Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

Education: High School Diploma or equivalent.

Age: Officer must be 21 years of age by their first day of employment.

Citizenship: Kansas law requires Police Officer candidate be a United States citizen.

Tattoos: Visible tattoos must be deemed appropriate by the Chief of Police. Tattoos that do not reflect well on the department are required to be covered.

Background: Officers are put through an extensive background investigation. The background investigation must show:

• Past behavior & choices that reflect favorably on character.
• High standards of honesty & integrity.
• Respectful of diverse backgrounds & cultures.
• Responsible choices regarding drugs & alcohol usage.

Residency Requirements: Hays Police Officers must live within a 40 mile radius of the City of Hays within 6 months of employment.

Automatic Disqualifiers: Convicted of crime that would constitute as a felony in the state of Kansas, misdemeanor crime of domestic violence or a misdemeanor offense that reflects on honesty, trustworthiness, integrity or competence of applicant.

Things You Should Know About The Job

As a Police Officer for Hays Police Department, you will be required to perform a variety of tasks. Some of the skills will be taught to you at the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center (a 14-week academy in Hutchinson, KS) & some will be personality traits that you bring to the position. Please consider all aspects of the position before applying to make sure the job of Police Officer fits you.

Some traits required of a Police Officer include, but not limited to:

• Completing forms, reports and logs. Officers must have a good working knowledge of English grammar, sentence structure, vocabulary, spelling, & able to be concise, descriptive, & thorough in all written documents.
• Testify in court. Officers must testify accurately & credibly regarding arrests, reports, evidence, & statements.
• Communication. Officers must possess excellent communication & interpersonal skills to interact with the public. They must be able to interview & obtain information from victims & witnesses of crimes. Some encounters can be unpleasant. Officers may also be called upon to make presentations to various groups.
• Thick-Skinned. Police Officers deal with members of the general public that can have hostile feelings towards police & may express their hostility towards the officer in words or actions. Officers must be able to behave professionally & not be provoked.
• Decision Making. The ability to evaluate situations, determine if a crime took place, & make a decision as to what is the appropriate action is required of this position.
• Detail-Oriented. Police Officers must notice minute elements of a particular person or crime scene in order to recognize & gather evidence.
• Firearms. The ability to proficiently use firearms is required.
• Independent. Hays Police Officers do not work with a partner. They must be able to make quick decisions independently.
• Physically demanding. This position may demand an officer to participate in a foot pursuit, physically search suspects, drag or carry victims, detain combative suspects, perform CPR & first aid, arrest non-compliant citizens & serve arrest & search warrants. Police Officers must be able to make a quick decision to use force when necessary.
• Open-Minded. Hays is made up of a wide variety of citizens & visitors. Officers must remain fair & unbiased when dealing with diverse backgrounds & cultures.
• Long Hours, Changing Schedules. Police Officers work 12 hour shifts & often overtime is required. Schedules may also be changed based on the needs of the department & court schedules with little notice.
• Ethical. Officer must always behave ethically both on & off the job. More is expected of Police Officers by the citizens than other career fields.
• Chain of command. The department has a chain of command that is required to be followed.