Police Public Safety Information Officer

The City of Alexandria is located in northern Virginia, and is bordered by the District of Columbia (Potomac River), Arlington, and Fairfax counties. With a population of approximately 150,000 and a land area of 15.75 square miles, Alexandria is the seventh largest city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Alexandria has a charming waterfront and is a unique and historic place to live and work. About one-quarter of the City's square miles have been designated as a national or local historic district. We proudly embrace our rich history and seize the endless opportunities that lie ahead. If you are interested in working for the vibrant City of Alexandria, we invite qualified candidates to apply for a position as our Police Public Safety Information Officer.

An Overview
The Alexandria Police Department is seeking a highly qualified Public Safety Information Officer to act as a media spokesperson and public representative for the Department. The Public Safety Information Officer is a public relations advisor to the department head, or designee, in the formulation of public information policies and is expected to disseminate authorized information to the media, other agencies and the public through written and oral communications and electronic formats including social media. They will also utilize social media platforms to engage with the community. The Public Safety Information Officer will review and analyze written reports to determine the value of information for release purposes. They will respond to requests from the media and department commanders on a 24-hour basis, including requests to respond to emergency and crime scenes after scheduled work hours, to include weekends. The Public Safety Information Officer will be expected to prepare, edit and proofread news releases and research media inquiries that require the use of statistics, background information or interviews with other department personnel and approve and coordinate those interviews. They will also engage the media to ensure coverage of programs and activities of the department which serve the community. The Public Safety Information Officer possesses the ability to analyze and determine the relevancy of public relations to make appropriate recommendations to police command staff regarding high-profile police incidents.

What You Should Bring
The ideal candidate will have a strong background in media and public relations with an emphasis in the public safety field. This position requires a great deal of interaction with the public, media, law enforcement officers and City agencies; strong interpersonal communication skills are a necessity. Knowledge of multiple social media platforms is important to the success of this position, especially a proficiency with Facebook and Twitter and various social media management tools similar to Hootsuite and Sprout Social. The candidate will have experience creating documents and graphic images using Microsoft Office Suite and Adobe design programs to prepare and edit publications informing the public of departmental services and activities. The ideal candidate will be able to develop effective relationships with the media and community organizations, in order to broaden the reach of the Department's outreach efforts. The candidate will be familiar with web content development and management. They will also possess the ability to handle multiple projects in a fast-paced environment and relay upon critical thinking and problem solving expertise.

The Opportunity - Examples of Work

• Serves on 24-hour call, with responsibility for notifying the public and City officials of significant incidents;
• Makes decisions under pressure and deadlines regarding information that may be released to the media;
• Responds to the scene of major incidents and/or attends meetings and collects pertinent information for reports and media releases;
• Keeps Chief of Police, command staff and City Communications staff abreast of major incidents and issues;
• Provides public information and public relations advice and counsel to all divisions, units and individuals within the department;
• Responsible for design, creation, writing and editing of Department publications (news releases, annual report, newsletter, etc.);
• Provides oversight, management, and responsibility for department publications, website, and social media accounts and applications;
• Coordinates and provides information regarding emergency incidents and other sensitive matters to the news media;
• Plans, directs, and executes publicity campaigns designed to inform citizens about various city programs, events or legislation;
• Performs related work as required.

About the Department
The City of Alexandria Police Department is a nationally recognized and accredited law enforcement agency providing services to a diverse community. A group of talented professionals, the Alexandria Police Department is a dedicated team of people who, in partnership with the community, work to create and maintain a safe and secure environment for our residents, merchants, and visitors. We are a diverse organization, reflecting Alexandria's various cultures and offering many different career and promotional opportunities.

Minimum & Additional Requirements

Two-Year College Degree; three years of experience in public relations, public information or publications editing work; and completion of college-level courses in journalism, public administration, government, or a related field; or any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities.

Preferred Qualifications

Four Year College Degree; thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of public information work and the organization and functions of local governments; good knowledge of the requirements of broadcast media and the ability to prepare material for their use; prior experience (sworn or non-sworn) in law enforcement or a related public safety field; excellent computer skills including social media proficiency, proficiency in Microsoft Suite applications and Adobe InDesign is highly desirable; outstanding writing, editing and proofreading abilities; fluency in Spanish or another foreign language; experience in preparing website content; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with media, the public, City employees and other public and private agencies; demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing; ability to handle multiple projects in a fast-paced environment; Excellent verbal and communication skills; familiarity with the Alexandria community.

Notes

This position requires the successful completion of the following pre-employment background checks:

Polygraph
Drug Screen
Criminal Background Checks (local and federal)

*Please note, that the selected candidate's salary is negotiable within the range listed.