Sheriff's Property Officer I/II (Open and Promotional)

The San Mateo County Sheriff's Office is dedicated to protecting lives and property and is committed to providing the highest level of professional law enforcement and correctional services. We pledge to promote public trust through fair and impartial policing and will treat all persons with dignity, compassion, and respect. To learn more about the Sheriff’s Office, visit: https://www.smcsheriff.com/.

The Sheriff's Property Officer accepts and releases evidence from ongoing criminal cases. The position is responsible for the proper storage, release, and disposal of property and evidence, including digital evidence. The incumbent will maintain accurate records of these transactions in both electronic and paper formats. The Property Officer will also be responsible for maintaining inventory control records of the department's fixed assets, accessing and entering information in the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS), and taking fingerprints and photographs of various types of applicants and registrants. Incumbents must be comfortable working around firearms, narcotics, and biological material.

The current vacancy is at the Sheriff's Office Evidence & Property Bureau in Redwood City; however, this recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies at the Sheriff’s Office Forensic Laboratory in San Mateo.

The ideal candidate will:

• Possess exceptional attention to detail.
• Be able to read and comprehend legal documents, laws, and ordinances.
• Have the ability to handle multiple projects and responsibilities simultaneously.
• Demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively and tactfully, both orally and in writing with employees, officials of public agencies, attorneys, property owners, and the public.
• Have experience with law enforcement computer databases, and experience in keeping accurate logs and records.
• Have the ability to enter and retrieve data from a computer with sufficient speed and accuracy.
• Have a general understanding of types of criminal offenses and types of forensic analysis.

Depending on qualifications, the vacancy will be filled at either the Sheriff's Property Officer I ($32.22 - $40.27/hr) or Sheriff's Property Officer II ($38.60 - $48.25/hr) level.
 
NOTE: The hiring list created from this recruitment may be used to fill several extra-help vacancies and could be used to fill future full-time, part-time, limited term, and extra-help positions.Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Receive, maintain the chain of custody and integrity of, and safely store evidence, found property, and property held for safekeeping.
• Advise staff on proper packaging and submission procedures.
• Maintain files and records, both paper and in automated property management systems, regarding the receipt, storage, movement, and disposition of property. 
• Manage video evidence created by body worn cameras and in-car video cameras.
• Conduct inventories and audits of property and evidence.
• Release property to the public or to legally authorized persons in accordance with disposition forms, court orders, or stipulations.
• Compose correspondence to property owners or finders.
• Authorize the return of and release safekeeping and found property to rightful owners.
• Check out items needed for court, investigation, or forensic testing; transport or ship items to and from the Forensic Laboratory; and maintain records of items checked out.
• Copy, share, or electronically transfer evidence in accordance with internal requests, discovery requests, subpoenas, and Public Record Act requests.
• Testify in court to verify chain of custody records on evidence.
• Purge property as directed on disposition forms and by following appropriate federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
• Make arrangements for the auction of unclaimed property and coordinate the destruction of nuisance weapons and illicit materials such as controlled substances.
• Maintain inventory control records of department's fixed assets.
• Order supplies and equipment as necessary for assigned work.
• Contact or respond to questions of law enforcement personnel, attorneys, representatives of various agencies and the public concerning the release, location, disposition, and forensic analysis of property.
• Take fingerprints and photographs of various types of applicants, registrants, and probationers.
• Operate various automated criminal justice information systems such as the County of San Mateo Consolidated Justice Information Portal (CJI), the California Law Enforcement Telecommunication System (CLETS), and the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database.
• Attend trainings and stay abreast of industry best practices and changes in laws and regulations.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Education and Experience: Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to qualify is:
 
Knowledge of:

• Principles and procedures of stock control systems and record keeping.
• General characteristics and values of different types of commodities.
• Techniques of receiving, storing, inventorying, safeguarding and disposing of personal and other types of property.
• California Penal Code, Civil Code, various County ordinances, the Federal Gun Act of 1968 and other laws governing public property, release of property and evidence and destruction of narcotics.
• General characteristics and values of different types of equipment used in the Sheriff's Office including characteristics and handling of firearms.
• Types of information stored in CLETS and NCIC. 

Skill/Ability to:

• Explain and apply departmental policies and procedures including court procedures and process of obtaining release of property.
• Train personnel.
• Maintain complete and accurate records.
• Operate teletype and computer terminals.
• Read and comprehend legal documents, laws and ordinances.
• Exercise good judgment.
• Make accurate observations.
• Work well with minimal supervision.
• Deal effectively and tactfully with employees, officials of public agencies, attorneys, property owners and the public.
• Communicate effectively orally and in writing.
• Lift and move bulky or heavy objects.
• Apply laws, codes and ordinances related to property management, guns, narcotics and evidence.
• Handle firearms.

Other Requirements: Pass a detailed background investigation and pre-employment medical exam prior to appointment. The selected candidate must possess a valid California driver's license at the time of hire.Open and Promotional. Anyone may apply. Current County of San Mateo and County of San Mateo Superior Court of California employees with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, extra-help/limited term positions prior to the final filing date will receive five points added to their final passing score on this examination.  
 
Responses to the supplemental questions are required in our online employment application. A resume or reference to a resume will not be accepted as a substitute for your responses to these questions or the standard online application. 
   

1. An Initial review of application materials (weight: pass/fail). Overall presentation will be evaluated at this step and applicants submitting incomplete application and responses to the supplemental question, lacking relevant qualifications and/or not following instructions will be disqualified. 
2. Applicants who pass the initial review will be moved to the online written exam (weight:  pass/fail).  
3. Applicants who pass the online written exam will have their application screened by subject matter experts (weight: pass/fail).  At this step the application and responses to the supplemental questions will be thoroughly reviewed. 
4. The more highly qualified applicants who pass the application screening will be invited to a panel interview (weight: 100%). 

TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT SCHEDULE 
Final Filing Date: Thursday, May 8, 2025, by 11:59 PM PST
Online Written Exam: May 19 - May 22, 2025 (Applicants must complete the exam within this time frame).
Application Screening: Week of May 26, 2025
Panel Interviews: Week of June 9, 2025

San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse communities.

The County of San Mateo is committed to advancing equity in order to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment. The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply. Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work.

Salary : $67,018 - $100,360