CLASS SPECIFICATION

DEPUTY SHERIFF LIEUTENANT

DEFINITION OF CLASS:
This is law enforcement work supervising the principal functions and activities of an operational section in the Office of the Montgomery County Sheriff. Contacts regularly and predominantly occur with subordinate Deputy Sheriffs, to assign work, provide instructions and advice, answer questions, solve problems, and review, discuss and evaluate their work performance. To a lesser degree, daily contact is maintained with higher ranking Deputy Sheriffs to pass and receive information, receive work assignments and instructions, discuss unusual situations and receive authorization to take selected actions by exception, and discuss work performance of self and subordinate employees. The same frequency of contact is experienced with employees of other local and State law enforcement and regulatory agencies and judicial bodies, to pass and receive information, answer questions, coordinate mutually supporting actions, and resolve problems. Occasional contacts are also experienced with the criminal element, who are usually hostile/uncooperative, to carry out judicial orders. Significant about this class of work is that employees provide frequent assistance to citizens, attorneys and other parties to judicial proceedings, in person and on the telephone, to answer questions, provide instructions and information concerning their rights and obligations and measures they may/may not take when they are the subject of a court proceeding and/or contemplate filing an action before a court of law.
An employee in this class is responsible for supervising the principal functions and activities of an operational section in the Office of the Montgomery County Sheriff. In addition, on a scheduled, rotating basis, employees serve as the Deputy Sheriff in charge of the Sheriff's Office during non business hours. In both capacities, the primary focus of the employees' work is to supervise and ensure accomplishment of daily work assignments by lower ranking Deputy Sheriffs. The majority of work is carried out under a moderate degree of supervision of a higher ranking Deputy Sheriff with the expectation that normal daily work planning, coordination and problem solving are independently accomplished by employees in this class. Guidelines which govern this class of work are numerous and include local, State and Federal laws and rules of procedure, court decisions, Maryland State Attorney General opinions, memorandums of understanding with other law enforcement and regulatory agencies, extensive County Government administrative procedures and requirements, Law Enforcement Officer Bill of Rights, a collective bargaining agreement, and the Sheriff's Office manual of standard operating procedures. Employees daily use those guidelines which are germane to the unit supervised, and ensure that subordinate Deputy Sheriffs closely follow all laws, regulations and established procedures. Employees in this class are often consulted by their subordinates for interpretations and authorized deviations when confronted with situations which either are not entirely/partially covered by guidelines, are of a sensitive nature, or represent a unique issue. Based on their experience, employees of this class are expected to recommend changes to guidelines. Significant departure from normal procedures must be authorized by higher authority. The complexity of work is derived from several elements: knowing, interpreting and applying work guidelines in unusual situations; and planning/coordinating the work of subordinate employees to carry out all assigned court mandates. Work includes a variety of steps and processes, involves significant coordination of mutually supporting actions with other units in the Sheriff's Office as well as other local and State agencies, and situations requiring analysis and problem solving of incomplete/contradictory data and usually of an immediate nature. The impact of properly performed work is the accomplishment of the assigned unit's mission in a timely, safe and proper manner which facilitates further actions by the judicial branch of government and protects and enforces the legal rights and interests of citizens and/or prisoners. The large majority of work is performed in an office environment which is appropriately lighted, heated and cooled. On a scheduled, rotating and recurring basis, employees in this class spend a portion of their time "in the field" when assigned as the Deputy Sheriff in charge of the Sheriff's Office. The hazards associated with this class of work are significant and inherent to the field of law enforcement -- i.e., directly supervising field operations of the Sheriff's Office, enforcing traffic laws, stopping at scenes of accidents and rendering assistance, responding to "officer needs assistance" and "crime in progress" radio calls, infrequent guarding of prisoners in court and during transport, and responding to prisoner escape and courthouse and courtroom security violations. The physical demands of this class of work are moderate and infrequently experienced because of the predominantly sedentary nature of the work.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES: (Illustrative only)
Plans, assigns, coordinates and checks the work of a group of subordinate Deputy Sheriffs.
Resolves problems regarding processing of court documents for service in civil or criminal matters.
Conducts performance evaluations and counsels and instructs subordinate Deputy Sheriffs regarding their work performance.
Prepares budget reports and provides recommendations for assigned operational section.
Conducts personnel and equipment inspections.
Participates in in-service training programs as an evaluator and instructor and as a recipient of instruction.
Serves as the Deputy Sheriff in charge of the Sheriff's Office during non regular working hours.
Maintains personnel rosters and leave and work records.
Submits requests for supplies.
Occasionally transports and maintains custody of prisoners from various institutions and locations, working within and outside of Montgomery County as directed.
Directs and occasionally participates in the apprehension of fugitives.
Reviews legal documents for accuracy/appropriateness for service.
Approves/disapproves short-term employee leave requests.
Collects statistical information from which various reports are prepared.
Investigates and reports on complaints received from the public, prisoners, and representatives from other law enforcement agencies and judicial bodies.
Provides assistance to citizens, attorneys and others by answering their questions and advising them of their legal rights and obligations as a party to a judicial proceeding.
Testifies in court as required.
Makes travel arrangements for Deputy Sheriffs to return prisoners to custody of Montgomery County Government.
Occasionally performs duties normally assigned to subordinate Deputy Sheriffs.
Enforces traffic laws, stops at scenes of vehicle accidents and breakdowns to render assistance, and responds to selected police radio calls.
Performs related duties as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Experience: Satisfactory completion of two (2) years of full time experience performing sworn law enforcement work at a level equivalent to that of a Deputy Sheriff Sergeant in Montgomery County.
Education: Completion of high school or High School Certificate of completion recognized in the State of Maryland.
Equivalency: None, except as provided in the experience subparagraph above.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Thorough knowledge of, and the ability to read, comprehend, and apply Federal, State, and County criminal, juvenile, civil, and traffic laws, and Federal and State Court decisions regarding same.
Thorough knowledge of, and the ability to read, comprehend, and apply Sheriff's Office rules, regulations, and written directives.
Thorough knowledge of the Sheriff's Office, and County and State Government agencies' structures and functions.
Thorough knowledge of Montgomery County streets, roads, and related geography.
Thorough knowledge of , and skill in using self-defense techniques.
Thorough knowledge of, and skill in the effective use of firearms and other standard law enforcement weapons and equipment.
Skill in the use of desktop and mobile computer, and two-way radio systems in regular and emergency situations.
Skill in pursuit, apprehension and restraint of suspects and fugitives.
Ability to appropriately respond in emergency situations.
Ability to plan own work assignments in conformance with appropriate law enforcement policies and procedures.
Ability to schedule, assign, and supervise the duties and responsibilities of subordinate staff.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers and with the public, to include provision of cogent information to victims, family members of prisoners, the general public and others.
Ability to thoroughly understand and carry out oral and written instructions.
Ability to prepare clear, concise and accurate reports.

LICENSE:
Possession of a valid motor vehicle operator's license.

OTHER:
Be a United States citizen and 21 years of age as of the first day of employment.

PROBATIONARY PERIOD:
Individuals appointed or promoted to this class of work will be required to serve a probationary period of one year, during which time performance will be carefully monitored. Continuation in this class of work will be contingent upon successful completion of the probationary period.

MEDICAL PROTOCOL: Core I Exam

Class Established: June l973
Revised: October l975
June l980
September 1986
July 1988
April 1993 (M)
July 1996 (M)
May 2004
April 2010

Previously Titled Deputy Sheriff IV (Sergeant)