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Summary The GS-8 Lead Police Officer (Sergeant) assist in managing representatives in the general operation, coordination, and direction of the assigned duty personnel. The incumbent's primary duties are ensuring a safe and secure environment across all VA Administrations and properties within various settings, including a variety of jurisdictional environments, such as VHA Medical Centers and facilities, Inpatient/ Outpatient Clinics, domiciliaries and administrative sites. Responsibilities The major duties of a Sergeant Police Officer include but, are not limited to: Leads a team of Police Officers and other administrative staff. Directs day-to-day lead policing operations and non-lead policing assignments. Works in collaboration with the Police Supervisor carrying out PS's overall mission where most of the work is performed on Departmental property. This includes any properties owned, leased, or licensed when consistent with Federal law, regulation, VA policy and operational guidance. Assigns, distributes, reviews, approves, and disapproves employees' assignments. Monitors and reviews the status and progress of the work and makes workload adjustments to ensure the workload is balanced. Refers to supervisor questions or matters not covered by standards and problems in meeting performance standards. Consults with the immediate supervisor for assistance on problems, such as backlogs to ensure work is completed timely, effectively, and efficiently. Participates in the selection of staff as requested by the supervisor; provides or coordinates staff training, either during shift briefing or designated training days. Leads law enforcement assignments to preserve peace; to prevent, detect and investigate crimes, to arrest or apprehend violators; and to assist citizens in emergencies, including the protection of civil rights. Coaches and mentors current and new employees to ensure employees obtain the necessary training to be productive. Provides on-the-job training to new employees in accordance with established procedures and practices. Leads on investigations and personally conducts investigations, apprehensions, or detention of individuals suspected or convicted of offenses against the criminal laws of the US. Conducts investigations with a nexus to VA, prisoner transport, patient search and recovery, life-saving efforts, disaster response and recovery, asset protection during transit, training, and other matters. Serves as an integral part of the suicide prevention program and is often the first person seen by Veterans. Intervenes when possible to deescalate active suicidal behavior and/or prevents suicides. Provides patrol in vehicles, by foot and/or on a bicycle. Detects and intervenes in criminal activity. Responds to calls for police assistance, irregularities, and unusual or suspicious circumstances. Investigates incidents and takes steps to mitigate further risk and resolve situations. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: 12hr, Weekends & Holidays Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Police Officer/PD99900A Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 You may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 12/30/2024. 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-08 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. 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: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: ensuring a safe and secure environment across all VA Administrations within various settings, including a variety of jurisdictional environments, such as VHA Medical Centers and facilities, Inpatient Clinics, Outpatient Clinics, domiciliaries and administrative sites throughout the United States. This position serves as a vital part of the VA Police Services often serving as the face of the VA and as the first person a Veteran or visitor encounters when entering a VA facility. The incumbent provides security and assistance to Veterans, patients, employees, contractors, volunteers, affiliates, visitors, and others who frequent VA facilities daily. The incumbent is also responsible for the protection of high valued assets from theft, intentional damage and unauthorized removal. The incumbent is expected to empathize, engage, and communicate with all individuals they encounter to ensure a positive outcome and the safety of the facility and all its occupants. Preferred Experience: 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. 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. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Arrest Criminal Law Leadership Manages Human Resources Security Teaching Others 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 considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The position is required to exert considerable and strenuous physical effort on a regular basis while performing the functions of the position. These functions are normally performed while the position conducts security surveys and inspections, which require crawling in unusually confined building areas. May be called upon to defend themselves and members of staff, patients or the public against physical attack and may be required to exercise deadly force if necessary. Requirements of the position include maintaining firearms qualifications, climbing flights of stairs, carrying heavy equipment/patients during emergencies, running, bending, stooping, physical restraint of aggressive persons, being subjected to assaults by persons evading arrest. Inspections and audits of security systems, constructions sites, and full searches require the performance of duties in a variety of inclement weather conditions walking, crawling in wooded or over-grown field conditions in all elements of seasonal weather. 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/. Education There is no educational substitution at this grade level. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or 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. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. 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. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. 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. 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. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.