Title
Human Resources and Sheriff’s Office recommending the Board approve revisions to the Correctional Sergeant job specification related to minimum experience requirements.
FUNDING: No change to net County cost.
Body
DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION
Human Resources and Sheriff’s Office recommending the Board approve revisions to the Correctional Sergeant job specification, modifying the experience required to allow for three years experience as a Correctional Officer, with at least two years at the the Correctional Officer II level.
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
Human Resources, in conjunction with the Sheriff’s Office and with the concurrence of Operating Engineers Local Union No. 3 Corrections Unit, is recommending changes to the previously established Correctional Sergeant job specification.
In July 2016, the Sheriff’s Office asked that Human Resources review the existing minimum qualifying Education & Experience requirements for the Correctional Sergeant classification to determine whether they were appropriate, or if changes could be made that would enable the department to attract a greater pool of applicants and afford greater flexibility in the department’s candidate selection process.
Human Resources conducted an analysis of comparable counties who use the Correctional Sergeant classification in order to determine industry standards for qualifications which are typically accepted ways of obtaining the required knowledge and skills. From the analysis it was found that the minimum qualifying Education & Experience Requirements for the County’s job specificaiton for Correctional Sergeant could be modified to be consistent with the industry standard.
The current job specification requires candidates to have "three (3) years of experience in jail operations and inmate supervision, at a level equivalent to the County's classes of Correctional Officer II or Senior Correctional Officer." The recommendation is to change this to require "three (3) years of experience in jail operations and inmate supervision, at a level equivalent to the County's class of Correctional Officer with at least two years as a Correctional Officer II." The Sheriff Department feels this change will help to expand the pool of qualified candidates for the postion of Correctional Sergeant.
This change is requested now, rather than waiting until the county-wide classification study has been completed, because this has been a difficulat to fill position, and it is critical to maintain appropriate staffing levels in the jails in order to ensure officer and inmate safety.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could choose to leave the current Correctional Sergeant classification specification unmodified until the county-wide classification study is concluded.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Sheriff’s Office, Operating Engineers Local Union No. 3 Corrections Unit
CAO RECOMMENDATION
Approve as recommended, noting that the revised specification will still be subject to review as part of the county-wide classification study.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no Financial Impact as salaries are not affected.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
CONTACT
Pamela Knorr, Director of Human Resources