COURT SECURITY OFFICER

Thurston County, Washington; Olympia (WA); On-site; USD 51,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Work-Life Balance

Retirement plan

Paid leave

Flexible work schedules

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Job summary

Thurston County is seeking a Court Security Officer to protect the Thurston County Courts and facilities under the general direction of the Superior Court. The role includes operating security screening stations, responding to alarms, and conducting searches for weapons to ensure safety for judges, staff, and the public.

This full-time position requires high school diploma or GED, law enforcement academy or federal experience, plus weapons qualification.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED required.
• Graduate from a Washington State Basic or Reserve Law Enforcement Academy, or equivalent training; or federal law enforcement experience.
• Must be able to obtain a Special Commission from Thurston County Sheriff's Office.
• Must be able to qualify in use of a short firearm and re-qualify annually.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day protection and security of Thurston County Courts and facilities.
• Operate and maintain security screening stations.
• monitior and respond to alarms and emergency situations.
• Conduct hand searches of items and enforce weapons policies.
• Provide information and assistance to the public.
• Escort duties in threatened or endangered situations and building evacuations.

Skills

Security screening equipment

Use of force training

Team supervision

Microsoft Office

Training program development

Background checks / investigations

Education

High school diploma or GED

Law enforcement academy trained

First Aid / CPR certification

Job description

The salary for this position is: $4,234.00 to $5,631.00 monthly

Under the general direction of Superior Court, the Court Security Officer provides day-to-day protection and security of the Thurston County Courts and respective facilities. Responsibilities include maintaining order and ensuring personal safety and security of judges, staff, and the general public. Operate and maintain the security screening stations in court facilities. Monitor and respond to courtroom and court facilities emergency alarms and respond to calls for security service and assistance. This position also performs a variety of technical duties for court security processes.

Essential Functions

• Secures weapons prior to persons entering the courthouse and ensures weapons are safely secured in lockers.
• Confiscating and seizing unauthorized weapons and processing them for criminal charges and/or destruction.
• Maintaining accurate daily records of numbers of visitors entering the courthouse.
• Operates walk-through magnetometer, hand held wand, metal detector or other related types of screening devices to check visitors entering the courthouse for weapons and other prohibited articles. Conducts hand searches of personally carried items to inspect for potentially dangerous objects.
• Continuously monitors, via closed circuit cameras, courtrooms and facilities for adverse situations. Intervenes to prevent escalation of problems. May be required to use restraint or force, up to and including deadly force as deemed responsible and necessary. Makes arrests if required and prepares incident and arrest reports.
• May be required to control and limit public access to the court facilities to reduce security risk and ensure public safety.
• Responds to alarms, bomb threats, and safety concerns and assists with building evacuation. Provide escort duties for individuals in a threatened or endangered situation. Implements first aid procedures as necessary.
• When required, calls for assistance from local law enforcement and/or emergency response units. Utilizes pagers, telephones, and portable radios to maintain communications with other security personnel and/or other agencies responding to calls for assistance. Provides aid to responding agencies as requested.
• Provides general information, direction and assistance to the public.
• May be asked to monitor courtroom proceedings.

Working Conditions

• Work Environment – Work is performed in a courthouse setting and involves sitting and standing near the building entrance for the majority of the workday. Lifting of equipment, files, or exhibits weighing up to 50 lbs. is required. May be required to stand for periods of up to several hours.
• Schedule - Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Workload demands may occasionally require work outside the assigned work hours.
• Travel Requirements - Occasional travel required to perform essential functions at various County Courthouse locations and may be required to attend meetings or trainings.
• Customer Interactions - Daily in-person interactions with Thurston County staff and the public. Danger of physical harm may be present in dealing with hostile or aggressive individuals or while escorting people in the courthouse complex and parking area.

Benefits

• Work-Life Balance: We are committed to ensure that our staff experience the reward of public service, while also sustaining a routine that suits each individuals’ lifestyle.
• Plan For Your Future: As a member of our team, you will enjoy great employee benefits, including a retirement plan, pre‑tax savings accounts, as well as comprehensive health care and dental/vision care for you and your family. Please visit Thurston County Employee Benefit Plans for more information.
• Paid Leave: Full‑time regular employees earn paid vacation in addition to paid holidays.
• Robust Training Program: Employees are encouraged to attend County paid training to help them further their career, learn new skill sets, and stay on top of emerging trends in our industry. We also encourage our staff to participate in professional organizations and attend conferences.
• Flexible Work Schedules: Some of the options that employees may take advantage of include alternative or compressed schedules and/or remote working.
• Deferred Compensation: The County offers 3 voluntary deferred compensation plans for employees who would like to set aside additional deferred tax dollars into a retirement savings plan.
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA): Employees can take advantage of Section 125 flexible spending accounts for out‑of‑pocket health care and daycare expenses with pre‑tax dollars.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness: This is a federal program which allows full‑time public service employees who have made qualifying payments for certain loans, to get their student loans repaid. Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED.
• Two year’s law enforcement or corrections experience.
• Graduate from a Washington State Basic or Reserve Law Enforcement Academy, Correctional Academy, or equivalent training from a certified law enforcement program; or federal law enforcement experience (e.g. Military Police) or certified as a federal law enforcement officer (e.g. FBI, DEA).
• Qualified law enforcement or correctional experience that includes a firearms program with a use of force component can be considered if it meets Washington State Criminal Justice Commission Training requirements.
• Must be able to obtain a Special Commission from the Thurston County Sheriff's Office at time of hire.
• Officers are required to provide their own weapon, which meets Thurston County Sheriff’s Office standards.
• Must be able to qualify in the use of a short firearm, with requirement to successfully re‑qualify with the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office annually.
• Must be able to pass a background investigation which may include, but is not limited to employment history, criminal history, psychological, and/or polygraph examinations.
• Must have a valid Washington State Driver’s License.
• Upon hire must maintain a valid First Aid Card, including CPR with a certification in the use of the Life Pak Emergency Defibrillator.

Desired Skills

• Basic knowledge of Washington State Court procedures and functions.
• Specialized training and experience with security screening equipment: X‑Ray Machines, Magnetometers, Hand‑Held Metal Detectors.
• Experience with basic computer operating systems: Microsoft Office: Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook and Access.
• Experience in creating training programs and writing workplace policies.
• Experience supervising, leading, evaluating, motivating, training, and mentoring employees.

Other Information

• Represented by a union
• Eligible for benefits
• Eligible for overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)

Contact: Justin Wilson – [e-mail]

Items requested for consideration: Application, Resume, Letter of Interest.

THURSTON COUNTY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Thurston County is committed to provide equal opportunity to all persons seeking or having access to its employment, services and activities, which is free from restriction based on race, sex, marital status, color, creed or religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, including gender expression or identity, pregnancy, status as an honorably discharged veteran or military status, genetic information, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability, unless based upon bona fide occupational qualifications. Applicants with disabilities who need accommodation with the application or selection process should contact Thurston County’s Human Resources, at [phone]. Those who are deaf, deaf-blind, hard of hearing or speech impaired may use the statewide relay system to reach Thurston County offices and departments to conduct their business telephonically. Relay users can simply dial 7-1-1 (or 1-800-833-6388) to connect with Washington Relay.