Public Safety Specialist

Overview

PUBLIC SAFETY SPECIALIST

Under general direction, performs a diverse range of non-sworn duties in support of public safety operations in the Police Department and/or the Department of Social Services and Housing; areas of responsibility include, but are not limited to parking enforcement, municipal code enforcement, property, evidence, crime prevention, youth intervention, crime analysis, social media/public outreach, homeless outreach, homeless resource and program navigation, and social services;

taking and preparing reports, conducting criminal investigations, processing crime scenes and evidence, and related tasks; and performs related or other work as required.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

Receives general direction from superior personnel as reflected in the assigned department chain-of-command. Exercises technical and functional supervision over subordinate personnel and volunteers as reflected in the assigned department chain-of-command.

• Performs a diverse range of non-sworn duties in support of public safety, social services, and/or law enforcement operations; areas of responsibility include, but are not limited to parking enforcement, municipal code enforcement, property, evidence, crime prevention, youth intervention, crime analysis, social media/public outreach, homeless outreach, navigation and social services, taking and preparing reports, conducting criminal investigations, processing crime scenes and evidence, and related tasks.
• Prepares evidence for use in court cases; delivers and retrieves evidence to and from the District Attorney's Office, Superior Court, Department of Justice, and other locations, maintaining the chain of custody; may provide court testimony.
• Conducts intake, documentation and proper cataloging of a diverse range of property and evidence based on mandated requirements and in compliance with chain of custody obligations; enters and retrieves information from databases; maintains evidence and property room, including completion of inventory and audits; coordinates with other employees to transport, deliver, or dispose of evidence and/or property; disposes of and releases property in accordance with applicable laws and assigned departmental procedures.
• Responds to and investigates code enforcement complaints; enforces local ordinances and State codes; prepares and mails violation notifications; performs vehicle abatement activities including identification of potentially abandoned vehicles, photographing vehicles, and contacting tow services to move vehicles.
• Conducts graffiti cleanup and nuisance abatement, including cleaning occupied and unoccupied encampments; coordinates resources for camp cleanup activities.
• Works with homeless individuals to determine what resources are needed and any barriers to employment and housing.
• Performs casework services with individuals who may or may not have mental illness and/or addictive/dependence disorders, assessing problems and initiating long and short-term care plans.
• Performs casework services with families who are homeless/unhoused or at risk of homelessness or being unhoused, assessing problems and initiating long and short-term care plans.
• Consults, refers cases, and works actively with government agencies and private partners/community groups; refers individuals and families to appropriate community resources.
• Operates Live-Scan fingerprint services.
• Coordinate, schedule, supervise volunteers and explorers; act as a liaison between the assigned department and the community or other City departments to coordinate volunteer efforts.
• Works with various social media and information sharing platforms.
• Serves as liaison to the community on crime prevention activities, including the Neighborhood Watch Liaison Program and the Crime Free Multi-Housing Program.
• Researches and maintains statistical data, reviews daily logs, extracts pertinent data, enters data into spreadsheets or other automated formats, such as crime analysis or computer mapping software and collects, collates, analyzes and disseminates statistical information, graphs and charts as well as prepares various…