Supervisory Police Officer (Captain)

Summary The position is located at the VA Northwest Health Network (VISN 20). The VA Northwest Network provides healthcare coverage for over 320,000 unique Veterans. The position is responsible for the operation, direction, and control of the law enforcement and physical security activities of a Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC), Health Care System (HCS), or Police Service (PS). Learn more about this agency Duties Provides leadership in protecting Veterans, volunteers, and others on Departmental property, U.S. officials, other individuals, and self during any given situation against threats to personal safety when force becomes necessary to enforce laws and regulations. Responds to highly dangerous and active crimes in progress and makes independent decisions to take, direct, and coordinate immediate steps to preserve life and property. Patrols and responds to a variety of criminal activities requiring law enforcement intervention. such as homicides, sexual assaults, robberies, property crimes, domestic violence, vice and narcotics-related activities, crimes by and against juveniles, and other crimes. Evaluates situations and determines the most appropriate course of action. Pursues or apprehends suspects and criminals; makes arrests which may involve physically restraining or subduing individual(s) and possible use of deadly force; interviews and interrogates victims, witnesses, suspects, and other contact persons; and protects the crime scene for processing; and processes suspects. Conducts or coordinates short-term and long-term investigations (several days to several weeks) to detect and apprehend individuals committing acts of violence, theft of Federal or personal property and for violating laws concerning controlled substances Directs, coordinates, and/or performs a variety of supervisory and non-supervisory policing law enforcement assignments and projects that are performed on Departmental property; including any properties owned, leased, or licensed when consistent with Federal laws, regulations, VA policy and operational guidance. Works in Collaborates with the Major who serves as the incumbent's immediate supervisor. Performs various law enforcement and administrative functions throughout VA. Manages, supervises and coordinates the VHA, PS law enforcement activities for designated assigned area. Performs a broad range of supervisory responsibilities over other law enforcement policing staff. Serves as a watch commander or administrative lieutenant at the geographic area level. Participates in Incident Command roles as needed during serious incidents. Supervises a team of police lieutenants, sergeants, police officers, detectives and other law enforcement staff, who carry out day-to-day, routine crime suppression and investigative functions. Supervises the administrative and support functions of nonsworn personnel. Inspects personnel, facilities, and tactics for safety and/or training needs Other duties may be assigned. Work Schedule: 8 or 10 hour shifts, dependent on needs of the service. Position Description Title/PD#: Supervisory Police Officer (Captain)/PD41636A Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion such as long periods of standing, walking, driving, bending, stooping, reaching, crawling, and similar activities. The work may also involve occasional lifting and carrying of heavy objects of 23 kilograms (50 pounds) or less. It requires common physical characteristics and abilities in agility and dexterity and the strength to pursue, apprehend, and detain uncooperative suspects. It may also require considerable and strenuous physical exertion such as running, and frequent climbing of multiple flights of stairs. 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 Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 A complete application package; including Resume, Transcripts, etc. is required 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Beginning September 27, 2025, Federal agencies will only accept resumes up to two pages in length to comply with the Merit Hiring Plan. Resumes longer than two pages will result in ineligibility for further consideration for the position. USAJOBS will not allow you to upload or build resumes longer than two pages, and you will need to update the resumes in your profile before applying for a job. Resumes should include information relevant to the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies of the position to which you are applying. VA is unable to make assumptions about qualifications if not clearly listed. Resumes must be legible so they can be reviewed for eligibility, minimum qualifications and other position requirements listed in the job announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. 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). GS-09 grade level: You must have one (1) year of specialized experience performing Supervisory Police Officer work at the GS-08 level or equivalent pay band in the Federal service that experience that 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. Specialized experience also includes: supervising and leading and providing guidance and direction to law enforcement personnel at various levels on duties in response to potential threats of violence, detecting criminal activity, fire and other emergencies; enforcing federal, state, and local laws; experience with investigations and investigation reports; coordinating and working with local law enforcement; performs various administrative functions to include review and prepare police activity reports and correspondence, prioritizing, approving/disapproving work assignments, monitoring budget and budget requests, managing/overseeing personnel activity, preparing and reviewing performance evaluations, interviewing and selecting Police Officer candidates, etc.; may have served as an assistant to a Police Captain within a police force. 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. Note: 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. 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. 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-9 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. Expand Hide  additional information 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.