Detention Specialist I



Job Details

Detention Specialist I
Employer

County of Sonoma (CA)

Salary

$41,011.91 - $49,840.43 Annually

Location

Santa Rosa, CA

Job Type

Full-Time

Job Number

18/03-3387-OC

Department

Sheriff's Office

Opening Date

03/07/2018

Closing Date

Continuous

Position Information

Start Your Career with the County, Join the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office as a Detention Specialist. Multiple Positions Available. Starting Salary Up to $23.88/Hr.*
 
We offer expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment that provides continuous training and education, and the satisfaction of knowing that you are working to better our communities. You can also look forward to some excellent benefits*, including:
  • A cash allowance of approximately $600 per month
  • An annual Staff Development/Wellness Benefit allowance up to $500
  • Premium pay of $1.15 per hour, in addition to the hourly pay rate, for bilingual assignments
  • Differential pay for swing and graveyard shifts
  • Onsite workout facilities
  • Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 11 holidays per year
  • Significant County paid premium contribution to several health plan options
  • County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits
  • Retirement is fully integrated with Social Security
  • 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, automatic career advancement to Detention Specialist II ($54,682/year)
Working as a Detention Specialist

Supporting law enforcement is an exciting and challenging opportunity for someone who thrives in a fast paced environment. Detention Specialists work in County detention facilities, alongside law enforcement and incarcerated individuals. They learn to perform the full range of administrative, clerical, and legal document processing duties related to booking, custody alternatives, records processing, and reception. As Detention Specialists gain experience and seniority they gain more flexibility in selecting different shifts, and the opportunity for career advancement to Detention Specialist II ($21.55 - $26.20 hour). To be a successful Detention Specialist you must:
  • Work swiftly, in stressful situations, to manage multiple requests at one time
  • Remain calm, clear, and in control when working with difficult or irate individuals
  • Demonstrate excellent communication skills and the ability to work well in a team
  • Possess effective problem solving skills, empathy, patience, and common sense
  • Have customer service experience. Cash handling experience is highly desired
Being a Detention Specialist 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 your community. Although these positions require minimal or no physical contact with inmates, Detention Specialist do work in close proximity to and interact with inmates (e.g., answering questions, exchanging paperwork and property, etc.). Detention Specialists are required to work day, swing, and graveyard shifts, weekends, holidays, other shift assignments, and overtime. They are also subject to the departmental policies, including uniform requirements and standards of conduct.

When you join the County of Sonoma, you'll have the freedom to explore the beauty of our county - its picturesque coastline, majestic redwoods, historic towns, fine dining, award winning wineries, and a wide variety of entertainment and cultural activities. Please visit www.sonomacountyconnections.org and www.santarosachamber.com for additional information about the community.

*Salary is negotiable. 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). Bilingual positions require English and Spanish skills at either the basic (conversational) or fluent (reading, writing, and conversational) level. A bilingual examination will be conducted prior to employment to confirm level of skill. The bilingual premium pay begins upon the assignment of a bilingual caseload.
 
APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience: Any combination of education and work experience which would provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed herein.  Normally, this would include one year of clerical work experience in an office providing substantial customer service.

Additional Requirements: Candidates certified for employment must be willing to undergo and successfully complete thorough background investigation conducted by the Sheriff's Office.  Additionally, candidates must be willing to work in uniform, and willing to work all shifts, including days, evenings, nights, weekdays, weekends, holidays, and overtime.

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.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of: general clerical and office practices and procedures; word processing and other data processing programs used in a business office; basic arithmetic, English grammar, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, and composition.

Ability to: learn to interpret laws, procedures, policies and rules related to Sheriff Office's detention facilities; effectively deal with irate individuals in difficult situations; identify potentially dangerous situations and react quickly and calmly in emergency situations; learn procedures used in maintaining security of a detention facility; perform several tasks simultaneously amid noise and interruption; maintain accurate records; 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; learn to interpret, explain, and apply specific statutes, codes, laws, regulations, and procedures; learn to maintain complex legal record and databases; learn to locate, identify, and correct technical inaccuracies; make accurate arithmetic calculations; operate a variety of office equipment.

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.
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.
 
Supplemental Questionnaire Responses Are Required
 
The supplemental questionnaire is a critical component of your employment application. Responses to supplemental questions will be scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses which 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 (Weight 100%). Each application and supplemental questionnaire will be thoroughly evaluated for satisfaction of minimum qualifications and relevance of educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities that relate to this position. Candidates possessing the most appropriate job-related qualifications will be placed on an employment list and referred to the department for selection interviews.
 
BACKGROUND PROCESS
 
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, 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 for further information.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications are accepted on-line 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 bulletin must be RECEIVED by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Continuous recruitments may close without notice at any time that a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.
 
The County of Sonoma prioritizes and is committed to continuously providing a workplace where equal employment opportunity is afforded to all people. Please view the County's Equal Employment Opportunity Policy for further information.
 
HR Analyst: CG
HR Technician: RR

IMPORTANT NOTE: Benefits described herein do not apply to Extra Help positions.

COUNTY OF SONOMA BENEFITS: GENERAL*

These are some of the excellent benefits the County offers:
 
Paid Time Off:  Competitive vacation accrual; 11 holidays per year and generous sick leave accruals.
 
Health Plan:  Choice of five health plans (a PPO, EPO, HMO, and two deductible HMOs) with a County contribution toward the premium (the contribution amount varies by bargaining unit.  For specific details, please refer to the applicable MOU).  A County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement is available for some bargaining units.

Cash Allowance: A cash allowance of approximately $600 per month, in addition to monthly salary.
 
Retirement:  Defined benefit plan fully integrated with Social Security.
 
IRS 457 Plan:  Pre-tax employee contribution up to the IRS annual maximum.
 
Retiree Medical:  County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits.
 
Plus excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, professional development and more.
 
For answers to specific questions regarding the employment process, more details about benefits or retirement, please contact Human Resources at (707) 565-2331.  Additional details about benefit and compensation packages can be found in the MOUs located here: http://sonomacounty.ca.gov/HR/Employee-Relations/Labor/.  For specific information about health and welfare benefits including plan options, coverage, and premium amounts go to http://sonomacounty.ca.gov/Departments-Agencies/Human-Resources/ or, contact the Human Resources' Risk Management-Benefits Office at benefits@sonoma-county.org or (707) 565-2900.
 
*IMPORTANT NOTES:  Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice.

01
How did you first learn about this opportunity?
  • Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG)
  • California State Association of Counties (CSAC)
  • CalJobs
  • CareerBuilder
  • Careersingovernment.com
  • College or University
  • Craigslist
  • Craigslist Sacramento
  • Employee of Sonoma County
  • Facebook
  • GovernmentJobs.com
  • Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Sonoma County
  • Indeed
  • Job Fair
  • La Voz
  • Latino Service Providers
  • Minority Organization or Group
  • Monster
  • Press Democrat
  • Sacramento Bee
  • sonoma-county.org/www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org
  • Sonoma County Human Resources Office
  • Sonoma County Job Line
  • Twitter
  • Veterans Services Office
  • Women's Organization or Group
  • Other Internet Site
  • Other Publication
02
Please indicate if you would also be interested in future part-time or extra-help (temporary, intermittent, or seasonal employment) positions should they become available. Your response will not impact your eligibility for full-time positions. Check all that apply.
  • I would also like to be considered for future part-time positions.
  • I would also like to be considered for future extra-help positions.
  • I am only interested in full-time positions.
03
Please indicate if you are interested in bilingual positions, and your level of proficiency.
  • Yes, I have basic (conversational) English/Spanish bilingual skills
  • Yes, I have fluent (reading, writing, and conversational) English/Spanish bilingual skills
  • No, I do not have English/Spanish bilingual skills, and/or I do not wish to be considered for a bilingual position
04
Have you reviewed and do you understand the Sheriff's Office Drug Guidelines. (Please note, if you do not have Internet access, you can request the drug standards packet from the Human Resources reception desk.)
  • Yes
  • No
05
Are you willing to undergo a thorough background investigation, which may include a review of criminal employment, education, driving, and credit records, and an inquiry into your personal and social history, including any use of drugs and alcohol?
  • Yes
  • No
06
Are you willing to work any shift assignments, including evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays?
  • Yes
  • No
07
Are you willing to work in uniform?
  • Yes
  • No
08
Please describe you clerical, office work experience providing substantial customer service. Include job title(s), employers name(s), employment dates, and a description of your primary duties relevant to this position.
09
Please describe your experience interpreting laws, procedures, policies, and rules. Provide an example of a situation in which you explained a policy, rule, or procedure to an angry or upset customer. Describe the issue, consequence of error, steps you took to address the situation, and the outcome.
10
Please describe your experience working in a fast-paced environment where you handled multiple interruptions (i.e. incoming phone calls, requests from co-workers, and walk-in customers) on a daily basis. Highlight any experience you have working in a detention-related environment.

* Required Question

Employer
County of Sonoma (CA)
Address
575 Administration Drive, Suite 116B

Santa Rosa, California, 95403
Phone
(707) 565-2331

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