Public Safety Officer

Location: Big Rapids (Main Campus)

Department: 57000 – Public Safety

Advertised
Salary: $25.00 – $30.67 hourly rate pursuant to the FSU and Public Safety Officers/POLC
Agreement

Benefits

Comprehensive benefit package (health care, vacation, etc.). Please see the following link
for a list of benefits offered with this position.

Public Safety

FLSA:
Non-Exempt

Temporary/Continuing: Continuing

Part-Time/Full-Time:
Full-Time

Union Group: Public Safety Officers (Police Officers Labor Council)

Term of
Position: 12 Month

At Will/Just Cause: Just Cause

Summary of Position

The
Public Safety Officer is a sworn law enforcement position which involves protecting life and property, and the preservation of peace and
good order through the enforcement of laws, ordinances, and policy. Duties include responding to emergency and non-emergency police calls
for service, responsibility for performing assigned police work of varying degree of difficulty, utilizing
community-oriented/problem-solving techniques which include community engagement, resource development, the enforcement of laws and
ordinances, crime prevention, detection and investigation, apprehension of violators, and other related police
functions.

Position Type: Staff

Required Education

High School Diploma or
GED

Required Work Experience

None

Required Licenses and Certifications

Applicants must be MCOLES certified or licensable as a police officer as defined by MCOLES at the date of hire.

Applicants
must possess a valid Michigan driver’s license.

Physical Demands

• Bending
• Inclement Weather
• Moving
• Reaching
• Sitting
• Twisting
• Driving
• Lifting
• Pulling/Pushing
• Repetitive movement
• Standing

Additional Education/Experiences to be Considered

An
associate’s degree in criminal justice or related field is desirable.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities

The
duties and job descriptions for a Patrol Officer position at Ferris State University have been categorized under the headings below:

Communication Activities
* Interacts and communicates with the public, co-workers, staff, students, and other police departments
*
Reports complaints, unusual and/or hazardous conditions, broken/damaged equipment, and other emergency information
* Enters, transcribes,
records, stores, or maintains information in either written form or by electronic/magnetic recording
* Completes daily logs/work
records
* May testify in court
Decision-Making Activities
* Reviews facts, literature, law books, etc., to draw conclusions
regarding if laws have been broken or to determine if an arrest is warranted
* Observes and analyzes situations to determine appropriate
responses
* Uses evidence collected at accident and emergency scenes to draw valid conclusions
* Reviews policy and procedural
guidelines, manuals, and department records to determine appropriateness and conformance with rules and regulations
* Makes decisions on
whether to terminate a vehicle pursuit
Staff Assistance Activities
* Provides back up for other officers
* Provides general
assistance to other police officers, supervisors and other agencies
* Assists new officers in adapting to the department and instructs
them in policing techniques
* Assists others in specialized areas of professional police work
Investigative Activities
*
Investigates crimes and motor vehicle accidents
* Reviews criminal and non-criminal reports
* Collects evidence at accident and crime
scenes by photographing, recording information, drawing diagrams and lifting fingerprints
* Administers blood alcohol, chemical and/or
urine tests
* Complete fingerprinting as needed.
* Seizes and/or transports vehicles, evidence and/or property
* Applies for and
verifies warrants
* Follows up on pending case investigations
* May coordinate the investigation process
* Interviews victims and
witnesses
* Interrogates criminal suspects and prisoners
Planning and Organizing Activities
* Develops plans to accomplish
work
* Organizes time to meet assignment deadlines
Patrolling Activities
* Patrols campus
* Locates emergency scenes
* Cites
for traffic and other law violations
* Completes accident reports
* Assists motorists with car problems
* Directs and controls
traffic
* Controls parking at special events
* Cleans and fuels patrol car
* Provides security during transportation of large sums
of cash and/or other valuables
* Maintains key control and/or access to secure and restricted locations
* Provides 24-hour escort
service to students, faculty, staff, and guests of the university
Controlling Situations/Activities
* Protects property from
unnecessary damage
* Calms distraught persons at emergency scenes
* Responds to violence and crime scenes
* Responds to disturbance
calls
* Enforces laws and coverage of special events such as sporting events and concerts
* Restrains suspects and makes arrests when
appropriate
* Provides medical assistance to the injured or sick
* Establishes barricades around event parameters
* Performs crowd
control activities
* Participates in building checks
Equipment Use
* Patrol officers may use the following machines and
equipment:
* Telecommunication equipment (e.g., phone, 800Mhz MPSC Radio)
* Radar unit
* Handcuffs
* Video/audio recording
equipment (e.g., copier, facsimile, computer)
* Emergency/first aid equipment (e.g., defibrillator, fire extinguisher)
* Firearms
*
Chemical substance (e.g., pepper spray)
* Security checking devices

Policies and Procedures
In addition to the above
activities, patrol officers are required to follow department rules and regulations. These include:
* Keeping appointments with
interdepartmental meetings, court dates, pre-trial conferences, and training sessions
* Maintaining standards of appearance such as
uniform, well-groomed hair and hygiene and physical fitness
* Completing legal forms and documents
* Obeying state laws and department
policies under normal and emergency situations
* Participating in training
* Provides security and protection services to the
community by patrolling assigned areas or buildings to enforce policies and procedures, which may include security of individual
building/stationary locations
* Responds to emergencies by assessing the situation, employing tact, diplomacy, and individual judgment to
remedy and/or maintain control
* May require the incumbent to provide on-site lead supervision over student service officers who may be
present
* Deters, restrains, and/or arrests individuals attempting to inflict physical harm on themselves or others or to commit criminal
acts
* Completes necessary administrative forms/reports related to incidents and/or arrests, to include gathering pertinent information
from participants and/or witnesses and organizing it in a logical written form
* Maintains regular communication with student service
officers to obtain information about unusual and/or suspicious situations
* Appears in court regarding incidents that occur in the
university community when necessary
* Provides traffic control during scheduled activities or during emergency situations as
necessary
* Enforces parking rules and regulations
* Provides emergency first aid and/or CPR to injured persons, or assists in the
transportation of ill or injured persons when necessary
* Attends internal and/or external training courses, classes and seminars to
further develop protection service skills and knowledge
* Provides basic information and directions to students, faculty, staff and/or
the general public
* Provides superiors with daily activity reports/summaries related to the overall training and performance of student
service officers
* Maintains positive relations with external law enforcement agencies to obtain or exchange relevant protection service
information
* Provides programs and presentations which promote safety and security to students, faculty and staff
* Operates
university motor or personal vehicles safely while carrying out job responsibilities
* Cultivates an environment of belonging that
values, respects, supports, and celebrates individual similarities and differences, allowing students, faculty and staff to thrive
authentically
* Supports, promotes, and develops university student enrollment and retention initiatives
* Any other duties assigned
within the position classification area

Skills and Abilities

Demonstrated successful experience working
directly with people from diverse backgrounds, including cultural, educational, socioeconomic, and life experiences.

An ability to
maintain positive interpersonal relationships with students, faculty, staff, visitors, and fellow work associates.

Required
Documents

• Cover Letter
• Resume

Optional Documents

Unofficial Transcript
1

Special Instructions to Applicants

Unofficial Transcript 1 (OPTIONAL): Attach a copy of an unofficial
transcript of associate’s degree in criminal justice or related field if applicable as described in the Additional Education/Experiences to
be Considered section. Transcript must include: Institution name, applicant name, date degree attained, degree awarded. Finalist will be
required to submit an official transcript.

Initial Application Review Date: April 20, 2026

Open Until
Position is Filled?: Yes

EEO Statement

Ferris State University, an Affirmative Action/Equal
Opportunity employer, is committed to enhancing equity, inclusion, and diversity within its community. Ferris offers employment
opportunities to qualified candidates seeking careers in a student-focused environment that values opportunity, collaboration, diversity and
educational excellence. Learn more about the Ferris Mission and community at ferris.edu. The University actively seeks applications from women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and
other underrepresented groups. For more information on the University’s Policy on Non-Discrimination, visit: Ferris Non-Discrimination Statement.

Click here to learn more about working at FSU and KCAD.

Tagged as: Employment