5886 - Public Safety Specialist

Overall Job Objective

Position Description

OPEN UNTIL FILLED

Salary Grade: 3

Pay Range
Hiring Range: $17.36 - $20.40 Per Hour
Full Range: $17.36 - $23.44 Per Hour

Salary offers are based on the candidate's equivalent experience and internal equity with other employees within the same job classification.

Provides administrative, investigative, or operations support within an assigned unit in direct support of law enforcement or corrections operations, not requiring commissioned or certification as a law enforcement or corrections officer. It is distinguished from the Office Support and Administrative Services classifications by the nature of the specialized duties and requirements of the assigned work unit in law enforcement or corrections support.

Duties/Responsibilities

(Work assignments may vary depending on the department's needs and will be communicated to the applicant or incumbent by the supervisor.)

Common to Assignment in either Law Enforcement or Corrections Support:
Greets and monitors visitors to assigned facility and directs them to appropriate offices, agencies, or other activities, depending upon their needs;

Receives telephone calls from the public, the 911 communications center, and from field or corrections officers, determines nature of inquiries, problems, or situations and refers calls to appropriate staff if unable to resolve issues or provide assistance;

Maintains facility/district visitor and activity logs, briefing books, and similar materials used by staff and field or corrections officers;

Monitors security, fire, and problem alarms, notifies appropriate staff of same, and resets or otherwise clears alarm system;

Compiles, sorts, copies, and distributes/mails intra-departmental materials, reports, mail, and publications within and outside the department/bureau;

Queries departmental and related computer databases and communications systems to determine status and related required information, e.g., checks for licenses, warrants, stolen property, detainee/inmate status, etc.;

Compiles statistical and operational data and prepares recurring, periodic, and special reports for supervisory and command staff;

Maintains appropriate security and confidentiality of all materials and information encountered in duties;

Drives and performs operator-level servicing and maintenance of department vehicles;

Inventories, orders, picks-up and stores, issues or distributes supplies, equipment, forms, and other materials from the Materiel Management Unit for facility/district;

May be required to testify in court on matters in which involved in an official capacity as a departmental employee.

Law Enforcement Support setting:
Based upon telephone calls, visitor inquiries, and field officer queries or reports, initiates, investigates, interviews affected individuals and maintains and prepares police reports, case, incident or situation reports, logs, and files;

Tracks, logs, and reviews field officer reports, traffic accident reports, and like materials for compliance with departmental and related standards, procedures, policies, and deadlines, and reports adverse findings to appropriate supervisory/command staff;

Receives and processes subpoenas;

Using department vehicles, transports administrative and investigative materials, to include evidentiary materials (while preserving chain of custody) between the Sheriff's department facilities and activities;

Coordinates with property and evidence section for pick-up and disposition of large items from assigned unit or facility;

Receives, issues, and distributes telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD).

Corrections Support setting:
Searches the U.S. mail for contraband per corrections bureau policies, and notifies supervisors of materials found;

Distributes indigent inmate mail supplies, e.g., stationary, envelopes, postage;

Records, deposits, and notifies inmates of money orders received via the U.S. mail system;

Coordinates the inmate phone system, to include managing and reviewing inmate phone call recording discs, monitoring inmate phone calls;

Provide recordings of telephone conversations to authorized requesting parties;

Updates and maintains security-sensitive files;

Performs light clerical duties, including minor typing, filing, and distributing office work;

Performs security clearances on public/official visitors for corrections facility access;

Researches files and other criminal justice information and compiles information for review/action by staff;

Generates reports and/or supportive information for reports/articles;

Coordinates and distributes policy and procedure updates;

Manage and reviews automated inmate phone system disks;

Assists other staff in coordinating internal events, e.g., awards and recognition ceremonies, holiday observances, etc.;

Monitors jail or court video surveillance systems, operates electronically controlled doors, elevators, gate systems, intercoms, and emergency systems in the detention center;

Allows staff, authorized visitors, and volunteers entry, exit, and internal movements within the detention center complex;

Monitors construction, contractor, or outside work crew activities for safety and security of facility;

May be assigned to minimum security facility as work furlough monitor, to include conducting telephone checks on inmates to confirm locations when on work furlough or other authorized periods of absence from the facility;

May conduct field checks to confirm inmate attendance at work, treatment, or education per sentencing minute entry, with employers, schools, counselors, therapists, or others.

KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS:

Knowledge of:

• Sheriff's department organization and administrative procedures;
• organization, operations, and administrative procedures of assigned unit;
• local, state, and federal laws, ordinances, rules, and regulations applicable to assigned duties;
• principles and techniques of establishing and maintaining files (manual and automated), logs, reports, and related administrative materials;
• principles of public relations and proper response to public complaints, queries, and concerns;
• capabilities and use of automated information and communication systems, to include touch-screen control systems;
• facility/unit security and emergency procedures;
• basic mathematics and related basic analytical techniques for developing reports and analyses;
• principles of receiving, stocking, storing, inventorying, issuing, and ordering supplies and equipment;
• rules and procedures for maintaining chain-of-custody for evidentiary materials.

Skill in:

• reading, interpreting, explaining, and applying appropriate departmental procedures, policies, laws, ordinances, etc.;
• maintaining appropriate security and confidentiality of all materials and information encountered or created in performance of assigned duties;
• determining essential information needed from the public and departmental employees to initiate reports or files and logging same in a concise manner;
• investigating, evaluating, verifying, and reporting pertinent information encountered in duties;
• compiling and dictating reports and related information into an automated reporting system;
• driving and performing operator-level maintenance of assigned vehicles;
• use of automated information/communications systems;
• performing basic mathematical operations;
• effectively dealing with agitated or irate members of the public, or detainees/inmates in a professional manner;
• communicating effectively, orally and in writing.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Ability to:

• speak clearly and distinctly for protracted periods for purposes of dictating lengthy and complex reports into an automated reporting system and conducting extended telephone conversations;
• maintain required access authorizations for assigned criminal and related database and communications systems;
• communicate effectively and professionally with agitated or irate members of the public;
• interpret and apply, in a timely manner, pertinent rules, processes, procedures, and policies of the department/bureau and related federal, state, county, and local agencies;
• drive and perform operator-level servicing and maintenance of assigned department vehicles.

Minimum Qualifications

(1) A High School diploma or General Education Development (GED) certification and three years of public contact experience.

OR:

(2) Four years of direct public contact experience requiring explanation and interpretation of rules, regulations, and policies to the public.

OR:

(3) Two years of experience as a certified law enforcement or corrections officer.

Qualifying education and experience must be clearly documented in the "Education" and "Work Experience" sections of the application. Do not substitute a resume for your application or write "see resume" on your application.

Selection Procedure:

Pima County Human Resources Department reserves the right to admit to the selection process only those candidates that meet the minimum/desired qualifications. All applications will be assessed based on an evaluation of the listed education and experience. Candidates meeting the minimum/desired qualifications may be further evaluated/scored against any advertised Preferred Qualifications. The hiring authority will interview and select the successful candidate from a referral list provided by Human Resources. Additional assessments/testing may be required as part of the selection process.

Supplemental Information

Licenses and Certificates: Within six months of appointment, employees must attain access certification for all criminal history databases/communications systems required of the assigned position, e.g., NCIC, ACIC, Spillman Database, inmate records, etc. Some positions require a valid Arizona Class D driver license at the time of application. Failure to obtain/maintain the required access certifications or licensures shall be grounds for termination.

Special Notice Items: All positions require satisfactory completion of a background investigation due to need for access to law enforcement, corrections or courts facilities, property, communication systems, and associated confidential and sensitive information, documents, databases, and evidentiary materials. Pre-/post-appointment drug screening and polygraph examinations are required of all positions in this classification due to need for access as described above. U.S. Department of Labor Regulation CFR 1910.1030 requires notification that some positions in this classification may have a high or moderate risk of exposure to blood-borne pathogens or infectious diseases, due to contact with the public, evidence, detainees, and/or inmates. Any required immunizations, personal safety and protective equipment, and training will be provided. Some positions may require bilingual abilities in English and a second language, as determined by the department.

Physical/Sensory Requirements: Some positions within this classification may require the ability to react to physical confrontations and emergency situations quickly and effectively; work in confined spaces for prolonged periods of time; hear and understand speech and radio transmissions. Other physical and sensory abilities will be determined by position.

EEO Information: Pima County Government is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We are committed to an inclusive and diverse workforce and will not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, kinship, political interest, or any other characteristic protected by law.