State of Maryland

A Deputy Sheriff Trainee is the entry level of law enforcement officer and first responder in Baltimore City. Deputy Sheriffs serve to carry out the Sheriff of Baltimore City’s constitutional, statutory and common law duties including the duty to preserve the public peace. Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions.

Employees in this classification have full law enforcement jurisdiction throughout Baltimore City to make arrests for criminal violations of the law, conduct patrol services, write moving and parking citations for traffic offenses, conduct criminal investigations, operate emergency vehicles and protect and serve the public as part of their daily duties.

Employees in this classification carry out the Sheriff’s constitutional duties in Baltimore City as the enforcement arm of the Court. This includes enforcing and serving orders originating from the Circuit and District Court of Maryland and protecting the Circuit Court facilities and grounds. Most civil orders direct sheriffs to conduct an action on behalf of the Court. Inherent in the authority to serve court orders is a deputies’ powers to make a criminal arrest if their actions are obstructed, or the Deputy is hindered in the performance of their lawful duties.

Employees in this classification receive close supervision from a Deputy Sheriff Sergeant or Deputy Sheriff Lieutenant. The work requires travel throughout Baltimore City, Maryland and other states. The work may involve contact with dangerous or hostile persons who may be armed.

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 description.

The Deputy Sheriff Trainee and the Deputy Sheriff are differentiated on the basis of degree of supervisory control exercised by the supervisor over these employees. The Deputy Sheriff Trainee performs duties under close supervision while the Deputy Sheriff performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.

Learns to conduct general law enforcement criminal patrols and enforce the law in Baltimore City. This may include but is not limited to; traffic enforcement and DWI Enforcement, assisting the Baltimore Police Department answer 911 calls, providing law enforcement services during community events and festivals and deploying to communities and entertainment areas as an increased patrol presence.

Learns to be responsible for the service of circuit court arrest warrants for criminal charges of: violation of probation, failure to appear, body attachment, contempt of court and grand jury inditements. Deputies also serve notice to criminal defendant to appear in court and notice to individuals required to show cause as to why they should not be held in criminal or civil contempt.

Learns to conduct the Sheriff of Baltimore City’s constitutional duty to enforce the civil law and conduct all evictions and foreclosures in Baltimore City. Serves as peace officers while they conduct enforcement of court orders to seize property. Deputies may also enforce judgments by seizing and auctioning real and personal property from individuals, businesses and governmental agencies.

Learns to serve court orders requiring individuals to appear in court for child support matters. Arrests individuals on warrants who violate court orders associated with child support and family law.

Learns to patrol and safeguard the Baltimore Circuit Court and Juvenile Justice Facilities. Investigates and charges crimes committed in and around these facilities. Safeguards judges, witnesses, court employees and the public, to ensure the proper administration of justice. Deputies may be assigned to oversee court trials and maintain order in courtrooms.

May learn to be assigned to serve District and Circuit Court protective orders and peace orders of protection from interpersonal violence. Make arrests for domestic violence warrants, serve orders of protection issued by the court, interview victims of domestic violence, seize firearms, write search and seizure warrants and may enforce child take-away orders issued for emergency custody matters.

May learn to be assigned as an investigator to locate fugitives or conduct internal disciplinary investigations, solve crimes reported to the Sheriff’s Office and conduct illegal firearms and narcotics investigations.

May learn to conduct surveillance and use cadets to enforce the Baltimore City Liquor License Code.

May learn to be assigned to a taskforce with the Maryland State Police, a policing agency or Maryland Sheriff’s Office and may be assigned to become taskforce officers with federal law enforcement agencies. This taskforce status grant authority to the Deputy Sheriff to act as a federal law enforcement officer.

May learn to transport prisoners that are arrested in the Court Facility, by Deputies in the performance of their duties throughout Baltimore City, or when a wanted subject, on a Baltimore City Circuit Court Warrant is arrested anywhere in Maryland. Deputies may transport prisoners to court proceedings and oversee the management of satellite lockups in the Circuit Court and Juvenile Justice Center.

May learn to testify in court and during hearings and complete required logs, forms and reports; and performs other related duties as assigned or required.

Learns to perform other related duties.

Knowledge of the Baltimore City and Maryland State court systems, criminal and civil law;

Knowledge of the legal service process;

Knowledge of investigative and interview techniques;

Knowledge of witness protection procedures including guarding techniques, the use of enhanced firepower and protection devices and selecting a safe route to court appearances;

Knowledge of domestic violence issues and dangers;

Knowledge of the role played by Deputy Sheriffs in task force and joint operation work with federal law enforcement authorities, Baltimore City police and other local police agencies;

Knowledge of traffic and parking enforcement and citation work;

Knowledge of Basic computer skills such as sending and receiving emails, writing electronic reports and utilizing internet search engines;

Knowledge of Sheriff General Orders and Regulations;

Skill in the safe use and care of firearms and proficiency in accuracy under stressful situations;

Ability to understand and explain federal, State and local laws, rules, regulations, procedures and statutory requirements;

Skilled in reading, writing and communication;

Ability to testify in court;

Ability to remain calm in hostile situations;

Ability to prepare logs, forms and reports;

Ability to pass and demonstrate proficiency in all required training objectives mandated for police certification in Maryland.

Education:   High School diploma or G.E.D. certificate acceptable to the Maryland State Board of Education as described in the Maryland Police and Correctional Training and Standards Commission regulation.

Experience: None.

Note: The above educational requirement is set in accordance with  Public Safety Article, Title 3 Law Enforcement, Subtitle 2, Maryland Police and Correctional Training and Standards Commission of the Annotated Code of Maryland.

1. Selection standards for Police Officer certification are established by the Maryland Police and Correctional Training and Standards Commission in accordance with Public Safety Article, Title 3 Law Enforcement, Subtitle 2 of the Annotated Code of Maryland. These selection criteria are listed in detail in the Code of Maryland Regulations Title 12, Subtitle 04, Chapter 01 and include the following:

Appointment as a Police Officer

U.S. Citizenship

Must be at least 21 years of age

Satisfactory background investigation, including a check of criminal history

Oral interview

Physical examination

Possession of a driver's license valid in the State of Maryland.

2. Employees in this classification are subject to call-in on a regularly scheduled basis and must provide a telephone number where they can be reached.

3. Employees in this classification may be required to bear firearms and to demonstrate practical knowledge and proficiency in the safe use and care of firearms, as required by the Maryland Police and Correctional Training and Standards Commission.

4. Employees in this classification are subject to substance abuse testing in accordance with Code of Maryland Regulations 17.04.09, 12.04.01 and Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commission General Regulation 01.-1, Testing for Illegal Use of 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 specifically 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 L- Deputy Sheriff’s Baltimore City. 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 the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.

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 the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.

This classification is one level in a Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) series. NCP promotions are promotions by which employees may advance in grade and class level from trainee to full performance level in a classification series. In order to be non-competitively promoted to the next level in a NCP series, an employee must: 1) perform the main purpose of the class, as defined by the Nature of Work section of the class specification; 2) receive the type of supervision defined in the class specification and 3) meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.