Description:
Enforce law and order in rural or unincorporated districts or serve legal processes of courts. May patrol courthouse, guard court or grand jury, or escort defendants.
Tasks
- Drive vehicles or patrol specific areas to detect law violators, issue citations, and make arrests.
- Investigate illegal or suspicious activities.
- Verify that the proper legal charges have been made against law offenders.
- Execute arrest warrants, locating and taking persons into custody.
- Record daily activities and submit logs and other related reports and paperwork to appropriate authorities.
- Patrol and guard courthouses, grand jury rooms, or assigned areas to provide security, enforce laws, maintain order, and arrest violators.
- Notify patrol units to take violators into custody or to provide needed assistance or medical aid.
- Place people in protective custody.
- Take control of accident scenes to maintain traffic flow, to assist accident victims, and to investigate causes.
- Serve statements of claims, subpoenas, summonses, jury summonses, orders to pay alimony, and other court orders.
Knowledge
- Public Safety and Security
- Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
- Law and Government
- Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
- English Language
- Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Psychology
- Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
- Customer and Personal Service
- Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Telecommunications
- Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
- Education and Training
- Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
- Administration and Management
- Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
- Personnel and Human Resources
- Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
- Computers and Electronics
- Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Skills
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Persuasion
- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Negotiation
- Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Abilities
- Problem Sensitivity
- The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
- Oral Expression
- The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Oral Comprehension
- The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Inductive Reasoning
- The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
- Deductive Reasoning
- The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Speech Clarity
- The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
- Near Vision
- The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Written Expression
- The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
- Written Comprehension
- The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Speech Recognition
- The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Work Activities
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
- Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
- Communicating with Persons Outside Organization
- Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others
- Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
- Getting Information
- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
- Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
- Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
- Assisting and Caring for Others
- Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
Work Context
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
- Face-to-Face Discussions
- How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
- Contact With Others
- How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
- In an Enclosed Vehicle or Equipment
- How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or equipment (e.g., car)?
- Deal With External Customers
- How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
- Telephone
- How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
- How do the decisions an employee makes impact the results of co-workers, clients or the company?
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People
- How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
- Outdoors, Exposed to Weather
- How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
Interests
- Enterprising
- Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
- Realistic
- Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
- Social
- Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
- Conventional
- Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
- Investigative
- Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
- Artistic
- Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Work Style
- Integrity
- Job requires being honest and ethical.
- Stress Tolerance
- Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
- Self Control
- Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
- Dependability
- Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
- Attention to Detail
- Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
- Cooperation
- Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
- Initiative
- Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
- Concern for Others
- Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
- Independence
- Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
- Adaptability/Flexibility
- Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Work Value
- Achievement
- Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
- Relationships
- Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
- Support
- Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
- Independence
- Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employs to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
- Recognition
- Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
- Working Conditions
- Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Related Occupations
- Fire Inspectors
- Fire Investigators
- Bailiffs
- Correctional Officers and Jailers
- Police Detectives
- Criminal Investigators and Special Agents
- Transit and Railroad Police
- Private Detectives and Investigators
- Security Guards
Common Lay Titles
- Canine Deputy (K-9 Deputy)
- Civil Division Deputy Sheriff
- Civil Process Server
- County Sheriff
- Deputy
- Deputy Sheriff
- Deputy Sheriff, Building Guard
- Detective
- Drug Abuse Resistance Education Officer (DARE Officer)
- Grand Jury Deputy Sheriff
- Investigator
- Lieutenant
- Narcotics Detective
- Patrol Supervisor
- Sergeant
- Sheriff
- Special Deputy Sheriff
- Under Sheriff