do you want to be a sheriff’s officer?

Sheriff’s Officers provide a service to all court users and contribute to the overall security of the Courts Administration Authority in relation to prisoner and court security by:

• providing a high quality customer service to all clients of the court system;
• ensuring the security and welfare of prisoners held in custody and other persons appearing before the court;
• providing an efficient and effective in court support service to the court system by meeting the requirements of the judiciary and jurors on a daily basis; and
• maintaining safety standards.

What do Sheriff’s Officers do?

Sheriff’s Officers perform duties in courtrooms, prisoner holding cells, court buildings and, at times, in public places, eg, where a court may be attending.  Sheriff’s Officers are multiskilled to perform three operational roles; in court support, court security and prisoner security.

1.  In Court Support

Under the Sheriff’s Act, 1978 the Sheriff must provide a Sheriff’s Officer to all criminal sittings of all courts throughout the State.  Sheriff’s Officers keep order within the courtroom and attend to the needs of witnesses and other persons having business before the courts.

Some of the in court support duties within the Magistrates Court jurisdiction are:

• take details of persons attending the court and provide that information to the magistrate's clerk;
• provide information to, and obtain information from, defendants fined in court and escort them to a fines payment assessor;
• keep people in the custody of the court until they have signed bail or bond papers; and
• ensure people in the court behave appropriately.

In addition, Sheriff’s Officers performing the in court support role in the Supreme Court and District Court criminal sittings must also ensure the welfare and safety of jurors.

2.  Court Security

Sheriff's Officers provide a protective security service to all court precincts in the Adelaide Central Business District, to the metropolitan courts at Port Adelaide, Christies Beach, Holden Hill and Elizabeth, and the regional courts of Port Augusta and Mt Gambier.

Some of the duties include:

• provide a customer and information service to all court users;
• conduct point of entry searches;
• monitor closed circuit TVs, alarms etc in control rooms;
• respond to courtroom and registry counter duress alarms;
• oversee emergency evacuations of court buildings; and
• provide a security presence in courtrooms.

3.  Prisoner Security

Sheriff's Officers provide a custodial prisoner security service for the operation of the Supreme Court and District Court criminal sittings within the Sir Samuel Way Building.

Some of the duties include:

• ensure the safe, secure and humane containment of persons in custody appearing before the courts;
• escort prisoners from the main holding cells area to a smaller holding cells area adjacent to the courtroom;
• escort prisoners into the courtroom dock and remain with them until the court matter is completed; and
• transport prisoners to a custodial institution or to another court complex or accompany prisoners on jury views to crime scenes.

Employment conditions

The Sheriff’s Division of the Courts Administration Authority employs full time, permanent part time and casual Sheriff’s Officers.  People from outside the public sector are eligible to apply for positions of temporary part time and casual Sheriff’s Officers.

Special Conditions of Employment

Sheriff’s Officers are employees of the Courts Administration Authority.  
    
Some out of hours work and intrastate travel will be required. Sheriff’s Officers may be required to work at various locations within the city, metropolitan and regional areas. Sheriff’s Officers are required to perform any of the operational functions as part of their multi-skilled status. Shift work may be required. 

The Courts Administration Authority is a smoke free working environment. Sheriff’s Officers hold an appointment pursuant to the Sheriff’s Act, 1978. The terms and conditions of employment are governed by the Public Sector Act, 2009.  

Pay Rates

Whilst training, Sheriff’s Officers are paid a rate aligned with the ninth step of the OPS1 salary range.

Once Sheriff’s Officers have completed their training and are deemed competent in all three operational functions, they are paid a rate aligned with the first step of the OPS2 salary range.

Employees will only be placed on the higher pay rate once they have completed their training and are deemed competent in all three operational areas.  Generally this takes approximately four months.

Positions deemed to be casual will provide for a 20% casual loading in lieu of recreational and sick leave entitlements to be paid in addition to the appropriate hourly rate associated with their salary range.

Hours

Casual Sheriff’s Officers are not guaranteed any hours of work per week as their requirement is determined by the activities of the court.  Courts normally sit between 9.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.

Permanent part time Sheriff’s Officers are generally offered 25 hours per week with leave entitlements.

Uniforms

Sheriff’s Officers are required to wear a uniform and carry equipment.  Trousers, skirts, shirts, pullover, tie and belt are provided.  Sheriff’s Officers are required to carry handcuffs, keys and a small first aid first response pouch.  When performing court security duties, Sheriff’s Officers are required to carry a two-way radio.

Employment locations

Sheriff’s Officers are employed in the Adelaide Central Business District¸ suburban and regional courts.  Sheriff’s Officers can be placed at any Adelaide CBD or suburban court location and may be directed to work at any location at any time.

Adelaide CBD courts

• Supreme Court (Criminal) and District Court (Civil and Criminal), Sir Samuel Way Building, Victoria Square and Sturt Street Courthouse
• Supreme Court (Civil), Gouger Street
• Adelaide Magistrates Court (Civil and Criminal), Angas Street
• Adelaide Youth Court (Wright Street)
• Industrial Relations Court, North Terrace

Suburban Courts - Magistrates Court (Civil and Criminal)

• Christies Beach

• Elizabeth

• Holden Hill

• Pt Adelaide

• Mt Barker

Regional Courts – Magistrates Court (Civil and Criminal)

• Berri
• Ceduna
• Coober Pedy
• Mt Gambier
• Murray Bridge
• Naracoorte
• Pt Augusta
• Pt Lincoln
• Pt Pirie
• Tanunda
• Whyalla
• Kadina

Training

Sheriff’s Officers are trained using a competency-based program that includes six weeks off-the-job training followed by a minimum of three months on-the-job training.

Off-the-job training

The off-the-job training is conducted in a formal classroom setting and includes:

• induction, powers and authority, and operational safety;
• court security duties;
• in court support duties;
• prisoner security duties;

On-the-job training

The on-the-job training is conducted for a minimum of three months and covers the three operational areas.  Sheriff’s Officers form part of the normal roster during this time.  A Senior Sheriff’s Officer monitors and assesses the Sheriff’s Officers to determine their competency against set criteria.

Once Sheriff’s Officers are deemed competent in each of the three operational areas and their training period has expired, they will be paid at the higher pay rate and be placed at a location.  If Sheriff’s Officers are not deemed competent, they will be given further training.  However, if they do not gain a competent level in each of the three operational areas, the Sheriff has the discretion to terminate their employment.

Sheriff’s Officers are required to undertake further training as required and complete block assignments in the functions that are not their core function every twelve to eighteen months.

What do we look for in applicants?

The Sheriff’s Division requires people who have:

• a strong customer service focus;
• demonstrated ability to work in a team;
• excellent communication skills;
• cultural awareness.

The Sheriff’s Office encourages and promotes the recruitment of people of indigenous and non-English speaking backgrounds.

Applicants must also be physically and psychologically able to perform all the duties of this position, including, but not limited to, working in a prison cell environment, restraining prisoners/clients of the court, working in conflict situations and resolving such situations, and evacuating court clients and staff during emergency situations.

Selection process

1.   Application

Applicants forward a completed copy of the job application form. Applicants must demonstrate that they meet the selection criteria listed in the job profile document by providing personal examples.  Applicants who do not demonstrate that they meet the selection criteria in the job profile may not be considered further in the selection process.

2.   InnerView Employment Suitability Assessment

Applicants will be required to complete a Harrison InnerView questionnaire under the supervision of a person from the Sheriff’s Office.  InnerView provides an assessment of an applicant’s suitability for a position based on the degree to which their natural tendencies and preferences correspond with the requirements of the position.  Applicants will be further shortlisted using both application and InnerView.

On request, applicants have the opportunity to receive feedback on their InnerView results. 

3.   Assessment centre

Shortlisted applicants may be invited to attend an assessment centre for the next stage of the selection process.  In an assessment centre, applicants are generally assessed using a variety of activities to identify those applicants who possess the capabilities required for successful job performance.  Examples of activities that may be used include job-related role-play exercises, interviews and team exercises.  Applicants may be further shortlisted based on their results from the assessment centre.

4.  Interview

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an interview.  A selection panel will conduct the interview and will ask questions based on:

• the selection criteria in the job profile; and 
• any areas of concern arising from the results of the InnerView profile.

Applicants who do not demonstrate in the interview that they meet the selection criteria being assessed at the interview may not be considered further in the selection process.

5.  Referee checks

The selection panel will determine if a referee check is required for all persons interviewed. The referee check may address any concerns arising from the results of the InnerView profile.

6.    Panel Decision

The selection panel will then determine if the applicants have demonstrated they meet all of the essential selection criteria of the job profile and then the respective merits of each applicant will be assessed to determine the successful applicant.

7.     Notification of Panel Decision

The successful applicant will be advised and any applicants deemed not to be the ‘preferred applicant’ will be notified and are able to receive feedback from the chairperson of the selection panel regardless of the stage of the process at which they were deemed not appropriate.

For a copy of the job and person profile, click here.

For a copy of the application form, click here.

Further enquiries

If you require further information, please contact;

Mr Russell Williams, Manager, Sheriff’s Officers (Central) on telephone (08) 8204 0125 or email russell.williams@courts.sa.gov.au.

Mr Ken Dalton, Manager, Sheriff’s Officers (Regional) on telephone (08) 8204 0584 or email ken.dalton@courts.sa.gov.au

disclaimer