This position serves as a vital part of the VA Police Services often serving as the face of the VA and as the first person seen when entering a VA facility. The incumbent provides security and assistance to Veterans, patients, employees, contractors and others who frequent VA facilities daily. The incumbent is expected to empathize, engage, and communicate with all individuals they encounter to ensure a positive outcome and the safety of the facility and all its occupants.

Duties

Serves as a uniformed Physical Security Specialist providing services on behalf of the VHA, PCS, including assisting in managing the Security Program for the Medical Center/Health Care System which ensures that individuals requiring access have been vetted. Provides physical security support for Veterans Health Administration, Veterans Benefits Administration, National Cemetery Administration and Veterans Administration Regional Office (VHA/VBA/NCA/VARO). Assist in evaluating risk and developing procedures and physical security measures designed to safeguard personnel, property, and operations from unauthorized access, espionage, terrorism, sabotage, damage and theft. Participates with senior-level Physical Security Specialist and provides suggestions to the Chief of Police regarding matters pertaining to security systems and security of other VA/VHA/NCA/VARO assets. Ensures security requirements, including appropriate safeguards, cameras, panic and intrusion alarms are implemented. Monitors and evaluates existing present and planned security projects to ensure timely and quality service conforms to statutory, contractual and technical requirements. Provides input during assigned phases of the design and construction of planned Veterans Health Administration (VHA) projects concerning security engineering and electronic security systems. Works closely with senior Physical Security Specialist to gain an understanding of requirements of contracting officers to ensure VA and contractor compliance with Federal/VA security protocols during construction. Identifies conflicts between VHA and OIT Security requirements/regulations during security surveys. Receives training in conducting system audits and evaluates reports of alleged security violations. Analyzes facts and performs appropriate research and prepares detailed responses. Researches and recommends appropriate courses of action to correct physical and industrial security issues that impact an assigned area VHA/VBA/NCA/VARO facility. Establishes, develops, and maintains effective working relationships with other staff offices. Meets with key customers and coordinates with officials to assess customer satisfaction, explain organization policy and procedures, and resolve problems that arise. Serves as a Physical Security participant on special projects and initiatives and performs special ad hoc assignments between VHA/VBA/NCA/VARO installations. Attends security meetings and gathers new or changed security program information to provide security personnel and others in attendance. Ensures that minutes of the meeting are taken; and reviews completed minutes for accuracy of recorded information. Completes formal training courses in the following areas: Conventional Physical Security, Electronic Security System Design Course, and Security Design Engineering Construction Course. Develops various physical security-related documents, spreadsheets, graphs, reports and presentations using various automated systems and software packages, including the Veterans Health Information and Technology Architecture (VistA) System, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint to enter, access and retrieve information in the medical center computer system. Maintains a Physical Security Tracking report to ensure physical security surveys are followed up promptly. Performs Law Enforcement assignments to prevent or resolve offenses. Books the accused; takes the accused before the appropriate District Court or magistrate; confers with the prosecutors; appears before the grand jury upon request; appears at preliminary hearings; and/or testifies at trial, if needed. Responds to reports of a crime in progress and/or calls for police assistance. Seeks, detects, and protects all evidence, victims, and witnesses. Oversees emergency, crowd, and/or civil disturbance control, including bomb threat, search procedures and proper completion of reports for each. Takes immediate action to control and evacuate the area. Provides services required for the safety of all persons involved. Performs bomb search functions as required. Coordinates such search activities with the local bomb squad. Answers violent individual calls, interceding in physical assaults in progress or other incidents requiring police intervention to minimize the possibility of injury to all parties. Conducts investigations when solutions cannot be achieved during a normal patrol shift. Conducts full investigations over prolonged periods. Questions and takes statements from victims, witnesses, and complainants, and clarifies conflicting statements, and interrogates suspects. Applies all correct rules for search and seizure and obtains search arrest warrants. Analyzes facts to identify suspects. Develops case information necessary to place charges and prosecute offenders. Arrests, or directs the arrest of individuals who have violated Federal or State criminal codes.

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/21/2023. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Providing physical security and assistance to groups and individuals entering facility or campus; ensuring compliance with security procedures designed to safeguard personnel and property; applying knowledge of security and protection regulations, policies, procedures, and practices; utilizing various security equipment and devices; making/sharing recommendations to improve security processes. Performs law enforcement assignment such as, responding to reports of crimes and/or calls for police assistance; securing crime scenes and/or accident sites; takes appropriate actions in emergency situations; conducts investigations; keep abreast of law enforcement rules, regulations and techniques. Applicants must possess excellent communication skills. NOTE: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. OR, Education: (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a master's or equivalent graduate degree, or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, in a field related to Criminal Investigation that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR, Combination: (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) Equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (in excess of the first year or 18 semester hours) and specialized experience to meet total experience requirements. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Computer SkillsCriminal LawInterpersonal SkillsPersonnel Security and SafetyPublic Safety and SecuritySecurity 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. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. 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). Physical Requirements: The work requires full use of extremities, normal hearing, and vision to conduct on-site security surveys, inspections, and assessments. The duties require prolonged standing, walking, crouching, bending, lifting, reaching, pushing, stooping, and climbing stairs and ladders indoors and outdoors. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System 2200 SW Gage Blvd Topeka, KS 66622 US
• Name: Travis Ware
• Phone: (470) 910-4578
• Email: [email protected]