essential Functions: The essential functions of the Police Officer include, but are not limited to the following major duties performed. Duties are listed from most to least important.

• Performs patrol functions; operates a patrol vehicle or rides a bicycle to preserve the peace and enforce the law; controls vehicular traffic; prevents or detects and investigates misconduct involving misdemeanors, felonies, and other law violations; differentiates between civil and criminal matters.
• Investigates and assists at scene accident and/or crime; interrogates suspects and interviews witnesses and victims; conducts searches; collects, processes and provides follow-up related to evidence.
• Makes arrests and testifies in court, occasionally with little scheduling notice.
• Prepares reports and records including accident reports, traffic citations, investigation reports, breathalyzer checklist, vehicle impoundment form, etc.
• Prepares presentations and performs public education and public speaking on police service and crime prevention topics.
• May be assigned specific duties, including K-9 Officer, SWAT Operator/Sniper, Field Training Officer, Child Passenger Safety Technician, Bike Patrol, Honor Guard, PACT/CISM Team, EVOC Instructor, Firearms, Defensive Tactics or other instructor positions to train other officers.
• Performs other duties as requested.
• Attendance at off-site courses/trainings/seminars may be required.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS: To perform the Police Officer position successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the formal education, experience and training required.

Education and Experience

• Associates/Technical degree in criminal justice (or related field) OR successful completion of the Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Reciprocity Exam OR eligible to take the MN Post Reciprocity Exam
• Minnesota Peace Officer Standards and Training License

Applicants do not need to be MN POST licensed or eligible at the time of applying but must be licensed or eligible by the date of conditional offer of employment. Interested persons should at least be near completion of a Professional Peace Officer Education (PPOE) at the time of applying or be eligible to be POST Licensed by September 16, 2022. Candidates must meet all state mandated requirements. Current candidates/officers that are working outside of Minnesota need to complete a Minnesota reciprocity prior to being hired. Licensing information is available through the MN Post Board.

• CPR/First Responder training 
• Valid driver's license

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: General knowledge of modern law enforcement principles, procedures, techniques and equipment; general knowledge of the geography of the City and location of important buildings; general knowledge of the laws, ordinances and police department rules and regulations; skill in using firearms and operating a motor vehicle; ability to understand and carry out oral and written instructions and to prepare clear reports; ability to analyze situations and to adopt quick, effective and reasonable courses of action with due regard to surrounding hazards and circumstances; ability to remain calm and professional while dealing with abusive, mentally impaired, intoxicated, or assaultive members of the public; ability to operate radar unit, audio/visual recording devices, expandable baton, handcuffs, breathalyzer, first aid equipment and other necessary tools and equipment; ability to multi-task and prioritize life-threatening situations to minimize risk; ability to deal courteously, but firmly with the public; ability to establish and maintain effective relationship with associates and the general public.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions: The work of the Police Officer requires the regular exertion of up to 10 pounds of force, frequent exertion of up to 25 pounds of force and occasional exertion of up to 100 pounds of force; work regularly requires walking, using hands to finger, handle or feel and repetitive motions, frequently requires standing, speaking or hearing and pushing or pulling and occasionally requires sitting, climbing or balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling, reaching with hands and arms and lifting; work requires depth perception, color perception, night vision and peripheral vision; vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word and conveying detailed or important instructions to others accurately, loudly or quickly; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels and to receive detailed information through oral communications and/or to make fine distinctions in sound; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, visual inspection involving small defects and/or small parts, using of measuring devices, assembly or fabrication of parts within arms length, operating machines, operating motor vehicles or equipment and observing general surroundings and activities; work frequently requires exposure to outdoor weather conditions and occasionally requires exposure to fumes or airborne particles, exposure to toxic or caustic chemicals, exposure to extreme cold (non-weather), exposure to extreme heat (non-weather), wearing a self contained breathing apparatus and exposure to bloodborne pathogens and may be required to wear specialized personal protective equipment; work is generally in a moderately noisy location (e.g. business office, light traffic).

VIEW BENEFITS AND LEARN MORE:  Cityofmoorhead.com/jobs

The City of Moorhead offers a competitive salary, incentive pay and a comprehensive benefit package as well as a positive, friendly and collaborative work environment that is team focused where everyone is working together to serve our community. Our employees are passionate about their jobs and making our community one to be proud of. We are #MoorheadProud

The City of Moorhead is an equal opportunity employer and a proud employer located in the metropolitan region of Fargo-Moorhead.