ABOUT FRANKLIN COUNTY MUNICIPAL COURT

The Franklin County Municipal Court is the largest and busiest municipal Court in the State of Ohio. The Court has fourteen judges in the General Division and one judge in the Environmental Division. Judges preside over civil, criminal, and traffic cases and conduct both jury and court trials. The Court's jurisdiction includes traffic cases, misdemeanor criminal cases, and civil cases where the amount at issue is $15,000 or less. The Environmental Division has exclusive jurisdiction to enforce local codes and regulations affecting real property, such as fire and building codes. The geographic jurisdiction of the Court is all of Franklin County and those portions of the City of Columbus that extend beyond the boundaries of Franklin County. Despite its jurisdiction and name, the Franklin County Municipal Court is the judicial branch of the City of Columbus government.

JOB PURPOSE AND OVERVIEW

The Pretrial and Probation Services Department consists of approximately 120 employees. The mission of Pretrial Services is to promote community safety and pretrial success through research-informed recommendations and supervision services that maximize court appearance, remove barriers to fair and efficient justice, and promote harm reduction. The mission of Probation Services is to promote community safety by reducing recidivism, changing offender behavior, and fostering accountability through the effective use of evidence-based practices. Department functions include pretrial, investigation, and supervision services. Supervision structures are determined by risk and need and include all types of cases referred by the Court's judges. The staff operates specialized caseloads, including domestic violence, sexual offenses, soliciting, mental health, work release, and electronic monitoring. The probation staff strives to stay current and relevant with the ongoing goal of being an evidence-based organization.

A SERT probation officer is under the general direction of a chief probation officer and the immediate direction of a SERT probation officer supervisor. A SERT probation officer's primary responsibilities are to conduct fieldwork, assist with transport and arrests, investigate, interview, assess, case plan, provide interventions, and manage a defendant's compliance with court orders and required programming to promote public safety and reduce recidivism. SERT probation officers routinely communicate a defendant's supervision compliance with the assigned judge and work closely with criminal justice partners, local law enforcement agencies, and community resources.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POSITION

• Promote, model, and abide by the Vision, Mission, policies, and procedures of the Probation Department.
• Administration of the Ohio Risk Assessment System (ORAS) and other identified assessment tools to ensure appropriate supervision placement, intervention, and programming.
• Develop an appropriate supervision plan to address the Court's requirements and a defendant's assessed and identified needs.
• Supervise and support defendants through the behavior-change process, skills and goal attainment, and compliance with court-ordered supervision conditions, including teaching new skills, role-playing with defendants, and applying motivational interviewing skills.
• Perform field work as needed; notify the Court of the defendant's compliance with supervision requirements and attend court hearings when required.
• Ability to promote a positive presence in the community with defendants and their families.
• Conduct field visits, transport, searches, and field arrests of defendants.
• Conduct community and agency site visits with collateral organizations and treatment providers as needed.
• Conduct investigations for the Court and prepare written reports to assist judges in determining appropriate sentences, release conditions, or the sealing of criminal offense records, as assigned.
• Complete thorough, well-written reports detailing an individual's supervision progress and including thoughtful and informed recommendations.
• Supervise specialized caseloads consisting of environmental compliance issues; defendants convicted of domestic violence or related charges; substance-using defendants; defendants with mental-health or developmental disability considerations; defendants convicted of sex offenses; or defendants ordered to a period of electronic monitoring or work release.
• Maintain accurate, current, and thorough documentation and records.
• Participate in activities that enhance the department and Court, the individual units within the department, and the officer's professional development.
• Active participation in required training and professional development events around evidence-based practices in community corrections and behavioral health issues, per department standards, and as deemed appropriate.
• Qualify and maintain OPOTA certification to carry a department-issued firearm while conducting fieldwork.
• Shall successfully complete a firearm requalification program approved by the Executive Director of the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission per the rules adopted by the Attorney General pursuant to section 109.743 of the Revised Code.
• Properly maintain and secure firearms based on the department's maintenance schedule.
• Qualify and maintain OPOTA certification to carry a department-issued taser while conducting fieldwork.
• Maintain a professional demeanor during stressful situations.
• Maintain proficient, applicable certification in accordance with all job and training requirements.
• Develop and sustain productive working relationships with local law enforcement.
• Perform other tasks assigned and may fulfill roles of different positions in other departments of the Court as needed.

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with core coursework in areas related to criminal justice, criminology, corrections, psychology, social work, or a related field.
• One (1) year of experience involving community supervision of defendants and case planning.
• One (1) year of experience conducting fieldwork in community corrections or a law enforcement setting.
• Must have successfully completed a basic firearm training program that is approved by the executive director of the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission or can do so within 120 days of employment.
• Must have successfully completed a taser training program that is approved by the executive director of the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission or can do so within 120 days of employment.
• Must be able to complete firearm qualifications utilizing the department-issued firearm successfully and requalify annually.
• Must be able to successfully complete taser qualifications utilizing the department-issued taser and requalify annually.
• Must be able to successfully obtain a medical and psychological recommendation to carry a firearm for the department.
• Must successfully pass urinalysis initial screening and be subject to random urinalysis while employed as a SERT officer.
• The ability to demonstrate and apply basic knowledge of mental health, trauma, and substance abuse issues.
• Become trained and/or certified to perform the ORAS and other department risk and need-assessment tools.
• Successful completion of the state probation officer certification and training process within one year of hire if not currently certified
• Meet the eligibility requirements and pass the tests required to become certified to use Law Enforcement Automated Data Systems, National Crime Information Center, Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (LEADS), Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Interstate Identification Information Systems computer information systems.
• Willingness and ability to be trained and maintain certification in the department's field-safety training program, including but not limited to defensive tactics, verbal de-escalation techniques, and first aid/CPR, to engage with defendants in the community.
• Ability to assess and supervise defendants effectively (e.g., assess and resolve problems, motivate defendants toward prosocial support and activities, and facilitate interventions that assist defendants in changing their thinking and behavior)
• Ability to appropriately respond to both prosocial and non-compliant behavior in a way that promotes public safety, accountability, and behavior change.
• Effective oral and written communication and interviewing skills (e.g., ability to listen effectively, obtain sensitive information, explain complex issues in a  comprehensible manner, and prepare accurate and logical reports relevant to a defendant)
• Ability to make informed and thoughtful recommendations and decisions.
• Knowledge of the criminal justice system and current research trends in community corrections is necessary to work effectively within the Court and community corrections fields.
• Ability to appropriately receive and follow supervisory feedback, coaching, and direction.
• Demonstrate resilience and flexibility in a high-paced, dynamic work environment.
• Ability to maintain sensitive and confidential information.
• Ability to exercise judgment, decisiveness, and creativity in situations involving the evaluation of information against sensory, judgmental, or subjective criteria, as opposed to that which is clearly measurable or verifiable.
• Ability to analyze situations quickly and objectively and determine the proper course of action.
• Ability to cope with situations firmly, courteously, tactfully, and with respect for the rights of others.
• Ability to engage productively and sensitively with people of varying cultures and diversity.
• The ability to meet physical demands and exhibit mental aptitude is needed to perform fieldwork duties that include recognizing unusual or threatening conditions, maintaining self-control, and taking appropriate action, which may involve the use of a firearm.
• Ability to maintain firearm qualifications and certifications and follow all guidelines for the proper use and handling of firearms.
• Ability to determine appropriate situations for the use of force.
• Ability to physically handle resistive/assaultive individuals.
• SERT units must be willing to work various days and/or hours throughout the week, including evenings and weekends, as needed.
• Ability to perform arrests, transports, and searches of defendants.
• Proficiency in operating a personal computer and using, or learning, Microsoft Office products such as Word, Outlook, and Excel, and the Court’s case-management software.
• Pleasant personality, ability to deal with potentially problematic people, ability to interact and maintain effective working relationships with judges, employees, attorneys, litigants, law-enforcement officers, and others conducting business with the Court.
• Conscious of and sensitive to the diversity within the Court's jurisdiction and able to interact professionally with this diverse population of people from various geographic, socioeconomic, religious, racial, and ethnic backgrounds regularly.
• Excellent time-management skills, ability to prioritize work, ability to work independently, and ability to work under time constraints.
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment.
• Professional appearance and demeanor, particularly a positive attitude appropriate   for the position and the work environment, as a representative of the Court
• Demonstrated dependability, punctuality, and excellent attendance record.
• Ability to collaborate with criminal justice partners.
• Skilled in the art of interviewing and assessment
• Willingness to become familiar with the Court's community resources.
• Maintain a valid Ohio driver's license.
• Maintain data and statistical information as required.
• Monitor and/or collect urine specimens from defendants.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Current certification approved by the executive director of the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission for a basic firearm training program.
• Three (3) years of experience in the courts, corrections, law enforcement, or related fields involving community supervision of defendants.
• Three (3) years of experience conducting fieldwork in community corrections or a law enforcement setting.
• Successful completion of the state's probation officer certification standard
• Proficient in defensive tactics and de-escalation tactics.
• Current OPOTA Taser certification.
• Additional consideration will be given to individuals who are fluently bilingual in Spanish and English with a college-level vocabulary in both languages, the ability to communicate complex information in both English and Spanish, and who speak a language commonly used by people of Somalia for whom English is a second language, or who are proficient in American Sign Language.

BENEFITS

The Franklin County Municipal Court offers an excellent benefits package that includes medical, prescription, vision, dental, and life insurance; short-term disability; generous vacation, sick, and personal leave; 11 paid holidays; longevity service payments; sick-leave reciprocity; employee assistance and deferred-compensation programs; tuition reimbursement; and credit-union membership.

Court employees are members of the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System, which provides retirement, disability, and survivor benefits for public employees. The Court pays the required employer 14 percent of the employee’s salary. Court employees do not have Social Security taxes withheld from their paychecks because they are members of OPERS.

COURT EXPECTATIONS OF EMPLOYEE

In completing the duties and responsibilities of the position, the Court expects the employee will adhere to all Court policies, guidelines, practices, and procedures; act as a role model both inside and outside the Court; perform duties as workload necessitates in a timely, accurate and thorough manner and be conscientious about meeting department productivity standards; and communicate regularly with the supervisor about department issues.

AT-WILL EMPLOYMENT

Employees of the Court are at-will employees and serve at the Court's pleasure; they are not in the classified civil service system and are not members of bargaining units.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The Court is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, religion, race, color, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, disability, military status, or genetic information.