Law Enforcement Services Specialist II

Starting salary up to $37.66/hour ($78,600/year) and a competitive total compensation package!*

About the Position

• Processing warrants and performing data entry related to citations and warrant arrests
• Responding to public inquiries via email and phone correspondence
• Retrieving parole and probation information to provide information related to parole/probation terms and interpreting court minutes when needed
• Providing copies of booking photos, driver's licenses, officer safety information, location, subject, and decedent information to law enforcement personnel
• Creating photo line-ups for Sheriff's Office personnel and outside law enforcement agencies
• Processing, retaining, and distributing information related to calls for service and crime, incident, and coroner reports
• Processing background checks for candidates applying for employment in law enforcement
• Providing back up to emergency dispatch in times of emergencies and natural disasters

• Excellent customer service skills and the ability to maintain confidentiality
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills
• Experience using law enforcement and/or court databases
• Knowledge of laws pertaining to the release of law enforcement-related records
• Written and verbal communication skills to effectively communicate with the public, all levels of law enforcement personnel, and other interested parties
• Empathy, patience, and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• Proficient computer skills and experience utilizing Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Word, and Excel primarily)

What We Offer

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to excellent benefits* including:

• Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
• Bilingual Premium Pay* - An additional $1.15/1.50/hour on top of the hourly pay rate for basic/fluent bilingual positions
• Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
• County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement health insurance/benefits
• Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
• Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
• Additional Benefits - Excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, employee assistance program, professional development, and more
• Student Loan Debt Relief - County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education

*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the Service Employees International Union Local 1021 Memorandum Of Understanding (SEIU MOU) and our Employee Benefits Directory.

Experience and Education: Any combination of training, experience, and education which would provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed herein. Normally this would include one year of experience as a Law Enforcement Services Specialist I or the equivalent experience providing administrative support in a law enforcement environment.

Additional Requirements: Candidates certified for employment must be willing to undergo and successfully complete thorough background investigation conducted by the Sheriff's Office.

Law Enforcement Services Specialists must certify with the Department of Justice as Full Access Operators to be able to inquire, enter, or update information through the CLETS and the NCIC.

Incumbents in this class may be assigned to work shift assignments in a 24-hour, seven-day a week law enforcement operations center and may rotate among day, swing, and graveyard shifts assignments, which can include weekend and holidays; and are required to wear a uniform.

License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including special endorsements, as required by the State of California, may be required depending upon assignment to perform the essential job functions of the position.

The position advertised on this announcement does not require possession of a valid California Driver's License.

Related course work or training sponsored by the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission is desirable.

Considerable knowledge of: multiple automated criminal justice telecommunication systems and subsystems, public safety departmental procedures, the criminal justice system, policies and procedures related to law enforcement records maintenance activities; legal documents, forms and terminology; general office practices and procedures including filing and the operation of standard office equipment; data processing principles and the use of word processing and personal computing equipment; standards and legal requirements of confidentiality and privacy; a variety of code languages used in automated law enforcement data systems; penal, vehicle, civil, health and safety, welfare and institution, municipal, and other statutory codes and authorities; and codes, ordinances, and legal procedures for coding, processing, and disseminating criminal history and incident information.

Working knowledge of: Applicable federal, state, and local laws, codes, regulations, and procedures related to the maintenance and processing of records; standard law enforcement information, and record keeping terminology practices and procedures; principles and techniques of automated information entry, retrieval, and records systems; methods and techniques for inventorying and record keeping principles and procedures; organization, procedures, operating details, and legal provisions pertaining to the department; customer service principles, including the handling of irate and distressed people; computer applications such as word processing, spreadsheet and/or database; general English usage including style/format, grammar, punctuation, and spelling; basic mathematics (for simple calculations); telephone procedures and etiquette; the basic functions and activities of a law enforcement agency.

Ability to: examine documents for completeness, sufficiency, and conformity; maintain accurate records; understand and interpret instructions, rules, regulations, and laws pertaining to the handling and maintenance of law enforcement records; maintain confidentiality of records, files, and related documents; work under steady pressure with frequent interruptions and a high degree of public and law enforcement contact by phone and in person; interpret laws, procedures, policies and rules related to law enforcement administration; frequently use independent judgement related to records management and accuracy with high consequence of error; effectively deal with irate individuals in difficult situations; understand and follow oral and written instructions; make decisions in routine procedural matters; demonstrate good judgment while working within the guidelines of established policies and procedures; communicate clearly and effectively with people of all ages and backgrounds; establish and maintain positive and effective working relationships with staff, public, and outside agencies; locate, identify, and correct technical inaccuracies; make accurate arithmetic calculations; operate a variety of office equipment.

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Responses to supplemental questions will be scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state, "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient and therefore may not be scored.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Personally identifiable information (PII) is removed from the standard application fields and applicable attachments. This PII blind screening practice redacts a candidate's personal information that could potentially influence or bias the scoring process. Personal information includes the applicant's name, former last name, address, phone number, email, driver's license number, school name, education start and end dates, age, date of birth, gender, and race. This PII blind screening practice helps contribute to a fair and equitable examination process.

Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.

Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination which evaluates the education, training, experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, and other qualifications that you demonstrate in your application and/or response to the supplemental questionnaire. Please be aware that resumes and cover letters are not typically evaluated in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.

Additional Information

Being part of the Sheriff's Office and being expected to keep the public safe requires a thorough background investigation process. This process includes an assessment of prior work history, verifying educational experiences, court reports, public records searches, and understanding past patterns relating to drug usage, financial patterns, etc. This entails gathering a significant amount of information from job candidates and speaking to former employers, friends, family members, etc. Polygraphs, drug tests, and medical and physical examinations are also part of this process. Candidates must be honest and forthcoming about information that may arise during the background process. Deception during any portion of this process is grounds for disqualification, even after employment. This process can take anywhere from 3-5 months. Many factors are taken into consideration and one should not assume a credit issue or prior drug use is automatically disqualifying. Candidates will be given the opportunity to present mitigating information they feel should be considered. You are encouraged to be as responsive as possible while this process is taking place to help expedite the timeline, and we encourage you to stay patient and interested in this great career opportunity while this process is taking place.

You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

Please read the Sheriff's Office Pre-Employment Drug Use Guidelines (Download PDF reader) for further information.

How to Apply

Applications are accepted online at www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org. Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job announcement must be received by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

HR Analyst: AK

HR Technician: VH