Certified Police Officer - School Resource Officer (SRO)

Certified Police Officer - School Resource Officer (SRO)

Salary

$58,494.00 - $89,766.00 Annually

Location

Police Headquarters, 111 Henley Place, Suffolk, VA

Job Type

Full Time

Job Number

04493

Department

POLICE

Opening Date

05/11/2026

Closing Date

5/31/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Description

• SIGNING BONUS SIGNING BONUS SIGNING BONUS*

$10,000 to each new hire who successfully completes their one-year probationary period.

40 Hours of Recognition Leave

Under general supervision performs general and specialized law enforcement work for the City of Suffolk Police Department. This positions primary duty assignment is within the Special Operations Division as a School Resource Officer (SRO), where the day to day function during the school year is the continuous development of a safe and engaged school environment for Suffolk Public Schools. Work involves protecting lives, property, and rights of the public; investigating criminal activity; serving criminal process papers; and assisting in community functions. Employee is also responsible for preparing files, reports and records and testifying in court. Employee must exercise tact and firmness in frequent public contact. Employee is expected to exercise independent judgment and initiative in performing assigned tasks. The employee is subject to the usual hazards of law enforcement work. Job functions may vary based on area of assignment within the Police Department.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions herein described. Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were actually written out in this job description.

Essential Job Functions

• Patrols and ensures the safety of assigned school and school event.
• Coordinates school related security events after and during school hours.
• Attend various school functions such as athletic and club events.
• Provide education and instruction to schools on law-enforcement topics.
• Direct traffic as schools as assigned and necessary.
• Patrols an assigned area of the City using a police vehicle to detect and deter criminal activities; monitors radio calls; inspects troublesome areas and checks security of business establishments; answers complaint calls and investigates crimes and disturbances; interviews witnesses; gathers evidence and transports to the lab; interrogates suspects and makes arrests; prepares investigation reports.
• Serves legal papers such as summons and warrants and civil process papers; explains briefly the meaning of the papers served and makes arrests when necessary.
• Prepares various reports and forms such as case files, offense reports, accident reports, tow sheets and cards, property vouchers, lab requests, etc.
• Receives and handles citizen complaints and inquiries.
• Transports prisoners and mental patients as required; serves mental papers.
• Investigates accidents; performs first aid; secures and clears accident scenes; directs traffic; investigates fatalities of accidents.
• Investigates misdemeanor and felony crimes; conducts building checks; reports traffic hazards.
• Processes minor crime scenes including collecting, packaging, and vouchering evidence, photographing, and sketching; prepares felony case reports.
• Monitors vehicle speeds with radar; conducts criminal and driving checks; issues summons for violations; operates breathalyzer machine.
• Conducts surveillance using relevant techniques.
• Assists State and Federal agencies in conducting various investigations; prepares affidavits and search warrants; testifies in court.
• Teaches programs based on topic areas of assigned units; prepares visual aids, lesson plans, handouts, etc.; participates in extracurricular activities; builds a rapport with program participants to accomplish program intent.
• Answers confidential "crime line" public access phone for reporting crime and other information; provides reports to crime stoppers international; maintains records of calls received and numbers calls; meets with Board on approval of the "crime line".
• Processing arrest information; notes warrant has been executed; updates communications division files.
• Retrieves warrants from magistrates office and the courts; assigns warrant number; logs warrants in warrant book; prepares card for communications division files; files warrants; purges felony and misdemeanor warrants as required by law; executes state and local criminal warrants.
• Coordinates policing efforts with civic leagues and community groups; attends civic league and PTA meetings; participates in community functions; acts as liaison between schools and Police Department.
• Monitors interior and exterior of school buildings; develops a rapport between police and students to deter crime in schools.
• Prepares brochures and other documents to promote the Police Department.
• Counsels teachers, students, parents, etc.; maintains security during school events.
• May provide security services for all city owned facilities; council meetings/work sessions; city functions; and escort services for city personnel.
• May organize and conducts security assessment drills.
• May develop, implement and maintain physical security systems for city owned facilities as directed.
• May maintain security access database and assists with issuance of new security cards.
• May provide miscellaneous administrative and support assistance to the Police Department as directed.
• May develop and update emergency plans as directed.
• May conduct CEPTED analysis of facilities and office spaces.
• May conduct security awareness programs for employees.
• May works in conjunction with Risk Management on items of shared interest.
• Escorts funeral processions, parade, public figures and other special assignments; coordinates traffic patterns.
• May investigate communicable diseases and exposure; coordinates initial and follow up medical care for exposed employees; maintains medical records, testing, and training.
• May assist disabled motorists with simple repair work such as changing flat tires, unlocking doors, or by contacting others for assistance; may provide directions, answer simple inquiries, etc.
• Reports unsafe conditions in city streets, sidewalks, public facilities, etc.
• May participate in special public information programs such as seat belt safety campaigns, child fingerprinting projects, etc.; speaks at public and community functions; prepares classes for community participation.
• Notifies next of kin of deaths and accidents.
• Trains and supervises new officers in the field; may act as general instructor for the Police Academy.
• Maintains police vehicle and issued equipment; maintains proficiency in skilled use of firearms.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Required Qualifications

Applicants who successfully pass the initial application process will be required to participate in the physical agility testing. The location, date and time will be released with your invitation to test.

• Graduation from high school and three years of experience in law enforcement, or any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities.
• Must be a Certified Virginia police officer or able to gain reciprocity.
• Certification as a School Resource Officer preferred.
• Must possess a valid drivers license.
• Must complete 40 hours of in-service training every year.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Certified as a CIT officer.
• First Aid/CPR certified.
• Virginia DCJS General Instructor.
• Mental Health First Aid certified.

Disqualifications:

For automatic disqualifying factors for please visit Suffolkpolicecareers.com

Supplemental Information

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Ability to provide credible testimony in a court of law.
• Ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or compositional characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.
• Ability to speak and/or signal people to convey or exchange information. Includes giving instructions, assignments and/or directions to subordinates or assistants.
• Ability to read a variety of reports, records and memorandums.
• Ability to prepare reports, correspondence, forms, etc., using prescribed formats and conforming to all rules of punctuation, grammar, diction, and style.
• Ability to speak before groups of people with poise, voice control and confidence.
• Ability to learn and understand relatively complex principles and techniques.
• Ability to make independent judgments in absence of supervision.
• Ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions.
• Ability to communicate effectively and efficiently in a variety of technical or professional languages including legal and medical terminology, and emergency response codes.
• Ability to utilize mathematical formulas. Must be able to add, subtract, multiply and divide. Must be able to utilize decimals and percentages.
• Ability to inspect items for proper length, width and shape.
• Ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under stress when confronted with emergency situations.
• Knowledge of modern law enforcement practices, procedures and investigation techniques.
• Knowledge of local, State and federal laws relative to civil and criminal processes.
• Knowledge of the locations of streets, roads, highways and the geographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the City.
• Knowledge of the content and purpose of legal papers and the practices involved in serving them.
• Skill in the use of firearms and other law enforcement equipment.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment in emergency and routine situations and to adopt quick, effective and reasonable courses of action.
• Ability to apply interpretation of laws to specific situations.
• Ability to prepare clear and concise reports.
• Ability to present court testimony effectively.
• Ability to exercise tact and firmness in contact with the general public.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments.

Part-time Employees - Sick Leave (See below)

Full Time Employees are eligible for the following benefits;

Retirement

Vested after 5 years in the defined benefit plan. Vested in phases based on years in the Defined Contribution part of the Plan. Please contact the Virginia Retirement System or the Human Resources Department for more details.

Annual Leave Accruals

Sworn Police - 40 Hours/ Fire - 96 Hours (1-59 months), 120 Hours (60-119 months), 144 Hours (120- 179 months), 168 Hours (180-239 months), 192 Hours (240+ months) of employment.

Sworn Fire Suppression: 144 Hours (1-59 months), 180 Hours (60-119 months), 216 Hours (120-179 months), 276 Hours (180-239 months), 288 Hours (240+ months) of employment.

Sick Leave

Full Time employees earn 12 days per year, (accumulating 8 hours per month). Part Time employees earn 4 hours per month Sick leave accrues at the end of the month and may be accrued with no ceiling

Personal Leave

All regular full time employees are granted 24 hours of personal leave each calendar year. Personal leave must be preapproved and is not cumulative.

Health Insurance

Coverage available for you and your eligible dependents using pre-tax payroll deductions if elected.

Supplemental Insurances

Employees may purchase the following supplemental insurance policies: short term and long term disability, cancer, accident, supplemental hospitalization, and group universal life insurance. Only employees hired prior to 1/1/14 may purchase short-term disability and long term disability plans.

Employer Sponsored Short Term and Long Term Disability

Provides disability coverage for employees work and non-work related disabilities. Work related disabilities are covered starting on day one (1). Non work related disabilities are covered starting on day eight (8), after you have been employed for one year.

Flexible Spending Accounts

Employees may participate in the Health Reimbursement, Dependent Care Reimbursement and Premium Reimbursement Accounts. All deductions are made on a pre-tax basis and will reduce your taxable income.

Life Insurance

The city pays the entire premium for life insurance coverage in the amount of 2 times annual salary for natural death and 4 times annual salary for accidental death.

Optional Life Insurance

Employees have the option of electing additional life insurance coverage in the amount of 1, 2, 3 or 4 times their annual salary. Employees may only purchase optional life insurance on spouses and children if they are enrolled in optional life insurance for themselves.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

12 weeks of job protected leave for leaves approved in accordance with the Family Medical Leave Act. Employees receive continuation of health insurance, job protection and consideration for a comparable job when available, or an equivalent job, upon return to work.

Funeral Leave

24 hours of paid leave of absence in case of death in immediate family.

Holidays

The City of Suffolk follows the Virginia State holiday calendar as set by the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Jury Duty

Time off with pay with difference between jury pay and regular pay or use annual leave and keep check.

457 Deferred Compensation, ROTH IRA, Traditional IRA

Offered through ICMA Retirement Corporation as a way to shelter a portion of your salary from income taxes and save for retirement.

Employee Assistance Program

Offers employees and immediate family members (3) free, confidential counseling sessions related to a broad range of issues such as marital or family conflict, job or personal stress, alcohol or drug abuse, financial or legal worries, etc.

Workers Compensation

Should an employee have an on the job injury, he/she could be eligible for Workmens Compensation Benefits, except in cases of willful neglect.

Pay Days

Employees will be paid on the 15th and last working day of each month.

Credit Union

A Suffolk Credit Union is available to employees.

Legal Services

Employees may prepay for access to legal assistance.

Notary Public Services

Services available in the Human Resources Department.

01

Do you have a high school diploma or GED?

• Yes
• No

02

Are you currently a Certified Virginia Police Officer?

• Yes
• No

03

Do you have a valid drivers license with -3 points or better?

• Yes
• No

04

Have you ever been convicted of any of the following: felony; domestic violence; founded child abuse or neglect; embezzlement or misappropriation of funds; or any crimes of moral turpitude (lying, cheating, stealing)

• Yes
• No

05

Do you currently hold a Virginia Criminal Information Network (VCIN) certification?

• Yes
• No

06

Have you completed a Virginia Certified Police Academy program?

• Yes
• No

07

Which of the following reflects your highest level of education beyond high school?

• No credit hours
• Less than 60 credit hours
• 60+ credit hours toward a degree
• Associates Degree
• Bachelors Degree
• Masters Degree
• Doctorate Degree

08

Have you completed a Certified Police Academy in any State?

• Yes
• No

09

Have you been a sworn law enforcement officer for more than 3 years?

• Yes
• No

10

Are you currently a certified School Resource Officer?

• Yes
• No

11

Were you referred to this position by any member of the Suffolk Police Department? If so, by whom?

Required Question

Employer City of Suffolk

Address 442 W. Washington Street, Suite 1044

Suffolk, Virginia, 23434

Phone 7575144110

Website http://www.suffolkva.us