Employment

Interested in becoming a Sidney Police Officer? 

Here are some things we’re looking for in officers:

Integrity: The candidate has high moral and ethical standards and possesses integrity in all matters, public, and private. Given the power and authority bestowed upon a law enforcement officer, it is crucial that a potential candidate possesses a high moral character. 

Human Diversity Skills: The candidate has the ability to act in an unbiased manner and must have an understanding of human diversity issues demonstrating cultural competency. 

Service Orientation: The candidate has a service orientation. A desire and commitment to service above self. Approximately 80 percent of the law enforcement job is service and 20 percent of it is enforcement. Helping, assisting, and guiding hurt people is a skill that is invaluable in a profession that operates 24 hours a day, as the most visible part of the government. 

Team Compatibility: The candidate has a team orientation. The candidate has the ability to work with others in a cooperative, caring, and supportive manner to achieve goals of the group. The goals of the individual are subordinate to the goals of the team or organization. 

Oral Communication Skill: The candidate has the ability to communicate well orally. The candidate is a good listener and can clearly transmit thoughts and ideas to others. 

Written Communication Skill: The candidate has the ability to communicate well in writing and the ability to convey an idea, concept, or information in a clear, concise, and appropriate format.

Motivation: The candidate has the ability to be highly motivated while working independently. 

Decision-Making: The candidate has the ability to be a good decision maker and problem solver. 

Human Relations Skill: The candidate has the ability to interact with people, effectively demonstrating good human relation skills. It takes great human relations skills to manage conflict or problems in a patient, caring, and professional manner. A law enforcement officer will enter negative situations, often engaging people at their worst, and within their roles are expected to leave these same people with something positive. 

Self-Control: The candidate has the ability to maintain self-control under stressful circumstances. Self-discipline is critical to responding properly. 

Planning and Organization Skill: The candidate has effective planning and organizing skills. 

Performance Driven: The candidate is performance driven and has the desire and motivation to be successful in achieving group and individual goals. Law enforcement officers often work independently as they are involved in daily self-initiated activities. This position requires individuals who want to be the best that they can be. 

These qualities are from Dr. Patrick Oliver, a team member of the Office of Law Enforcement Recruitment team here in Ohio and head of the Criminal Justice program at Cedarville University. You can find him and his team at https://www.ocjs.ohio.gov/ler/index.html. He has also published a book titled ‘Recruitment, Selection & Retention of Law Enforcement Officers’. 

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It is the vision of the Sidney Police Department to exceed the expectations of our community, to adapt to ever changing challenges and to provide the highest level of service and protection to our citizens. 

Our Mission Statement: In order to preserve life, protect property and prevent and detect crime, we will provide service with fairness and understanding, provide response with compassion, and provide performance with integrity. We will proactively work in cooperation with our community to address identified areas of needed improvement and continually provide the level of service and safety owed to our community and do so with the courage and the professionalism they deserve. We are committed to elevated standards of trust, responsibility, and discipline while promoting justice in a fair and impartial manner. 

Our Core Principles: Professionalism, Integrity, Courage, and Compassion

The Sidney Police Department is a full service police department. The department has a patrol section, an investigative section, a community resource section and a communications section. They are supported by a records section and a maintenance staff. The department provides opportunities to its officers for additional duties, such as accident reconstructionist, member of the tactical response team, hostage negotiations team, bike patrol unit, evidence technician, range instructor, and defensive tactics instructor. The command staff consists of the chief of police, three captains, seven sergeants and an officer supervisor. 

The Sidney Police Department responded to over 15,000 calls in 2021. These calls include community policing, accidents, thefts, burglaries, aggravated assaults, domestic violence, overdoses, and much more. The Sidney Police Department also focuses on traffic offenses and when officers are not busy with calls for service, they are free to enforce traffic or follow up on investigations. 

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           Police officers assigned to patrol report directly to a patrol sergeant. Police officers assigned to specialized positions in the investigative section report to either the detective sergeant or the investigative captain. 

            All Sidney police officers are expected to cooperate with all other city departments and maintain a professional relationship with all local and state jurisdictions. 

The major responsibilities of a police officer include but are not limited to:

• Responding to emergency and non-emergency calls for service.
• Assessing all situations to determine the correct response. 
• Proactive patrolling and enforcing of criminal and traffic violations.
• Investigating criminal activity, conduct witness/suspect interviews, locate, preserve, and collect evidence. 
• Investigating traffic accidents.
• Assisting the public in criminal and non-criminal matters, including civil matters.
• Providing non-emergency functions as deemed appropriate by the chief of police. 
• Completing all necessary reports accurately and make any necessary referrals. 
• Providing first aid when called upon. 
• Connecting with the community as an ambassador for the police department in matters involving community relations.

Major challenges:

• Dealing with the public during times of crisis when situations are unknown and always changing
• Dealing with individuals and their problems who are in an aggravated emotional state of mind, or who may be under mental or physical duress
• Enforcing laws fairly and consistently, treating all citizens equally, under challenging and different circumstances

Job Requirements:

• Operate department vehicles safely
• Maintain certification to operate equipment, including but not limited to alcohol testing devices, and speed detection devices
• Operate department equipment as assigned by the department
• Pass all firearm qualifications
• Ability to use sound judgement and make good decisions when handling calls
• Maintain a level of physical fitness required for the job

Other Requirements:

• Be loyal to our Mission and Vision
• Be subordinate to lawful organizational directives and supervisory instructions
• Be available for work and while at work
• Be competent mentally, physically, medically, and psychologically. In all these areas be prepared for work
• Be productive and use productive work time in an efficient, effective, and safe manner
• Be adaptive to the demands of your job and adjust to change
• Be responsible for decisions made and consequences of those decisions
• Be respectful and easy to get along with and work with others in a harmonious relationship