Employment Opportunities

 

 

GWPD Roll Call

 

The George Washington University Police Department is a campus law enforcement agency with over 100 full-time uniformed police and security officers. In addition to our Patrol Branch, GWPD has branches dedicated to Investigations, EMS, Auxiliary Services, Victim Services, Physical Security, and Administrative Support.

The Department provides professional law enforcement, security, and safety services to the university community.  Law enforcement in a university setting creates a unique opportunity to embrace the principles of community policing which incorporate visible and effective patrol with community service and educational programming for the students and employees of the institution.

The George Washington University Police Department integrates all of these concepts in order to maintain a friendly and safe environment on an urban campus with more than 25,000 university community members.

The Foggy Bottom campus is located in downtown Washington, DC, four blocks from the White House.  This location offers a unique opportunity for working closely with other agencies such as the Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Metropolitan Police Department.  Examples of these partnerships are evident when foreign dignitaries or government officials (such as the President of the United States) visit the campus or attend a university event.

If this job is currently available, it will be listed in the GW Jobs portal as SPO 1

Duties and Responsibilities

Basic Function and responsibility: Special Police Officers protect life and property at the George Washington University community. They enforce District of Columbia law as well as University policy. They receive practical on-the-job and formal training necessary to attain a Special Police Commission from the District of Columbia. 

Qualifications

  • Officers must be a minimum of 21 years old.
  • U.S. Citizenship required
  • Valid driver's license and be eligible to drive GW vehicles as per University policy
  • Pass a physical exam, drug screen, psychological assessment, and background investigation.
  • Must possess or be able to possess a District of Columbia Special Police Commission within 120 days of employment
  • Must have a minimum of a high school diploma or GED.
  • Must have one year of experience in protective services OR an Associate's Degree in Criminal Justice or a related field (Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice is preferred)
  • Must be available to work rotating shifts

Characteristic Duties and Responsibilities

  • Officers protect life and property within GW facilities and buildings as well as on GW's campus. They patrol the campus and respond to calls for service by vehicle, bicycle, and foot 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days per year.
  • Officers observe and report malfunctioning or unsafe utility equipment, access devices, and alarms throughout campus.
  • Officers attend professional skills development courses provided within the department and by outside agencies to strengthen capabilities taught during the police academy and to develop new skills over the course of a career(e.g. arrest techniques, emergency procedures and response)
  • Officers occasionally assist investigators and higher level officers with fact-finding investigations and special projects.
  • Officers may be called to testify in court as witnesses.
  • Officers perform a variety of service related functions during a shift (e.g. admitting individuals to locked buildings after hours)
  • Officers will be expected to exhibit excellent verbal and written communication skills. In the performance of their duties, officers will communicate via radio and provide information to the public. On a daily basis, officers will write detailed, concise, and accurate reports about stressful situations that are often times complex and confusing.

Training

1.) Field Training: The first six weeks of employment consist of a field training period. Two weeks are spent on each shift (morning, evening, and night). The field training consists of five phases of training that occur in the field and in the classroom.

  • F.T. Phase I.) DC Criminal Code, Criminal and Investigative Procedure
  • F.T. Phase II.) Effective Interviewing and Interrogation
  • F.T. Phase III.) Report Writing and Certification Training
  • F.T. Phase IV.) Campus Law Enforcement and University Services at GW
  • F.T. Phase 5.) Critical Incident Response and Patrol Tactics

2.) Certification Training: Officers receive certificates in Defensive Driving; Verbal Judo; Defensive Tactics Pressure Points Ground and Knife Defense; OCAT (pepper spray),;PR-24 Baton;CPR/AED/First Aid.

3.) Academy Training: Officers receive seven weeks of training at the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area Campus Public Safety Institute.

Benefits

  • Starting Salary: $24.09/hr ($50,100/yr)
  • Tuition remission for undergraduate and graduate studies
  • Paid annual and sick leave
  • Two scheduled days off per week
  • Readily available overtime
  • Comprehensive health and dental benefit package
  • Ability to participate in training (all hours of which are paid)
  • All equipment and uniforms provided including protective vests
  • Retirement Benefits
  • Competitive starting salary with potential for increases through promotion and annual adjustments
  • Career Advancement opportunities: pay increases with rank.
  • Free dry cleaning for uniforms.

Special Opportunities

Throughout their career, officers will have the opportunity to participate in special programs and training offered by the department. For example, opportunities could include assignment to the bike patrol unit, assignment to the special operations unit, participation in the adopt an officer program, certification as an instructor in a variety of skills, and outreach roles to a highly diverse community. In addition, due to the location of The George Washington University, in the heart of Washington, D.C., GWPD officers will have the unique opportunity to coordinate a variety of high profile events in partnership with Federal and local agencies.

GWPD recruits talented individuals across all of our Divisions and mission areas.  As positions are available, they will be posted on the GW Jobs Portal.