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Non-commissioned professional careers - Sheriff
Many options are available to professionals who would like to explore a career with a trusted law enforcement provider.
The King County Sheriff's Office (KCSO) employs a variety of non-commissioned positions. These are also known as professional staff classifications.
All careers offer a generous salary and benefit package, with paid vacation and sick leave. Most positions with the Sheriff's Office are civil service positions, and the hiring process is governed by the applicable rules and laws.
Administrative specialists
Administrative specialists manage a wide variety of administrative and clerical work throughout the department. They also often interact with the public to provide general assistance. The duties of this position vary depending on which unit is being supported.
Typical duties include:
- Creating reports
- Managing databases
- Transcribing statements
- Maintaining office supplies
- Providing customer service to the community and other law enforcement agencies
Administrative specialist II (AS II) is the level most often open to the public. These positions require:
- Good clerical skills
- Some clerical experience
- Ability to independently interpret and apply a wide range of policies and procedures in support of a work unit, under general supervision
We also have many administrative specialist III and IV positions, which provide more advanced technical support, and often serve in a lead or supervisory role.
Community Service Officers
Community Service Officers (CSOs) work as the liaison between various community groups and the Sheriff's Office.
Foreign language skills are very helpful. While a background in social work can help prepare you for this kind of work, it is not required.
Duties might include:
- Conflict resolutions in non-violent situations
- Victim assistance
- Working with child abuse cases
- Offering social agency referrals
CSOs also assist with law enforcement tasks that officers may not be able to complete. For example:
- Taking stolen bike reports
- Assisting with witness statements
- Directing traffic in emergency situations
- Working with community groups to prevent crime
CSOs wear uniforms and drive a marked department vehicle. However, they are not armed, commissioned officers. This position offers busy and rewarding work. It is a great way to help your community!
Computer resource professionals
Computer resource professionals are the techies of the KCSO. They take care of computer and network installation, repair, and upgrades
These professionals are the computer problem solvers and trainers of our team.
There are several levels of positions, including
- Desktop and laptop support specialists
- Applications developers
- Senior network administrators
If you love systems development and programming, technical problem solving, and network administration, this is the unit for you!
Evidence specialists
Evidence specialists are the team members who work in the department’s evidence warehouse, called the Property Management Unit.
Evidence specialists package and transport criminal case evidence. They use careful chain of custody principles so it is secure until needed in court. They also store stolen property until the owners are notified and come to get it.
Some computer skills are needed in this position to help log and inventory the wide range of evidence that comes in as part of a police investigation. It is an important element to the entire investigation process that starts on the street and ends in the courtroom.
This is a really interesting place to work because you never know what piece of evidence is going to come in!
Fingerprint specialists
Fingerprints are often key to solving a crime. KCSO manages the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) program for the entire region.
Careers in AFIS are very satisfying. Much of the training can be received on the job. Promotion is possible from entry-level ID tech to latent examiner.
Identification technicians and tenprint examiners
Our tenprint examiners and ID techs take the fingerprints of those booked into jail. They determine from their fingerprints whether they have given us their true identity.
Latent fingerprint examiners
Latent fingerprint examiners are the team's fingerprint experts. They scrutinize fingerprints recorded from crime scenes. They play a vital partnership role with our detectives in solving crimes. They also use state-of-the-art tools to find and lift fingerprints at crime scenes.
Photographers
The Sheriff's Office photo lab is a busy, technically complex and interesting way to use your photographic expertise.
KCSO photographers must have the ability to take professional portraits and the skill to do forensic photography as well. They are often partnered with detectives to get photos ready for court or for the media.
Photographers are involved in the entire process, from taking photos, to developing, recording, and cataloging them for future reference.
Project managers and crime analysts
Project managers and crime analysts provide a wide range of planning and research services. They complete the following tasks:
- Professional crime analysis
- Perform statistical research
- Manage department-wide projects
- Manage database content
- Serve on inter-jurisdictional committees
- Develop management presentations
If you love research, computers, and statistics, this might be the right job for you. Look for project program managers within our open positions to apply.
Records specialists
Records specialists perform a variety of functions. They support the Sheriff’s Office, other members of the criminal justice community, and the general public.
Duties include:
- Case flow processing (receiving, data entry, efiling, and scanning of police reports)
- Developing criminal history background information
- Responding to public disclosure requests
- Processing a variety of firearm-related licensing
- Screening applicants to purchase handguns
- Registering sex offenders
To do this job, records specialists must be aware of various state and local laws in order to use state, local and federal criminal records databases.
Search and rescue
As a civilian, you may choose to volunteer with King County Search and Rescue. In order to be a duty officer, one must be a commissioned Sheriff Deputy with KCSO. If you are a sheriff deputy, you may not volunteer as a SAR member in the unit. Learn more.