Police Officer

Summary

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be September 18, 2026 and applicants will be referred on an 'as needed' basis thereafter. This Announcement will remain open through October 30, 2026 and may be extended or closed if needed prior to the initial closing date. Note: Vacancies may not currently exist at all advertised locations, but may later occur prior to the closing date. Applicants will be notified at time of referral.

Duties

The Police Officer will perform a full range of police duties by following and executing rules, regulations, or procedures covering law and rules enforcement, physical and personal security operations, patrol duties, control desk duty, coordination with local courts, and/or crime prevention activities for the local jurisdiction. Conducts long and short term investigations to detect and apprehend individuals for violating laws; Analyzes facts to identify suspects and develop case information; Coordinates with U.S. and other prosecuting attorneys on case development to perform arrests and prosecutions; Full range of investigative work that is typical of Detectives; Protects the civil rights of all individuals on VA controlled property; Prevents, detect and investigate crimes; Patrols assigned areas on foot or by motor vehicle; Subdues persons causing disturbance or who threaten harm to themselves or others; Follows rules/procedures concerning search and seizure of evidence and contraband; Obtains search and arrest warrants; Arrests violators; Provides basic first aid and CPR prior to arrival of emergency medical personnel; Prepares report of activities and events that occurred during shift; Performs traffic control; Assists citizens in emergency situations; and Performs other related duties as assigned. Designated Drug-Testing Position: 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. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test result is received. Work Schedule: Rotating shifts based on the needs of Police Services. Candidates must be willing to work weekends, irregular work hours and extended hours if determined by the needs of the service. Furthermore, candidates must be willing to be placed, detailed, or temporarily assigned to other related services and/or locations, if necessary. Position Description Title/PD#: Police Officer/PD99268-S Recruitment/Relocation Incentive: May be authorized for highly qualified candidates. Physical Requirements: The work requires, on a regular and recurring basis, considerable and strenuous physical exertion such as running, frequent climbing of multiple flights of stairs, and carrying items weighing over 50 pounds. It requires stamina, physical agility, dexterity, and the strength to pursue, apprehend or detain persons who are often uncooperative, assaultive, and/or armed. Work Conditions: The work involves both moderate and high risks and possible endangerment of life or serious injury that requires the exercise of safety precautions and use of personal protective equipment The work is performed in settings in which there is regular and recurring exposure to moderate to severe discomforts and unpleasantness, such as high temperatures in confined spaces, high temperatures due to mandatory protective personal equipment, or adverse weather conditions during extended periods of traffic and patrol duties. The work involves moderate risk requiring exercise of safety precautions when working around hazardous materials such as toxic gases, explosives, infectious biological materials, and others that pose a moderate risk of exposure.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. To meet the minimum qualifications for the GS-6 position, you must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level in the Federal service (or equivalent pay band), that provided a 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 includes maintaining order to protect life and property; taking initial complaints; interviewing witnesses; securing a crime scene and conducting limited searches; responding to emergency situations; gathering information and preparing reports; conducting routine patrol, traffic control, and traffic accident investigations. At this level, police work must have included investigative work, patrolling assigned area(s) to enforce laws and ordinances, regulate traffic, control crowds, prevent crimes and/or arrest violators. Experience as a security guard or corrections officer is generally not qualifying. NOTE: You must provide detailed information of your experience performed. Information such as "I was a Patrolman", "I was a Police Officer for a number of years," or "I enforced Federal, State, county, and laws" is insufficient to determine your qualifications. Experience must be fully documented in your resume and must include job title, duties, month & year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. There is no educational substitution for the GS-06 level. 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. Driver's License Requirement: 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. Applicants are required to pass agency Government Vehicle Drivers physical examination. NOTE: We cannot accept photographs, therefore; please do not submit a copy of your driver's license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you may be required to provide a copy of your valid state-issued driver's license. Firearm Requirement: VA Police Officers are required to carry agency-approved firearms while on duty on VA property. Officers must achieve and maintain qualification/certification with the agency-approved firearms as condition of gaining and continuing employment as a Police Officer. Applicants must be able to possess firearms under the terms of the Gun Control Act of 1968, as amended (18 U.S.C. 922(g)(9). ADDITIONAL POLICE OFFICER CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: 1. New VA Police Officers are required to attend an 8-week course at the VA Law Enforcement Training Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. Satisfactory completion of this course is a condition of continued employment. 2. Designated Drug-Testing Position: Applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to an appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test is received. 3. A medical examination is required. The duties of these positions require moderate to 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. 4. Applicants and employees must have the capacity 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 instances, a specific medical condition or impairment will not automatically disqualify an applicant or employee. A medical condition or impairment is disqualifying only if the condition, for good medical reason, precludes assignment to or warrants restriction from the duties of the specific position. For some positions, the loss or impairment of a specific function may be compensated for by the satisfactory use of a prosthesis or mechanical aid. Reasonable accommodation shall also be considered in determining an applicant's ability to perform the duties of a position. 5. 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. 6. As a condition of employment, must qualify to be issued a firearm and semi-annually with assigned firearm, annually with an expandable Straight Baton (MEB), maintain a valid State or Commonwealth Driver's License and pass annual physical and psychosocial assessments. Applicants must be able to possess firearms under the terms of the Gun Control Act of 1968, as amended (18 U.S.C. 922(g)(9).

Requirements

You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the 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. 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.

Education

There is no educational substitution for the GS-06 level.

Locations

Anchorage, Alaska

Birmingham, Alabama

Irondale, Alabama

Mobile, Alabama

Montgomery, Alabama

Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Tuskegee, Alabama

Fayetteville, Arkansas

Little Rock, Arkansas

North Little Rock, Arkansas

Phoenix, Arizona

Prescott, Arizona

Tucson, Arizona

Fresno, California

Livermore, California

Loma Linda, California

Long Beach, California

Los Angeles, California

Mather, California

Menlo Park, California

Oakland, California

Palo Alto, California

San Bruno, California

San Diego, California

San Francisco, California

Santa Rosa, California

Travis AFB, California

Vallejo, California

Aurora, Colorado

Colorado Springs, Colorado

Denver, Colorado

Glendale, Colorado

Grand Junction, Colorado

Loveland, Colorado

Newington, Connecticut

West Haven, Connecticut

District of Columbia, District of Columbia

Wilmington, Delaware

Bay Pines, Florida

Cape Coral, Florida

Daytona Beach, Florida

Eglin AFB, Florida

Gainesville, Florida

Jacksonville, Florida

Lake City, Florida

Marianna, Florida

Miami, Florida

Ocala, Florida

Orlando, Florida

Panama City Beach, Florida

Pensacola, Florida

Riverview, Florida

Saint Petersburg, Florida

Sunrise, Florida

Tallahassee, Florida

Tampa, Florida

The Villages, Florida

Viera, Florida

West Palm Beach, Florida

Augusta, Georgia

Blairsville, Georgia

Brookhaven, Georgia

Carrollton, Georgia

College Park, Georgia

Columbus, Georgia

Decatur, Georgia

Dublin, Georgia

Duluth, Georgia

Fort Benning, Georgia

Hinesville, Georgia

Jasper, Georgia

Newnan, Georgia

Savannah, Georgia

Zebulon, Georgia

Honolulu, Hawaii

Des Moines, Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa

Boise, Idaho

Pocatello, Idaho

Chicago, Illinois

Danville, Illinois

Hines, Illinois

Marion, Illinois

North Chicago, Illinois

Westchester, Illinois

Evansville, Indiana

Fort Wayne, Indiana

Indianapolis, Indiana

Marion, Indiana

Mishawaka, Indiana

Leavenworth, Kansas

Topeka, Kansas

Wichita, Kansas

Fort Thomas, Kentucky

Lexington, Kentucky

Louisville, Kentucky

Somerset, Kentucky

Alexandria, Louisiana

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Jennings, Louisiana

Lafayette, Louisiana

Lake Charles, Louisiana

Leesville, Louisiana

Natchitoches, Louisiana

New Orleans, Louisiana

Pineville, Louisiana

Shreveport, Louisiana

Bedford, Massachusetts

Boston, Massachusetts

Brockton, Massachusetts

Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts

Leeds, Massachusetts

West Roxbury, Massachusetts

Baltimore, Maryland

Cambridge, Maryland

Fort Meade, Maryland

Glen Burnie, Maryland

Linthicum, Maryland

Perry Point, Maryland

Pocomoke City, Maryland

Rosedale, Maryland

Augusta, Maine

Togus, Maine

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Battle Creek, Michigan

Canton, Michigan

Detroit, Michigan

Iron Mountain, Michigan

Saginaw, Michigan

Wyoming, Michigan

Eagan, Minnesota

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Saint Cloud, Minnesota

Cape Girardeau, Missouri

Columbia, Missouri

Kansas City, Missouri

Poplar Bluff, Missouri

Rolla, Missouri

Saint James, Missouri

Saint Louis, Missouri

Springfield, Missouri

Biloxi, Mississippi

Jackson, Mississippi

Ridgeland, Mississippi

Fort Harrison, Montana

Miles City, Montana

Missoula, Montana

Asheville, North Carolina

Charlotte, North Carolina

Durham, North Carolina

Fayetteville, North Carolina

Kernersville, North Carolina

Salisbury, North Carolina

Fargo, North Dakota

Grand Island, Nebraska

Lincoln, Nebraska

Omaha, Nebraska

Manchester, New Hampshire

East Orange, New Jersey

Lyons, New Jersey

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Fallon, Nevada

Gardnerville, Nevada

Henderson, Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada

North Las Vegas, Nevada

Reno, Nevada

Albany, New York

Batavia, New York

Bath, New York

Bronx, New York

Brooklyn, New York

Buffalo, New York

Canandaigua, New York

Montrose, New York

New York, New York

Northport, New York

Queens, New York

Syracuse, New York

Wappingers Falls, New York

Chillicothe, Ohio

Cincinnati, Ohio

Cleveland, Ohio

Columbus, Ohio

Dayton, Ohio

Grove City, Ohio

Marion, Ohio

Newark, Ohio

Toledo, Ohio

Zanesville, Ohio

Muskogee, Oklahoma

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Eugene, Oregon

Portland, Oregon

Roseburg, Oregon

White City, Oregon

Altoona, Pennsylvania

Butler, Pennsylvania

Coatesville, Pennsylvania

Erie, Pennsylvania

Lebanon, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Providence, Rhode Island

Anderson, South Carolina

Charleston, South Carolina

Columbia, South Carolina

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

North Charleston, South Carolina

Orangeburg, South Carolina

Rock Hill, South Carolina

Fort Meade, South Dakota

Hot Springs, South Dakota

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Knoxville, Tennessee

Memphis, Tennessee

Millington, Tennessee

Mountain Home, Tennessee

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Nashville, Tennessee

Amarillo, Texas

Arlington, Texas

Austin, Texas

Big Spring, Texas

Bonham, Texas

Corpus Christi, Texas

Dallas, Texas

El Paso, Texas

El Paso County, Texas

Fort Worth, Texas

Galveston, Texas

Garland, Texas

Grand Prairie, Texas

Harlingen, Texas

Houston, Texas

Katy, Texas

Kerrville, Texas

Laredo, Texas

Lubbock, Texas

McAllen, Texas

San Antonio, Texas

Temple, Texas

Tyler, Texas

Waco, Texas

Saint George, Utah

Salt Lake City, Utah

Chesapeake, Virginia

Fredericksburg, Virginia

Hampton, Virginia

Richmond, Virginia

Salem, Virginia

White River Junction, Vermont

Lakewood, Washington

Seattle, Washington

Spokane, Washington

Tacoma, Washington

Vancouver, Washington

Walla Walla, Washington

Madison, Wisconsin

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Tomah, Wisconsin

Beckley, West Virginia

Clarksburg, West Virginia

Gassaway, West Virginia

Huntington, West Virginia

Martinsburg, West Virginia

Parkersburg, West Virginia

Parsons, West Virginia

Westover, West Virginia

Cheyenne, Wyoming

Sheridan, Wyoming

Benefits

VA Offers a comprehensive Total Reward$ Package. CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE!: Flyer Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Parental Leave: Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a child care subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VAInsurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement). For More Information on Benefits: Employment Benefits (va.gov)

Evaluation

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received.

Required documents

Documents Accepted: Cover Letter DD-214/ Statement of Service Disability Letter (VA) Other (1) PCS Orders Performance Appraisal Resume Separation Notice (RIF) SF-15 SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Documents Required: Resume Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application. Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).You will not be contacted for additional information. Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted. Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply. Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position. Applications are accepted online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application. 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. Your resume must be 5MB or less. We recommend saving and uploading your resume as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. We also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, PDF, ODT or Word (DOC or DOCX). We do not accept PDF portfolio files. We recommend using a sans-serif font size like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans. Make your page margins 0.5 inches. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text in your resume. The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started.

How to apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online questionnaire and submission of the required documentation specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. To preview the application questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13059552. The application process is as follows: To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date, 10/30/2026. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Set aside at least 3 hours o take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link. NOTE: Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us. You may update your application documents and some questions related to your personal information at any time during the announcement open period. Upon application, you may be provided a testing window to complete additional assessments. This testing window may stipulate a completion deadline before the announcement closes. It is your responsibility to complete the additional online assessments within the timeline provided to remain in consideration for this vacancy announcement. Failure to complete the online assessments within the testing window for this announcement will not preclude you from being considered for and completing the online assessments during a testing window on a future announcement. To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To view the announcement status or your application status: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

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. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. 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.