Police Community Liaison

The Bozeman Police Department is seeking a passionate and collaborative Police Community Liaison to help strengthen relationships between the department and the diverse communities we serve. This role is instrumental in building trust, promoting transparency, and ensuring open and meaningful communication between law enforcement and residents, businesses, and community organizations.   

This is your opportunity to make a meaningful difference in your community by joining the City of  Bozeman! You will be part of a passionate team driving positive change while enjoying a fantastic benefits package. Full-time City of Bozeman employees receive top-tier benefits including 15 vacation days, 12 sick days, 12 holidays, 8 weeks of paid parental leave, bilingual pay, excellent retirement options, comprehensive health, dental, and vision plans, discounted ski tickets and gym memberships, and much more.

Bargaining Unit: Montana Federation of Public Employees
Fair Labor Standards Act Status: Non-Exempt
Work Week: Typically, Monday - Friday with occasional evening and weekend work as needed.  

Examples of Essential Work (Illustrative Only)
 

• Creates, maintains, and strengthens relationships with trusted individuals and organizations serving and representing diverse populations in the Bozeman community to foster trust and transparency.
• Serves as primary liaison for community leaders, residents, and businesses and maintains an open line of communication with all citizens.
• Provides education and training to community members on topics such as crime prevention, personal safety, and the role of law enforcement in conjunction with the Community Resource Officer.
• Develops standard procedures to ensure timely communications and response to address safety concerns and specific incidents that cause concern in the community. 
• Coordinates and/or assists in the coordination of public relations activities such as press conferences, public appearances, interviews, special events, and emergent events via various communications channels in conjunction with the Communications & Engagement Specialist.
• Organizes and attends community and town hall meetings, safety workshops, youth engagement activities, neighborhood watch programs, and forums to listen to concerns from all members of the community, especially members of underrepresented groups, and provide information about police 
• activities and services.
• Tracks and evaluates the effectiveness of outreach programs and initiatives.
• Conducts workshops and training sessions for police officers and other non-sworn staff to enhance their understanding of community issues and improve their community engagement skills. 
• Advises police officers on diverse community cultural beliefs, traits, and values to promote positive interactions and outcomes.
• Tracks and maintain accurate records of community interactions, outreach activities, and feedback received and analyze to identify trends and gaps to assist with engagement and enforcement strategies.
• Identifies translation needs and coordinates the accurate multilingual translation of appropriate PD documents and other written communications.
• Assists with recruitment efforts, especially to underrepresented groups.
• Collaborates with department leadership and stakeholders to develop policies, procedures, and best practices that address community relations issues.
• Attends various meetings and conferences, prepares agendas and presentations as required.
• Conveys complex issues, in succinct, easy-to-understand language, both orally and in writing.
• Keeps immediate supervisor and designated others fully and accurately informed concerning work progress, including present and potential work problems and suggestions for new or improved ways of addressing such problems.
• Communicates with all related personnel in efforts to encourage, motivate, promote leadership, and encourage teamwork in accomplishing set forth objectives.
• Operates modern office machines and equipment including personal computers, printers, copiers, calculators, and fax machines; routinely uses a full range of word processing and spreadsheet computer software applications.
• Provides needed information and demonstrations concerning how to perform certain work tasks to new employees.  
• Responds to citizens’ questions and comments in a courteous and timely manner.
• As assigned, attends and participates in staff meetings and related activities; attends workshops, conferences, and classes to increase professional knowledge.
• Performs other duties consistent with the role and function of this classification.

Minimum Required Qualifications

• Bachelors in Criminal Justice, Law Enforcement, Sociology, Psychology, Communications, Public Relations/Administration or related field, and
• Some (1-3 years) customer service, community engagement or outreach, or public-facing administrative experience required.
• Some previous law enforcement or security experience preferred, OR
• Any combination of experience and training which provides the equivalent scope of knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the work.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Some knowledge of, or ability to quickly learn, the overall functions, duties, and responsibilities of the Bozeman Police Department.
• Some knowledge of, or ability to quickly learn, the function of services within the public sector, preferably within a municipal government.
• Ability to coordinate cross-functional teams including citizens and volunteers, community organizations, and projects.
• Some knowledge of, or ability to quickly learn, related Police Department policies, protocols, and procedures.
• Ability to maintain and exhibit integrity and discretion in handling confidential information.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with assigned supervisors, other law enforcement personnel, other City employees, federal and state agencies, and the general public.
• Ability to edit and maintain webpages, social media, and other communications channels.
• Ability and experience managing and consulting with teams, building effective working relationships, resolving conflicts, and building consensus at all levels of an organization and with diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to recognize and appropriately manage one's own and others' emotions and beliefs by demonstrating professionalism, self-awareness, and respect for differing perspectives. 
• Ability to facilitate dialogue across differences in personal values and beliefs. 
• Ability to deal with diverse group of people, including situations in which individuals may be upset over some issue involved with City activities and policies.
• Ability to exercise good judgment, flexibility, creativity, and sensitivity in response to changing needs and situations.
• Ability to use logical and creative thought processes to develop solutions according to written specifications and/or oral instructions.
• Ability to perform a wide variety of duties and responsibilities with accuracy and speed under the pressure of time-sensitive deadlines.
• Ability and willingness to quickly learn and use new skills and knowledge brought about by rapidly changing information and/or technology.   Establishes, maintains and fosters positive and harmonious working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
• Ability to provide credible testimony in a court of law.
• Demonstrates integrity, initiative, and inventiveness in the performance of assigned tasks.
• Consistently performs assignments in accordance with the City’s Core Values of Integrity, Leadership, Service and Teamwork.

Required Special Qualifications

• Must be 18 years of age and a U.S. Citizen.
• Possession of a valid Driver’s License and obtain Montana class D Driver’s License within 60 days of employment.
• Ability to acquire Criminal Justice Information Network (CJIN)/National Crime Information Center (NCIC) Certifications within 180 days of employment.
• Ability to pass a drug test.
• Offers for employment are conditional upon satisfactory completion of the conditional offer process including, but not limited to a driving record history check, criminal background check, thorough reference checks, NCIC/CJIN, fingerprinting, and local records check, and a general internet search.