Police Officer

In order to qualify for Police Officer, GS-0083-7, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement,.

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 by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06. 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 and/or education as described below:

Additional Requirements for Police Officer Positions:

1. Applicants must possess a valid, unrestricted state driver's license, have a safe driving record, and demonstrate that he or she is medically qualified to operate the appropriate motor vehicle safely.
2. VA Police Officer must be able to achieve and maintain mandatory firearm qualifications/certification.
3. New VA Police Officers are required to attend an 8-week course at the VA Law Enforcement Training Center in Little Rock, Arkansas within 90-days of entry on duty.
4. A character investigation will be conducted on applicants selected for employment. The purpose of such an investigation is to secure evidence of the candidate's honesty, integrity, general character, and loyalty to the U.S. Government.
5. A medical examination is required. The duties of these positions require moderate or arduous physical exertion and/or duties of a hazardous nature. The following medical requirements apply to all applicants: good near and distant vision, ability to distinguish basic colors, and ability to hear the conversational voice.
6. Applicants and employees must have the capability to perform the essential functions of the position without risk to themselves or others. Applicants and employees must possess emotional and mental stability. A psychological examination is required. In most cases, a specific medical condition or impairment will not automatically disqualify an applicant or employee. A medical condition or impairment is disqualifying on if the condition/impairment, for good medical reason, precludes assignment to or warrants restriction from the duties of the specific position. For some positions, the lost or impairment of a specific function may be compensated for by the satisfactory use of a prosthetics or mechanical aid. Reasonable accommodation shall also be considered in determining an applicant's ability to perform the duties of a position.

You may qualify based on your experience as described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-06 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include but are not limited to knowledge of basic laws and regulations, law enforcement operations, practices, and techniques and involved responsibility for maintaining order and protecting life and property. 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.

Specialized experience must have included active arrest authority and firearm proficiency with a license to carry; experience as a security guard or corrections officer is generally not qualifying.

No substitution of education for training may be made for the required specialized experience at GS-06 and above.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

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.

Note: A full year of work is 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited based on time spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must clearly indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion, long hours of standing, walking, driving and similar activities. The incumbent must respond to alarms, pursue suspects, participate in training activities, climb stairs, and walk during assigned foot patrols in and around large building, campus, and other physical settings. Agility, dexterity, and strength are needed to pursue, apprehend, and detain uncooperative suspects. On a regular and recurring basis, the work requires strenuous exertion physically restraining disorderly individuals to prevent harm to others or the individual. Incumbents must be physically able to lift or carry injured or hurt persons, evacuate persons to safety during storms, disasters, fires, or other emergencies. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.