Quick Escape. Policing is a fast-paced and dynamic profession that must keep pace and evolve with our rapidly changing world. Through innovation and community partnerships, the VPD upholds the highest standards and employs leading practices to achieve excellence in public safety and service. The VPD offers a myriad of exciting career opportunities within a supportive and rewarding work environment where all employees can thrive and reach their full potential while making a difference.
Whether you are patrolling by bicycle or chasing a suspect on foot, being physically fit will give you a necessary advantage. It can also be a healthy way to deal with stress. In addition to knowing arrest-and-control, and de-escalation tactics, you will be trained to handle and care for a variety of firearms and to operate police vehicles in emergency situations.
You may go for extended periods without drawing your firearm in the field, however, you must be prepared to use deadly force to protect yourself or others from grievous bodily harm or death. To be an effective police officer, you are going to need sound knowledge of the law and modern policing methods. As a police officer, you will evaluate situations based on your knowledge, experience, and available information when determining if a crime has occurred and who committed that crime.
In some cases, you will need to exercise discretion and tact in persuading people to comply with directions so that an arrest is not necessary. At crime scenes, you will pay close attention to detail and make observations on suspects and the crime scene itself. You will gather relevant physical evidence and ensure that it remains safe and uncontaminated.
Often, you will be required to visualize and recall an event after the fact so it can be documented accurately, possibly for court purposes. Police work is not without risk. While high-stress and risky situations are the exception rather than the rule, you need to be prepared for the unexpected. Long periods of routine tasks can be suddenly interrupted by an urgent call requiring immediate intervention. That training and experience will help you evaluate situations to ensure an appropriate response.
