SHERIFF'S OFFICER SERGEANT

Code: 03700 Local Competitive

Official job specification

The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.

Definition

Under direction, supervises and works with personnel engaged in performing work in one or more functions of a Sheriff's office in the following areas: maintaining order and security in assigned areas or buildings, serving court processes, criminal identification, ballistics, investigations, apprehension of violators of the law; forensics and other related organizational component assignments which may include transportation and custody of detainees, emergency management, and communications and dispatch functions. As required by the operational needs of the jurisdiction (County), may be assigned to supervise and/or perform other law enforcement or public safety related duties outside the parameters of a courtroom environment, which may include criminal investigations, patrol duties, training, dispute intervention/resolution, public safety/service assistance, traffic control and enforcement, motor vehicle accident investigation, etc., and/or other related assignments or duties as determined by the appointing authority.

Examples of work

• Supervises, evaluates, trains and provides guidance to subordinate personnel; may perform all tasks assigned to a Sheriff's officer.
• Exercises all powers and rights of Sheriff's officers, police officers, and constables in criminal and civil matters, and functions as a law enforcement officer for the detection, apprehension, arrest and prosecution of offenders against the law.
• Supervises the detection/apprehension of lawbreakers, preparation of charges against them, and collection and presentation of evidence of their offenses.
• Supervises work operations and/or functional programs, and has responsibility for performance evaluations and for effectively recommending the hiring, firing, promoting, demoting, and/or disciplining of personnel.
• May be assigned to duty with various inter-agency or shared services operations or organizations
• Recommends acquisition of needed materials, equipment and facilities.
• Revises work schedule to meet changes in workload considering factors such as priorities, peak loads, availability of personnel, time requirements, difficulty of assignments, and capabilities of employees. May make recommendations concerning maintenance and replacement of equipment and maintenance and safety of facilities.
• Informs employees about policies, procedures, and practices of management as they relate to the work of the organizational component which may be a subdivision of the agency; such as a division, section, bureau, unit, or position that is established to provide a specific function.
• Interviews candidates for positions in the organizational component.
• May receive and resolve complaints from personnel, referring grievances and serious complaints not resolved to higher level supervisors.
• May receive and investigate complaints against personnel and/or the agency, including anonymous complaints.
• Identifies developmental and training needs of personnel and makes provision for such development and training.
• May supervise and coordinate activities of personnel engaged in providing security and maintaining order within individual courtrooms and throughout county facilities.
• Tours and inspects duty stations to ensure compliance with regulations, job duties and appearance standards.
• Patrols assigned areas or buildings to quell disturbances and to keep order.
• May train personnel in performance of job duties.
• May communicate with judicial personnel to identify daily court calendar.
• May prepare and schedule work assignments of personnel and issue daily duty assignments.
• May prepare and submit activity and time reports to superiors.
• May supervise, work with, and coordinate activities of personnel engaged in serving legal papers and executing court mandates.
• May assign cases to subordinates for execution of court orders.
• Discusses cases with subordinates and recommends courses of action.
• Reviews reports to determine progress and disposition of cases.
• May supervise the collection, recording, and deposition of legal fees gathered by subordinates.
• Prepares, and supervises staff, in the drafting of reports detailing organizational component activities and submits same to superiors.
• May prepare preliminary budget proposals and reports.
• Takes corrective action with staff for violation of regulations in accordance with agency policies and procedures and resolves personnel problems or refers them to higher authority.
• Supervises assigned organizational component(s).
• Analyzes, resolves, or assists personnel in resolving work problems.
• Evaluates reports on personnel and operations, determines priorities, and assigns personnel to cases.
• May assist subordinates in operations.
• Speaks before education, community and/or professional groups on various law enforcement and/or public safety topics.
• Will be required to learn and utilize various types of recording and/or information systems used by the agency, office, or related organizational components.

Education

Graduation from High School or Vocational High School or possession of an approved High School Equivalency Certificate.

Experience

Three (3) years of experience as a sworn law enforcement officer with a recognized law enforcement agency in work involving any one or more of the following: investigation of criminal activities; taking, classifying and filing fingerprints; serving of legal papers; ballistics testing; maintaining security in a courtroom; serving court processes; transportation and custody of detainees; criminal identification; training; apprehension of violators of the law, forensics or other related assignments which may include emergency management; and communication and dispatch functions.

<b>AGE:</b>

Not less than 18 years of age at the announced closing date for filing applications for the examination.

<b>CITIZENSHIP:</b>

United States Citizenship.

License

Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform essential duties of the position.

<b>CERTIFICATE:</b>

Appointees must possess a certificate issued by the New Jersey Police Training Commission showing satisfactory completion of a police training course at an approved school pursuant to P.L. 1961, C.56 (NJSA 52:17B-66 et seq.). Such training includes successful attainment of a satisfactory level of proficiency in the use of firearms.

<b>SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS: </b>

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Knowledge of court practices and procedures, and of the techniques which would be useful in maintaining order and security in the courtroom.
• Knowledge of state laws and ordinances.
• Knowledge of the problems and procedures involved in determining the internal organization, and formulating rules and regulations for the agency.
• Knowledge of county geography, traffic conditions, places of amusement and local inhabitants prone to disregard public safety and social requirements.
• Knowledge of the problems and procedures involved in providing proper law enforcement protection for persons and property.
• Knowledge of various types of law enforcement communication.
• Knowledge of how to detect, apprehend, and prepare proper charges against lawbreakers.
• Knowledge of the procedures followed in providing law enforcement protection at places where large sums of money are in transit and other types of valuable property may be endangered.
• Knowledge of the methods likely to be effective in dealing with varied types of persons.
• Knowledge of human behavior.
• Knowledge of the laws, regulations, standards, policies, techniques, and procedures used in serving legal papers and documents and in conducting criminal investigations and executing warrants.
• Knowledge of the methods involved in taking and classifying fingerprints of persons for identification purposes.
• Knowledge of interviewing and photographing persons for investigations and identifications.
• Knowledge of the procedures used in ballistic testing and of the proper methods and procedures for gathering and preserving evidence.
• Ability to analyze and interpret laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, standards, and procedures and apply them to specific cases and situations.
• Ability to detect, apprehend, and place proper charges against lawbreakers.
• Ability to take and maintain a firm and correct stand when controversies and differences of opinion arise.
• Ability to coordinate and provide needed law enforcement protection at assigned locations.
• Ability to organize law enforcement work during an assigned tour of duty, analyze the problems that arise, and develop effective work methods and procedures.
• Ability to give suitable assignments and instructions to personnel on duty all or part of the assigned tour of duty, provide them with advice and assistance when difficult and unusual situations arise, and check their work to see that proper procedures are followed, that reasonable standards of workmanship, conduct, and output are maintained, and that desired agency objectives are achieved.
• Ability to supervise, evaluate, train and provide guidance to personnel.
• Ability to understand, remember and carry out oral and written instructions.
• Ability to learn quickly from observation, oral and written explanations, and from demonstrations.
• Ability to treat citizens, associates and others with uniform courtesy and consideration.
• Ability to establish and maintain helpful and cooperative relations with civic and business organizations, school officials, recreation and other community groups, judicial personnel, law enforcement in other jurisdictions, and others interested in the maintenance of law and order.
• Ability to answer frequently repeated questions without loss of temper or composure.
• Ability to perform varied investigation work.
• Ability to serve warrants and processes.
• Ability to maintain custody of prisoners and detainees.
• Ability to make home visits under varying conditions and to talk to varied types of persons.
• Ability to analyze identification problems.
• Ability to make the best use of available personnel and facilities in carrying on law enforcement work.
• Ability to note significant conditions, and take the proper action in accord with prescribed procedures.
• Ability to physically subdue and restrain violent individuals.
• Ability to lift and move heavy objects.
• Ability to run up and/or down stairs under stressful conditions, and to run short sprints and long distances in a minimum amount of time.
• Ability to pursue individuals on foot and climb obstacles.
• Ability to prepare and supervise the preparation of clear, sound, accurate, and informative reports and to keep and direct the keeping of needed public safety records and files.
• Ability to prepare reports and keep records.
• Ability to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency or related organizational component.
• Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
• Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.

Note

The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.

Appointees to this position must successfully qualify semi-annually in the use of firearms.

Appointees to positions in SWAT, SERT or related units must additionally qualify with special weapons in conformance with the Attorney General Guidelines.

Appointees to this title may be required to work various shifts, variable hours to include weekends and/or holidays.

<b>MEDICAL EXAMINATION:</b>

As a prerequisite for appointment, appointees may be required to pass a thorough medical and psychiatric examination to be administered by the appointing authority. Any psychological, medical, or physical condition or defect which would prevent efficient performance of duties of the position, cause the appointee to be a hazard to himself/herself or others, or become aggravated as a result of performance of these duties will be cause for rejection.