School Resource Officer

Distinguishing Features of the Class
An employee in this class perform a variety of law enforcement duties in the areas of patrol, criminal and civil paper processing, community policing, crime prevention and community service. Work includes patrolling a geographic region within the County during a shift in a patrol car; preventing, detecting and investigating disturbances and crime; helping victims; performing traffic control work and interstate interdiction, serving as K-9 officer, apprehending suspects; testifying in court; and executing related assignments. Duties also include serving criminal court documents such as warrants and subpoenas, as well as receiving and serving civil process papers such as civil summons and executions. Employees may also be required to serve as a School Resource Officer, DARE Officer, Bailiff and supervise the activities of the court or serve as the OSHA Compliance Officer. Employees must exercise judgment, initiative and calm control when performing duties, but more difficult problems are normally carried out under the direction of or in conjunction with the Deputy Sheriff-Sergeant or Deputy Sheriff-Lieutenant. Work involves frequent public contact which requires tact, firmness and decisiveness. Work is performed in accordance with departmental policy and state and federal law, supplemented with specific direction from superior officers. Work is performed under the direct supervision of a Sergeant and evaluated through observation, review of reports, and periodic discussions concerning how particular incidents or activities were handled.

Duties and Responsibilities
Essential Duties and Tasks

• Operates a patrol car to observe for violations of laws, suspicious activities or persons and disturbances of law and order; examines premises of unoccupied residences or buildings; detects unusual conditions; maintains surveillance and observation for stolen cars, missing persons or suspects on an assigned shift.
• Responds to calls for assistance, complaints, suspicious activity, domestic disputes, loud and disruptive behavior; completes calls by determining true nature of the situation and taking whatever legal or persuasive action is warranted.
• Serves warrants, summons, subpoenas, court orders, and makes arrests; prepares reports; testifies in court.
• Enforces traffic laws; issues citations for traffic violations; performs radar enforcement, traffic control, motorist assists, etc.
• Conducts and documents security checks of homes, neighborhoods and businesses in assigned area.
• Assists other law enforcement officers and agencies on various tasks.
• Operates computer to run checks, criminal histories, missing person’s checks, etc.
• Performs investigations of crimes; interviews victims and witnesses; secures property and evidence; documents facts and incidents; searches homes and personal property.
• Prepares and maintains a variety of records and files and prepares various reports.
• Ensures vehicle and equipment are in proper working order.
• Transports prisoners and mental patients to facilities throughout the State.
• May be assigned to special tasks and duties such as desk officer, training officer, court security, K-9, investigations, civil, School Resource Officer/DARE, etc. or other special assignments as qualified and assigned.

Additional Job Duties

• Performs related duties as required.

Recruitment and Selection Guidelines
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• General knowledge of law enforcement methods, practices and procedures.
• General knowledge of applicable state and federal laws and local ordinances.
• General knowledge of the geography of the County and location of important buildings.
• General knowledge of department rules and regulations.
• General knowledge to prepare a variety of correspondence and reports.
• General knowledge to operate standard office equipment and software.
• Skill in the use of firearms, chemical agents, weapons of defense and the operation of a motor vehicle.
• Ability to understand and carry out oral and written instructions and to prepare clear comprehensive reports.
• Ability to make arithmetic computations using whole numbers, fractions and decimals.
• Ability to deal courteously, firmly and tactfully with the public under stressful situations.
• Ability to analyze situations and to adopt quick, effective and reasonable courses of action with due regard to surrounding hazards and circumstances.
• Possession of physical agility and endurance.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with County officials and other law enforcement agencies, associates and the general public.

Physical Requirements

• Work requires the regular exertion of up to 10 pounds of force, frequent exertion of up to 25 pounds of force and occasional exertion of up to 100 pounds of force.
• Work regularly requires speaking or hearing and using hands to finger, handle or feel, frequently requires standing, walking, reaching with hands and arms, tasting or smelling, pushing or pulling and repetitive motions and occasionally requires sitting, climbing or balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling and lifting.
• Work requires visual acuity for close vision, distance vision, ability to adjust focus, depth perception, color perception, night vision and peripheral vision.
• Vocal communication is required for conveying detailed or important instructions to others accurately, loudly or quickly.
• Hearing is required to recognize information at normal spoken word levels.
• Work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, operating motor vehicles or equipment and observing general surroundings and activities.
• Work regularly requires exposure to outdoor weather conditions, frequently requires exposure to blood-borne pathogens and may be required to wear specialized personal protective equipment and occasionally requires exposure to fumes or airborne particles, exposure to toxic or caustic chemicals and working with explosives.
• Work is generally in a moderately noisy location (e.g. business office, light traffic).

Desirable Education and Experience
Graduation from high school and moderate experience in a law enforcement related position; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Special Requirements
Possession of a valid North Carolina driver's license upon hire.
Possession of Basic Law Enforcement Certification (BLET) upon hire.
Complete annual mandated In-Service Training.
Complete any other training as specified by the Sheriff required for divisional assignments.