Sergeant

The class title of Sergeant within the Sheriff's Department is assigned to geographic patrol divisions, specialized divisions and administrative units of these divisions. The class title of Sergeant is broken down into two ranks: Sergeant I and II, and the Sergeant II rank performs a higher and more complex level of duties. When assigned to a patrol function, the Sergeant may be a Watch Commander or Assistant Watch Commander during his/her tour of duty. In this capacity, the Sergeant prepares daily car plan assignments; prepares and presents roll call training; inspects personnel and equipment for conformity to Department standards; supervises the desk, patrol officers on foot or in vehicles; reviews and approves various types of reports; prepares and investigates personnel complaints; responds to crime scenes at the request of police officers; handles radio calls and dispatches personnel; keeps the supervisors informed of issues of concern to them; trains and supervises probationary officers; and performs related functions. Sergeants assigned to specialized divisions perform specific duties characteristic of these divisions. A Sergeant may be assigned to any one of the following specialized divisions: Air Support, Personnel, Commission Investigation, Communications, Public Affairs, Juvenile, Narcotics, Vice, Jail, Traffic, Court Liaison, Community Relations, Training, Legal Affairs, Mounted or K-9 Unit, S.W.A.T. Unit, etc. In addition to performing some or all of the above described duties, a Sergeant assigned to any one of these specialized divisions provides knowledge, expertise, and experience which are unique to day-to-day operations of these divisions as well as unusual situations which may occur in the course of the law enforcement operations. For example, a Sergeant assigned to Air Support division may operate a helicopter, perform air surveillance, supervise and train other pilots, and act as a liaison with the Federal Aviation Administration for compliance with FAA rules. A Sergeant assigned to Mounted or K-9 Unit may be required to possess knowledge and training related to the use of a horse or a dog in law enforcement operations. The qualifications required of a Sergeant to be assigned to a specialized division are subject to change depending on the changes in the Department’s policies and procedures.