Classification Specialist

Overall Job Objective

Description

**While the full salary range for the Classification Specialist position is $22.82 - $34.24 hourly / $47,465.60 - $71,219.20 annually, the anticipated hiring range is $22.82 - $28.53 hourly / $47,465.60 - 59,342.40 annually. **

2021 Benefits Summary

GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES:
Under general supervision of the Classification Manager, this position determines custody level, program eligibility and housing assignments. Duties

EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
The following duty statements are illustrative of the essential functions of the job and do not include other non-essential or marginal duties that may be required:

• Interviews all incarcerated inmates after they have been processed into the Detention Facility to determine criminal sophistication, social background, substance abuse, need for intervention, suicide potential or referral to other agencies.
• Coordinates and recommends matters of intervention and safety /emergency issues to the Detention Staff and vendors.
• Acts as a resource for inmates, deputies and other personnel.
• Adheres to policies and procedures to ensure security within the Detention Facility.
• Place inmates on suicide watch when necessary
• Acquires and reviews all necessary information/documentation on inmates, prior to interacting with them on an array of circumstances.
• Makes determination of inmate housing and Inmate Worker status based on assessments.
• Monitors and reconciles sentence time.
• Refers inmates to other community services or agencies for post-release assistance.
• Processing and distributing of applications for special programs such as Work Release and Inmate Worker.
• Provides diagnostic information or program recommendations to official agencies.
• Develops, conducts and coordinates educational classes and presentations.
• Operates computers and standard office equipment including commonly used computer software programs.
• Maintains regular and acceptable attendance at such level as determined at the Sheriffs Office discretion.
• Is available and willing to work such overtime per day or per week as the Sheriffs Office determines is necessary or desirable to meets its needs.
• Is available and willing to work such weekends and holidays as the Sheriffs Office determines are necessary or desirable to meet its needs.
• Performs duties onsite, except those job duties that are customarily or by nature performed offsite.
• Interacts effectively with others and exercises good judgment when dealing with people in sensitive situations.
• May be assigned other duties as necessary.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Meet and deal effectively with inmates of differing backgrounds and behavior patterns, in a detention environment.
• Capacity for developing and/or adapting to new ideas and changing conditions.
• Ability to apply sound reasoning and decision-making.
• Ability to operate computers and commonly used computer software programs, as well as any other standard office equipment as required by position.
• Ability to attend to details and subtle irregularities.
• Ability to communicate effectively in verbal and written English.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with supervisors, detention staff, inmates, court officials, contractors and the general public.
• Ability to act and react to emergency and/or threatening situations in a manner consistent with the law, policies and procedures.
• Ability to be persuasive in influencing ideas and guiding activities of inmates to a positive end.
• Ability to lead, supervise and instruct inmates under adverse, often hostile conditions.

Requirements

REQUIRED EXAMINATIONS:
The screening process for any position within the Sheriff's Office may include written test(s), an oral interview, skills test(s) and/or other selection methods designed to measure applicants' ability to perform the essential functions of the job they are seeking. The required tests include:

• Phase I Suitability Exam
• Polygraph Exam

Required examinations also include, upon a conditional job offer:

• Psychological Evaluation
• Medical Examination, including a drug screen.
• Background Investigation.

This will include, but is not limited to contact with the applicant's former employers, associates, neighbors and other pertinent sources. Applicant's military history, school records, police records and driving record will also be investigated. All examinations are conducted by qualified/licensed individuals designated by the Sheriff's Office at the Sheriff's Office expense.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
EDUCATION: Bachelor's Degree in a related field
EXPERIENCE: One year of related work experience
OR
Any education and experience that satisfy the requirements of the job as approved by the Sheriff.
CERTIFICATIONS / LICENSES: None

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Professional experience in a detention environment is preferred.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be able to work rotating shift schedules, hours and days, including holidays and weekends.
• Must possess CPR and First Aid certification within the initial status period.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The following are some of the physical demands commonly associated with this position. They are included for informational purposes and are not all-inclusive.

Occasionally: Activity exists less than 1/3 of the time.
Frequently: Activity exists between 1/3 and 2/3 of the time.
Constantly: Activity exist more than 2/3 of the time.

• Constant use of eye, hand and finger coordination enabling the use of automated office machinery, and writing utensils.
• Constantly involved in oral and auditory interaction, enabling interpersonal communication, including automated devices such as the telephone and radio.
• Spends 60% of the time sitting, 10% standing, and 30% walking.
• Frequently stoops, kneels, crouches and balances while operating office machinery, or interacting with inmates.
• Frequently uses visual capacity including depth perception and peripheral vision enabling completion of required office duties.
• Occasionally lifts or carries up to 15 lbs. when moving office supplies or files.

JOB-RELATED CONTACTS:
Contacts generally include classification personnel, inmates, and detention deputies. Information given and received is often of a critical and confidential nature. Personal contact with the public, an inmate or arrestee occurs on a daily basis. This position may require physical contact of touching and sitting by inmates. Hand-to-hand exchanges and face-to-face verbal communications between the employee and the public, inmate and detention staff is required on a constant basis. This position may require immediate response to criminal and medical emergencies where blood, body fluids or other medical hazards may be present. The employee may or may not have time to take precautionary and protective measures.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Work is generally performed in a climate-controlled office or prisoner housing areas. Occasional situations may involve hazards that could result in bodily harm and/or threat to life. May encounter violent disturbances.

401(a) DEFINED BENEFIT RETIREMENT PLAN:
Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office employees participate in a mandatory defined benefit program designed to help employees establish a source of income for retirement years. Through the Plan, eligible employees must set aside 9.00 percent, which is subject to change in the coming years, on a pretax basis of which the County matches dollar-for-dollar.

BIO-HAZARD NOTICE:
This position has been determined to be a HIGH exposure risk to "bio-hazards" associated with blood-borne pathogens HIV (AIDS), HBV (hepatitis B) virus, and air-borne transmissions of TB (tuberculosis). Members are advised that exposure to a "bio-hazard" may result in severe illness or death. Members are required by agency policy to use protective equipment and clothing. Inoculation may be required to prevent or treat exposures to "bio-hazards". Supplemental Information

YOU MUST PROVIDE A CURRENT VALID EMAIL ADDRESS FOR APPLICATION STATUS NOTIFICATIONS (only one email address is accepted by the system).

EXPECTED DURATION OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS:
Due to the nature of the application and selection process for the Sheriff's Office, applicants can reasonably expect the application process to take a significant amount of time to complete before a decision is made to hire or not to hire. Typically, it takes approximately 8 to 12 weeks from the date of application to complete the entire selection process. The length of time it takes to complete the process can vary depending on a variety of factors. Please note that this is an estimated duration of the selection process.

WORK SCHEDULES:
Employees are required to work the time periods and/or shifts, rotational and/or stationary, and location assignment, consistent with the needs of the Sheriff's Office.

DUTY ASSIGNMENTS:
All applicants hired by the Sheriff serve at the pleasure of the Sheriff of Arapahoe County and may be assigned to any of the agencies bureaus, sections or units at the discretion of the Sheriff or his duly appointed representative. Employment is at the will and pleasure of the Sheriff, per Colorado State Statute: 30-10-506. Written policies and other manuals do not alter the at will status of employment.

COMMUNITY POLICING:
The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office is committed to the implementation of the community-policing concept. Community policing is an organizational strategy and philosophy which emphasizes problem solving partnerships between the Sheriff's Office, neighborhoods and businesses, working together to create a better quality of life within the community.

INITIAL STATUS PERIOD OF EMPLOYMENT:
Successful applicants are subject to an initial status period of employment. This initial status period is 12 months for all positions. The initial status period is regarded as part of the applicant's examination process and will be utilized for purposes of employee evaluation, training and adjustment to the demands of the profession. New employees, who fail to perform satisfactorily during the period, may be separated from the Sheriff's Office, depending on the circumstance of each case.

APPLICANT DISQUALIFICATION FACTORS:
Applicants are advised that areas for disqualification from further consideration include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Illegal Drug Use. Applicants who have recent illegal drug usage will be disqualified.
• Recent drug use includes marijuana within 1 year and all other illegal drug use within the past 5 years.
• All other illegal drug use will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
• Any felony conviction
• Driving Record
• Outside activities which may be deemed a conflict of interest
• Revelation or discovery of assaultive behavior
• Documented record of prior work performance
• Unsuccessful completion of any basic requirement
• Inability to perform the essential functions of the position
• Police history - type, frequency and nature of contacts(s).
• Providing false or misleading information during the application / selection process.

It is the policy of the Sheriff's Office to not discuss the reasons why applicants were not selected for hire. There is no flexibility to this policy. Applicants may be notified of their disqualification at any point in the selection process. If you receive such a notice, it simply means that you do not meet our standards at this time. Receiving this notice does not indicate that you are ineligible to apply with other agencies.

POLICY ON REAPPLICATION:
Applicants who failed a written test may reapply and retest no sooner than six months from the date they took the written test. All other applicants who are disqualified can reapply with the Sheriff's Office no sooner than one year from the date of notification of non-selection.
We are an equal employment opportunity employer, who fully supports and complies with ADA. EOE M/F/D/V

Should you require an accommodation to apply for this position please contact Human Resources.

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