Records Technician

About the role

The Police Records Technician performs a variety of specialized clerical and technical duties involved in processing various police records and reports in support of the Police Department's records function.

Responsibilities

• Attend the department's customer counter during business hours serving as the receptionist and providing frontline customer service to include but not limited to, referring citizens to proper authorities and/or locations, answering a variety of phone calls and inquiries relating to the police department, city services, police reports; screening visitors, and answering public records requests for information concerning the police department.
• Receive, process, audit, retain and provide a variety of confidential police records, reports and data information requiring technical knowledge of department operations and procedures; maintain moderately complex operating and activity records; perform specialized computer searches and queries; and provide reports and information to internal staff, outside agencies and the public in accordance with established policies, guidelines and laws.
• Perform administrative support functions to assist with various requests, to include but not limited to, process and compile data for administrative and public report requests and record checks, issue subpoenas to department personnel, route and/or provide copies of reports to other agencies or divisions, and issue citation books to officers.
• Conduct specialized statistical research, requiring gathering information from multiple sources and/or databases to assist law enforcement personnel, other law enforcement agencies, media and the public with various requests.
• Perform cashier fee collection services and related duties to include, accepting payments from the public and various agencies, and balancing daily cash receipts and cash drawer for bank deposit.
• Perform quality review of incident reports to ensure report standards are met. Review/classify agency reports for Uniform Crime Reporting (NIBRS and Texas Penal Code); perform routine and detailed duties in the classification and coding of data information and the proper data records retention and storage.
• Perform data entry and retrieval activities using a computer, specialized programs/applications from various law enforcement data systems. Perform various tasks such as, data entry of crash reports and citations, complete juvenile notifications and follow-ups to school districts, send notices to owners of stolen property listed in TCIC, perform daily audit of towed vehicles and send certified letters to owners when applicable.
• Prepare, maintain and monitor complex, specialized, technical, and sensitive police records and filing systems requiring considerable knowledge of the subject matter, including but not limited to, maintaining the Master Name Index in the Records Management System and scanning and converting all documents to digital format.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED equivalent and one (1) year of experience; or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Possess Intermediate computer skills in the use of word processors, spreadsheets and document imaging.
• Available to work shift work, weekends, and holidays.
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to exercise good judgement in maintaining critical and sensitive information, records, and reports.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, the new media and the public, as necessitated by the work, including considerable citizen contact, requiring the exercise of patience, tact and good judgment.
• Ability to quickly acquire a working knowledge of the Texas Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, as well as other sources of criminal offenses, Texas Public Information Act, the Government Code and NCIC/TCIC entry procedures.
• Ability to become proficient in varied computer system usage and databases; and perform data entry and record searches accurately and quickly.
• Must not currently be or have been within the last ten (10) years on court-ordered community supervision or probation for any criminal offense of the grade of a Class B misdemeanor or above. May not have been convicted of an offense of the grade of a Class B misdemeanor or above within the last ten (10) years. May not have been, at any time, convicted of a felony offense or any family violence offense.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED equivalent and two (2) years of customer service/office-related experience, preferably in a justice system environment; or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Knowledge of pertinent federal, state and local laws, codes, and regulations; and department rules policies, and procedures.
• Expert knowledge of all UCR data, including offense codes and data requirements, values for associated data elements and ability to determine appropriate categorization.
• Knowledge of law enforcement records management principles, procedures, techniques, and equipment.
• Proficient in various specialized public safety computer systems and databases; and possess the ability to enter and retrieve data with speed and accuracy and create a variety of statistical reports.
• Knowledge of TCIC/NCIC and other various local, county, state, and national law enforcement databases/applications.
• Knowledge of departmental regulations and policies pertaining to the release of public information and the Texas Public Information Act.
• Ability to interpret, apply, and explain applicable federal, state, and local policies, procedures, laws, codes and regulations and other applicable information related to public safety records, reports and/or computer systems.