State of Maryland

The DJS Youth Transportation Officer Lead is the lead level of work transporting and escorting youth who have been detained or placed in a facility operated by the Department of Juvenile Services.  Employees in this classification assign, review, and approve the work of and train lower-level DJS Youth Transportation Officers.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from a DJS Youth Transportation Officer Supervisor or other designated juvenile services administrator. Employees are assigned to a regular shift, which may include days, evenings, weekends or holidays.  Employees may be subject to call-in on a twenty-four hour basis based on staffing needs.  Employees may be exposed to youth who are abusive and hostile.   Employees are required to physically subdue violent youth, intervene to prevent situations from escalating and prevent escapes if needed.  Employees will be required to apply and remove mechanical restraining devices.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work Sections of the class specification.

The DJS Youth Transportation Officer Lead is differentiated from the DJS Youth Transportation Officer II in that the DJS Youth Transportation Officer Lead assigns, reviews and approves the work of and trains lower-level DJS Youth Transportation Officers while the DJS Youth Transportation Officer II performs the full range of duties under general supervision.  The DJS Youth Transportation Officer Lead is differentiated from the DJS Youth Transportation Officer Supervisor in that the DJS Youth Transportation Officer Supervisor has supervisory responsibility for lower-level DJS Youth Transportation Officers.

Assigns, reviews and approves the work of lower-level DJS Youth Transportation Officers;

Trains lower-level DJS Youth Transportation Officers;

Transports youth in the care of the Department of Juvenile Services to and from juvenile courts, youth facilities or other designated locations using State vehicles, such as ten passenger vans;

Ensures the safety and security of youth being transported by providing supervision, care and crisis intervention during their transportation, escort and temporary detention in juvenile courts;

Maintains assigned vehicles by scheduling preventive maintenance, ensuring cleanliness and following start-up and operating procedures;

Applies and removes mechanical restraining devices, such as handcuffs, waist chains and leg shackles on youth;

Ensures that passenger vans are equipped with an adequate number of working restraining devices;

Conducts searches of youth, vehicles and holding areas;

Observes, supervises and controls youth in court detention areas;

Escorts youth to courtrooms in a secure manner and provides a security presence in the courtroom;

Subdues unruly youth and attempts to prevent escapes or runaways;

Coordinates with officials of juvenile institutions, regional probation offices, sheriff’s offices, police departments and juvenile courts regarding the transportation and temporary detention of juveniles;

Attends in-service training on relevant topics, such as crisis prevention, suicide prevention, emergency medical treatments and behavioral modification models to maintain knowledge of childcare needs, counseling methods and trends in the juvenile justice field and to maintain certification;

Maintains vehicle maintenance logs and prepares incident reports;

May dispense, pick up and deliver medications;

May perform intake or admissions functions such as drug testing of newly admitted youth;

May supervise youth in a facility during emergency situations;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of Maryland traffic laws and regulations;

Knowledge of policies, regulations and procedures for transporting, escorting and temporarily supervising youths in the care of the Department of Juvenile Services;

Skill in vehicle maintenance and preventive care for assigned vehicles;

Skill in operating vehicles such as ten passenger vans;

Skill in using road maps;

Skill in providing guidance and advice to lower-level DJS Youth Transportation Officers;

Skill in the use of crisis intervention techniques with youth who may be unruly, violent or emotionally overwrought;

Skill in maintaining logs and preparing reports;

Ability to train and assign, review and approve the work of lower-level DJS Youth Transportation Officers;

Ability to communicate effectively with youth detained by the Department of Juvenile Services;

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with officials of juvenile institutions, regional probation offices, sheriff’s offices, police departments, juvenile courts, detained youth and their families or guardians.

Education:   Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate acceptable to the Maryland State Board of Education as described in the Maryland Correctional Training Commission regulation.

Experience: Two years of experience providing supervision and guidance to youth in a juvenile facility or juvenile services community program for at-risk youth.

Notes:

1. The above educational requirement is set by the Maryland Training Commission in accordance with the Correctional Services Article, Section 8-209, Annotated Code of Maryland.

2. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a non-commissioned officer in Social Services Aid and Assistant classifications or Social Services Aid and Assistant specialty codes in the Social Science, Psychology and Welfare field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

1. Candidates must be fully certified by the Maryland Correctional Training Commission prior to appointment and are required to maintain certification while employed.

2. Employees in this classification will be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland.

1. In accordance with the Correctional Services Article, Section 8-209 of the Annotated Code of Maryland, the Maryland Correctional Training Commission shall establish the minimum qualifications for probationary or permanent appointment of a Department of Juvenile Services employee in a mandated position. These requirements are listed in detail in the Code of Maryland Regulations 12.10.01.04, general regulations of the Maryland Correctional Training Commission, and include:

U.S. Citizenship or Resident Alien status

Must be at least 21 years of age

A thorough background check, including fingerprinting and drug testing

An oral interview, and

Physical and psychological examinations.

2. Employees in this classification may be subject to call-in 24 hours a day and, therefore, may be supplied with a pager or may be required to provide the employing agency with a telephone number at which they can be reached.

3. Employees in this classification are subject to substance abuse testing in accordance with Code of Maryland Regulation 17.04.09 – Testing for Illegal Use f Drugs.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit H, Public Safety and Security classes.  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

Employees in this classification are eligible to receive overtime compensation.  An employee who works more than the normal workweek is entitled to be compensated for that overtime as provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.