Security Officer

Tompkins County; New York (NY); On-site; USD 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Tompkins County is seeking a full-time Security Officer for the Department of Emergency Response. The role involves monitoring cameras, screening visitors, patrolling county and TC-3 facilities, and responding to incidents.

The position requires a high school diploma or equivalent and the ability to obtain necessary licenses and certifications. Candidate must complete background checks and be eligible to work at multiple county locations.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required; or two years of relevant security experience.
• Ability to observe and report accurately; strong communication skills.
• Capable of de-escalating tense situations and following security procedures.

Responsibilities

• Monitor security cameras and screen visitors entering buildings.
• Patrol county buildings and TC-3 campus to deter crime and identify hazards.
• Assist law enforcement and respond to incidents as needed.
• Provide orientation on safety and emergency procedures for new staff and visitors.
• Prepare incident reports and maintain security logs.
• Enforce rules and safeguard staff and county property.

Skills

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Observational skills

De-escalation

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

Surveillance cameras

Job description

TOMPKINS COUNTY CIVIL SERVICEVACANCY

Inclusion Through Diversity

OPEN TO THE PUBLICTompkins County Department of Human Resources Office

125 E. Court StreetIthaca, NY 14850

[phone]Tompkins County is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. Minorities and women are encouraged to apply

TITLE: Security Officer

TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT: Full-Time

ISSUE DATE: 09/09/26

THE FINAL DATE TO FILE APPLICATIONS: 09/23/26

DATE THAT THIS ANNOUNCEMENT SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM POSTING: 09/24/26

RESIDENCY:

Candidates must have been legal residents of Tompkins County or one of the six adjoining counties (Cayuga, Chemung, Cortland, Schuyler, Seneca, Tioga) for at least one month immediately preceding the date of application and maintain residency. For Examinations: The eligible list resulting from the examination will be established in accordance with the final earned numerical ratings of passing candidates regardless of residence. A municipality or district may exercise its right under section 23-4-a. of Civil Service Law to request a certification of eligible candidates who have been residents of that municipality or district for at least one month prior to appointment. After the names of residents have been exhausted, Tompkins County must then certify the names of non-residents on the list.

This is a full-time position under the Department of Emergency Response. The primary work location for these positions will vary, and staff must be eligible to work at all Tompkins County locations as required. Multiple shift opportunities are available, with schedules that may start as early as 7:00 a.m. and, on occasion, run as late as midnight. The selected candidate must successfully complete all required background checks, including the standard county screening and the TCWH Pre-Employment Background Check. This is an approved NYS HELPS title and any appointment will be non-competitive. No exam required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• (a) Graduation from high school or possession of a high school equivalency diploma; OR
• (b) Two years of full-time paid (or the equivalent part-time and/or volunteer) experience as a guard, peace officer, police officer or military police officer; OR
• (c) Any combination of training and experience equal to or greater than that described in (a) and (b) above.

Tompkins County is Committed to Equity and Inclusion. We encourage those with similar values to apply.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• (a) Possession of valid New York State motor vehicle operator’s license at the time of application and maintenance of such license for the duration of employment.
• (b) In accordance with General Business Law, Articles 7 and 7A, Section 89-g, all security personnel must register with the NYS Department of State, Division of Licensing Services immediately upon employment. Registration includes fingerprinting and a thorough background check by the State Department of Criminal Justice Services and FBI.
• (c) For the TC-3 location only, the employee must possess one of the following: Advanced First Aid through the American Red Cross, or First Responder or Emergency Medical Technician certification through New York State within one year of the date of appointment, and maintain certification at all times thereafter during employment.
• (d) For all other locations, the employee must participate in Security Officer training, basic First Aid, AED, NARCAN and CPR training and certification within one year of the date of appointment.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS:

The position involves responsibility for performing routine tasks pertaining to the safety of individuals and the security of County or Community College buildings and property. An employee in this class has responsibility for: monitoring security cameras;screening visitors and/or clients for admission to the building; inspecting property to detect security hazards; deterring criminal activity by being a visible and observant presence; patrolling buildings and grounds; investigation of criminal and non-criminal incidents; and detection of maintenance problems and equipment failure. The employee is expected to de-escalate potentially volatile situations and enlist the support of law enforcement or Campus Peace Officers as appropriate. Internal contacts will be with employees of across departments or divisions within the Human Services Building, or across the TC3 College campus, and involve routine administrative or highly structured work interactions. External contacts may be with law enforcement, city, county or town courts, or other agencies as appropriate to the agency for whom the Security Officer works and involve exchange of information in structured situations to ensure safety and security of stakeholders and property. In certain departments, contact with clients and their families are of a routine nature and may be necessary to fulfill work objectives, but are not the primary function of this job. The employee enjoys considerable autonomy and the work is performed under the general supervision of higher-level security personnel. Supervision of others is not generally a function of this class of positions. The incumbent will perform all related duties as required.

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES:

• Monitors security cameras and maintains access control, signs in and screens clients and visitors to the building.
• Patrols County or TC-3 buildings/property on a regular basis providing a constant presence in order to detect fire, theft, vandalism, illegal entry and to look for possible hazards which may develop.
• Assist law enforcement responding to the location.
• When possible, de-escalate potentially volatile situations.
• Provide orientation to all newly hired employees regarding safety, security, parking and emergency policies and procedures.
• Watches for irregularities such as leaky pipes, unlocked doors, unusual occurrences and vandalized property and reports these irregularities to the appropriate personnel.
• Closes or locks doors, gates, and windows according to prescribed routines in order to deter criminal activity and prevent accidental loss by securing the area.
• Responds to various non-criminal activities such as personal injuries, missing persons, stranded motorists and renders appropriate services.
• Testifies in court regarding a variety of offenses personally witnessed which may have occurring either in County Buildings/property or TC-3 buildings/property.
• Prevents acts that could be harmful to County employees/clients/property, TC-3 students/employees/property or the general public by observing suspicious activity and responding to the activity with the appropriate action.
• Interviews witnesses, collects evidence, completes incident reports, law enforcement information forms and prepares a variety of other written reports as necessary.
• Patrols the surrounding neighborhood to ensure that loitering is minimized.
• Warns violators of rule infractions such as loitering and expels if necessary.
• Quarantine and report bio-hazards such as bodily fluids, insect infestations, needles and other drugs.

COUNTY LOCATIONS:

Works with other team members to promote a positive environment conductive to learning;

Provides security for personnel in County buildings, which may include: responding to requests for assistance by department staff who are dealing with agitated clients; escorting unruly persons from premises and contacting law enforcement personnel for assistance when required;

Maintains security check points, check for ID badges and issues same, checks in center participants and employees, escorts staff to their vehicles;

May be required to monitor a metal detecting device and/or wand people for entry;

May serve as a role model for the criminal justice population in the Day reporting setting:

May provide classroom instruction as necessary on a variety of topics (i.e., Impact of Crime);

May search bags, purses and backpacks, confiscating any weapons or drugs found;

May be required to collect specimens for urinalysis and administer a drug-testing program.

Me be required to work at various county facility’s based on staffing needs.

TC-3 LOCATION:

Participates in crowd control at special college events by directing traffic and answering questions for the public;

May transport money to the bank for individual departments or divisions;

May serve as an emergency First Responder as qualified and as necessary.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS:

Working knowledge of the service delivery of County departments including the physical location and layout of the County buildings OR working knowledge of the geography of the college including the physical location and layout of the college facilities;

Ability to understand and follow oral and written directions;Ability to express oneself clearly and concisely both orally and in writing;Ability to get along well with others;Ability to deal courteously and tactfully with the public while enforcing laws and rules;Ability to think quickly and act effectively in emergency situations;Ability to apply first aid techniques;Ability to establish and maintain an effective relationship with the public, clients and employees;Good powers of observation, sound judgment, tact and courtesy are all desired personal characteristics;The employee’s physical and mental condition shall be commensurate with the demands of the position, either with or without reasonable accommodations.

PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEMANDS:

Physical:

Physical effort is moderate. The employee must be able to sit for considerable periods of time when monitoring security cameras.At DSS and Probation, the employee is often in and out of their seat “wanding” clients and providing building access. Likewise, they are required to patrol inside and outside buildings which may require prolonged periods of walking or standing. On rare occasions, the employee may be required to physically restrain individuals and/or perform other types of physical exertion. The monitoring of security cameras and/or other types of computer related work typically encompasses approximately 40% of the employee’s time. As a result, this job involves considerable visual effort. The incumbent’s visual acuity must be sufficient to

enable him or her to see and accurately work with information on a computer screen or otherwise be able to accurately manage and manipulate data and information, using computer software and hardware systems, with or without reasonable accommodations. The employee’s ability to communicate verbally should be sufficient to enable them to de-escalate potentially volatile situations. Their written communication skills must be sufficiently adequate to enable them to generate incident reports as necessary. The employee must possess the physical ability, knowledge and skill necessary to utilize office equipment, including computer systems, inclusive of necessary software and operating systems, with or without reasonable accommodations.

Mental:

Mental factors include the ability to multitask and prioritize. Mental focus and the ability to offer calm control during a crisis is required. The employee may be required to interact with hostile, emotional, drug or alcohol addled and abusive persons. As a result, there is considerable exposure to and risk of moderate injury, or some risk of serious injury in this line of work. The employee will have frequent exposure to distressing human situations. The employee will need the aptitude to understand the requirements and processes of law, policies and procedures of the department. The employee must possess a solid intellect and a good memory. It may be necessary for an employee to keep track of a lot of employee, client and/or case details. The incumbent must possess moderate interpersonal skills in order to verify or explain information or to inform others about agency regulations, policies or programs.

Environmental factors include the ability to work closely and cooperatively in close physical proximity with others. The work can occasional result in moderate exposure to disagreeable conditions such as exposure to blood, vomit, urine, saliva and drug paraphernalia. Almost all work is performed indoors in a temperature controlled environment, so exposure to excessive heat, cold, humidity, noise, etc., are factors that are not significant to this job.

Originally created 02/93

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