Community Service Officer

Role Summary

The City of Burlington, Vermont is hiring a Community Service Officer to handle a range of field-based and support tasks that assist core police department operations. The role blends public-facing service, routine administrative work, and community presence.

Compensation & Work Arrangement

This position is placed at Pay Grade 15 with an hourly range of $28.65 to $31.92. It is classified as Remote Tier 1, which means zero remote days per month. The job is part of a unionized bargaining unit represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

Key Duties

• Work rotating shifts across days, evenings, and nights, including weekends.
• Carry out routine technical and administrative tasks that support law enforcement activities.
• Report to the shift Officer in Charge and work under close supervision.
• Drive department or city vehicles as needed to support operations.
• Staff the front desk by greeting visitors, directing them to the right office, answering calls, and relaying information to field personnel by radio.
• Complete vehicle identification number checks as required by the Department of Motor Vehicles.
• Collect fingerprints by appointment for background-check purposes such as employment and adoption.
• Help enforce parking rules, towing requirements, and animal regulations.
• Support certified patrol officers with traffic control at crash scenes, special events, and similar situations.
• Prepare crash reports for non-injury, non-investigative vehicle incidents.
• Coordinate and confirm vehicle towing at crash scenes and in arrest situations involving a vehicle.
• Serve department paperwork and court documents, excluding warrants, citations, summonses, and trespass warnings.
• Issue Vermont Municipal Complaints for qualifying civil municipal violations such as illegal dumping, noise, and related ordinance matters.
• Move department vehicles, excluding marked vehicles unless they are out of service for transport.
• Provide strong customer service and maintain productive working relationships with coworkers, officials, and the public.
• Conduct foot patrols in Burlington neighborhoods and parks to strengthen visibility and community connections.
• Perform child safety seat inspections.
• Enter data accurately and complete any additional assigned duties.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated support for the City’s diversity, equity, and cultural competency goals.
• Ongoing training or professional development showing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Must be at least 18 years old.
• Must meet FBI Criminal Justice Information Services standards within six months of hire.
• Must pass a written test, panel interview, Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), and departmental background check.
• Must maintain regular attendance.
• Must understand and follow City standards, safety rules, and personnel policies.
• Must pass a medical examination after receiving a conditional offer.
• Working knowledge of standard office equipment and Microsoft Office applications.
• Ability to work on your own, organize priorities, and manage multiple tasks.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to use tact and discretion with the public.
• Ability to build and sustain positive working relationships with employees and community members.
• Ability to obtain and keep a valid driver’s license.
• At least three years of customer service experience.
• Must be federally qualified to carry and discharge a firearm.

Equal Opportunity & Additional Information

The City of Burlington is committed to an inclusive workplace and actively encourages applications from candidates who can add to the city’s diversity. Hiring and service delivery are conducted without discrimination based on political or religious affiliation, race, color, national origin, place of birth, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, crime victim status, veteran status, disability, HIV status, or genetic information.

Applications are accepted only through the City’s online Government Jobs portal. For accessibility support or alternative application formats, contact Human Resources at 802-540-2505 or careers@burlingtonvt.gov.

Responsibilities

• Rotate through day, evening, and night shifts, including weekends.
• Support police operations through routine technical and administrative work.
• Work under the close direction of the shift Officer in Charge.
• Operate vehicles to assist with department and city needs.
• Handle front desk and visitor services, phone routing, and radio updates to field staff.
• Carry out VIN verification, fingerprinting, parking enforcement, animal regulation enforcement, crash reporting, towing coordination, subpoena/service paperwork, municipal complaint issuance, data entry, and other assigned tasks.
• Assist with traffic control, foot patrols, child safety seat inspections, and community-facing service duties.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Minimum age of 18.
• Three years of customer service experience.
• Ability to meet FBI CJIS standards within six months of hire.
• Successful completion of a written exam, panel interview, MMPI, and background investigation.
• Medical clearance after a conditional offer.
• Ability to maintain regular attendance.
• Knowledge of office equipment and Microsoft Office.
• Ability to work independently, prioritize tasks, communicate clearly, and interact tactfully with the public.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a valid driver’s license.
• Must be federally qualified to carry and discharge a firearm.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and cultural competency.