Sheriff's Community Services Officer
The County of Sonoma offers a challenging and rewarding work environment, the satisfaction of knowing that you're working to better the community, and benefits, including*:
- Eligibility for a 5% salary increase after 1040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a 5% salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
- With experience and good work performance, career advancement to Community Services Officer II ($60,818/year)
- County paid 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
- An annual Staff Development/Wellness Benefit allowance up to $500 and ongoing education/training opportunities
- Differential pay for swing and graveyard shifts
- Premium pay of $1.15/hour, in addition to the hourly pay rate, for future bilingual assignments
- Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
- County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits
- Retirement fully integrated with Social Security
- May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment
Working as a Sheriff's Community Services Officer
Do you have customer service experience and motivation to help others, and the ability to:
- Communicate with diverse audiences
- Work well on a team
- Remain calm, clear, and in control when working with difficult or irate individuals
- Effectively problem-solve
- Demonstrate empathy, patience, and a common sense approach when supporting customers' needs
Supporting law enforcement is an exciting and challenging opportunity for someone with a passion for helping others. Community Services Officers (CSOs) work indoors and outdoors at various locations across the County, assisting the public, deputies, and other Sheriff's Office staff with a variety of public relations, customer service, and clerical law enforcement related activities. As a CSO, you will maintain files and records, and depending upon assignment, you may fingerprint citizens; process court ordered registrations (including arson, gang, and sex registrations); and intake, store, and release evidence. Additionally, CSOs may assist specialized assignments in the Sheriff's Office with the coordination of community events, Sheriff's Office tours, animal control responsibilities, and providing training to the public on the proper use and safe installation of infant/child car seats.
Current vacancies for this recruitment are located in the Sheriff's Property/Evidence Unit, where responsibilities include, but are not limited to: receiving, logging, storing, and maintaining evidence and property; disposing of property and evidence according to penal code and policy; packaging and transporting evidence; maintaining files and records; destroying and arranging for the destruction of weapons, narcotics or other materials; maintaining accountability for the overall security and integrity of the property room including preserving critical chain of evidence; testifying in court when subpoenaed; and other duties as required.
Being a Sheriff's Community Services Officer can be demanding, but for those who have passion for this work, you will be rewarded with camaraderie and the ability to help others in our community. Although they do not perform the full range of law enforcement duties that are assigned to Sheriff's Deputies, CSOs are non-peace officer staff who provide a variety of non-technical support services to community members across the County. They may be assigned to any area in the Sheriff's Office, including the main office, Sheriff's substations located in Guerneville and the Sonoma Valley, and the contracted city offices located in the City of Sonoma and the Town of Windsor. CSO's are subject to departmental policies, including uniform requirements and standards of conduct; and may work weekends, with occasional swing shifts, holiday assignments, and overtime as needed. CSO's assigned to the Central Information Bureau work a 4/10 day shift with weekends and holidays off. For more information about the services the Sheriff's Office provides our community, please visit the Sheriff's Office website.
*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can found in the Service Employees International Union Local 1021 Memorandum Of Understanding (SEIU MOU) and our Employee Benefits Directory.
This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time or extra-help positions as they occur during the active status of the list. The Civil Service title of this position is Community Services Officer I. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment.
Minimum Qualifications
Normally, a High School Diploma or equivalent and some experience in a clerical, customer service, or legal/law enforcement setting which included assisting the public or customers. Academic coursework in law enforcement or a closely related field and/or experience working in a law enforcement or public safety agency is desirable.
License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including necessary special endorsements, as required by the State of California to perform the essential job functions of the position.
Background Requirements: Applicants must successfully complete a thorough background investigation including a polygraph examination. Applicants who have been convicted of a felony in this state or any other state or in any federal jurisdiction, or of any offense in any other state or in any federal jurisdiction, which would have been a felony if committed in California, or are under formal probation may be subject to disqualification for this class.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Ability to: learn and apply basic laws, codes, ordinances, processes, techniques, rules, regulations, and practices pertaining to area of assignment; learn, interpret and apply department policies, procedures; understand legal, court, and law enforcement documents and reports; understand local resources and services for referrals; work, communicate effectively, and demonstrate effective interpersonal skills and sensitivity with the general public, outside agencies, department personnel, etc.; obtain accurate and detailed information in person or by telephone; follow written and oral instructions; make decisions in routine procedural matters without immediate supervision; read, correct, prepare, and maintain accurate and concise records and reports; work under stress and in emergency situations; exercise judgment and discretion in sensitive situations and in analyzing and resolving problems; speak before public groups; work in contact with and oversee inmate/probation workers; obtain information, enter data, develop correspondence, etc. in modern software programs.
Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying
- 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 and should 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.