Public Safety Officer

Position Summary

Located 45 minutes from the Nation’s Capital, nestled in a history-rich community of southern Maryland, The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) is a two-time Aspen Award-winning institution (top 15% of Community Colleges) with academic programs in over 100 disciplines.

CSM is among America’s top 100 producers of Minority Associate Degrees in twenty categories, according to Diverse Issues in Higher Education.

CSM offers excellent health insurance benefits; State Retirement Pension plan; wellness programs; Code Green early closure Fridays in the summer;

college closure for spring break and several major holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year; and for several days in March for Spring Break.

We are an innovative institution committed to student success and well known for our flexibility to meet student and community needs.

The individual in this position is responsible for promoting and providing a safe and secure educational and work environment for the campus community through regular patrols and daily contact with members of the campus community.

Public Safety Officers are expected to conduct their day-to-day work with little to no direct supervision, independently solve problems, establish priorities, and handle emergencies, including potentially dangerous situations.

Protect life and property, prevent crime, reduce crime and fear of crime.

College of Southern Maryland conducts background checks in order to ensure the safety and well-being of the College's staff and students.

The final candidate for this position will be subject to the following background checks : Criminal History Check and Sex Offender Registry Check.

This position is open until filled. The College of Southern Maryland is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

Essential Functions :

Provides crime prevention, emergency preparedness and personal safety information and training on an informal basis to students and employees during the course of other duties.

Provides such information and training on a formal basis in conjunction with the activities of the Director of Public Safety.

• Conducts emergency preparedness training, drills, and implementation.
• Maintains effective working relationships with appropriate personnel in state, county and local law enforcement agencies.
• Responsible for assisting with college compliance with the Campus Security Act regarding timely warnings and campus crime logs, in coordination with the Director of Public Safety.
• Maintains effective working relationship with federal law enforcement personnel on an as-needed basis.
• Provides patrol services, including : Patrolling buildings, grounds and parking areas,Foot patrolling campus area indoor and outdoor,Short term investigation of incidents as appropriate,Crime prevention,Maintenance of order, Observation for irregular activities,Responding to emergencies,Responding to calls from emergency phones,Victim assistance,Parking lot and building escorts,First aid and CPR,Parking and traffic control,Contacting state and local law enforcement personnel when appropriate,Opening college buildings and rooms for college employees, when a campus is closed, to the extent permitted by college policy, andOpening college buildings and rooms for college employees
• Decisively responds to calls for service, emergent situations and critical incidents, including returning to campus if requested.

Conducts an initial assessment of the situation, determines appropriate course of action and takes appropriate steps consistent with established training and standards.

• Acts as a first responder to fire and life safety incidents. Acts as incident commander until incident is resolved, relieved by law enforcement, fire or emergency safety personnel or relieved in accordance with instructions from superior, other Public Safety Officer with greater seniority at CSM, or the college’s Critical Incident Management Team.
• Receives and conducts short-term investigations of complaints from members of the campus community. Where intermediate or long-term investigations are warranted, recommends such to the Director of Public Safety, and conducts such investigations as may be assigned by the Director.
• Activates security alarms at campus buildings as required. Establishes security protection during scheduled and unscheduled campus closings.
• Responsible for initiating contact with local law enforcement personnel, where appropriate, regarding incidents of suspected criminal activity.

Secures scene until arrival of law enforcement personnel.

Responsible for monitoring campus facilities to ensure that doors and windows are secure when appropriate, building security is maintained, critical utilities are operational, and lighting fixtures are operational.

Timely reports utility and lighting fixture outages to appropriate college or contractor personnel. Secures doors and windows as required and reports unlocked doors and windows as required by department practice.

• Responsible for maintaining communication, while on duty, by pager and phone.
• Acts as front-line personnel in promoting the department’s customer-centered public safety approach. Projects a positive and professional image to the campus community.
• Delivers deposits to local financial institutions.
• Makes recommendations to the Director of Public Safety for the improvement of public safety and crime prevention.
• Responsible for completing, or ensuring the completion of, required reports for accidents, injuries and incidents observed by or reported to the incumbent.
• Makes recommendation to the Director of Public Safety or, in that person’s absence or unavailability, the Assistant to the President / General Counsel regarding the closure of the campus for snow / ice events and other emergencies in accordance with college plans and procedures.
• Responsible for promptly notifying the Director of Public Safety, Assistant to the President / General Counsel, or other member of the President’s Council (dependent on who can be reached first) of all emergencies causing serious bodily harm or property damage or substantially and adversely affecting campus operations.
• Maintains current knowledge of current issues and best practices in law enforcement, public safety, and campus safety.

Additional Duties :

Performs other related work as required.

Minimum Education and Training

• High school diploma or equivalency (Associates’ degree in criminal justice, public safety or a related field preferred)
• Two years of recent experience in law enforcement, security or public safety

Minimum Qualifications and Standards Required

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities :

• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Good written communication skills
• Sensitivity to and ability to work collaboratively in a diverse college environment
• Must be certified in CPR or become certified in CPR within two months of employment and must maintain certification at all times
• Must be certified in first aid and the use of Automatic External Defibrillators in an American Red Cross course (or the substantial equivalent thereof) or become certified within two months of employment and must maintain certification at all times
• Must possess a valid driver’s license and meet all eligibility requirements to drive a college vehicle and be insured under the college’s automobile insurance
• Must be able to lift and carry at least 50 pounds
• Must be capable of responding to and traveling to any college facility for unexpected events or emergencies that may occur at any time and any day.

Physical Requirements :

The work is light work which requires exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and / or up to 10 pounds of force to move objects.