CITY EQUITY STATEMENT
The City of Westminster welcomes diverse candidates from the broadest base possible. Our goal is to find the best candidate for the job—someone who belongs, not just fits. We value life and professional experiences, recognizing equivalent combinations of knowledge skills and education.
Aligned with our city SPIRIT values, the successful candidate will have a passion and commitment to serving a diverse population of residents and must respect and uphold the principles of justice, equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging.
We encourage you to think broadly about your background and skill set for this role, even if you believe you have a less traditional background than described we invite you to apply.
POSITION PURPOSE / IMPORTANT APPLICATION INFORMATION
The Probation Officer works in the Municipal Court providing caseload supervision, case management, and monitoring compliance with the Court’s order for defendants assigned to probation. Other duties include meeting regularly with offenders to ensure they are connected with external resources necessary to address their identified needs, scoring ODARA documents for the Court. filing petitions to revoke probation when the defendants violate their conditions, preparing status reports for the prosecution team for revocation hearings, and conducting pre-sentence investigations and preparing comprehensive pre-sentence reports.
This position is 100% in-office with a Monday through Thursday, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. schedule. The full salary range for this position is stated above. The starting range of pay is dependent on qualifications and experience of each individual candidate. The City of Westminster has a Multilingual Stipend Program to encourage, and reward benefited employees who are conversationally fluent in languages other than English. Benefited employees have the opportunity to test their language proficiency skills and qualify for a bi-weekly stipend that will vary based on the employee’s level of proficiency and usage.
ORGANIZATIONAL COMPETENCIES AND CULTURAL VALUES/GENERAL COMPETENCIES
The City's work culture encourages passionate, positive and enthusiastic employees who, along with our City Council and City Manager, are strong supporters of our mission: The City of Westminster provides high-quality core services and fosters resilience in order to promote a safe and thriving community. Westminster is a city of beautiful, safe, well-maintained neighborhoods and destinations with a vibrant, diverse economy, rich and resilient environment and a strong sense of community belonging. Our core values are embodied in our SPIRIT (Service – People – Integrity – Respect – Innovation – Teamwork).
This position supports the goals of the Chief of Staff’s Office, which coordinates and oversees cross-departmental initiatives and activities across a wide range of municipal systems, services, and programs. This includes managing the Municipal Court Division, the City Clerk’s Division, the City Hall Operations Division, the City’s justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts, as well as the Policy & Budget Division. This position also directly supports the goals of the Municipal Court to administer equitable, fair, and impartial justice in a timely and courteous manner; protect fundamental rights; promote public safety; and facilitate community reparation through SPIRIT.
Every Employee Is Accountable To
- Demonstrate a high level of customer service; encourage others to focus on the customer; foster an environment where customer service is a priority
- Communicate with customers to ensure that, where possible, they are satisfied, and that their needs are being addressed; solicit and evaluate customer feedback
- Act as an ambassador by understanding and fostering the organization's mission and vision
- Exhibit pride in self, the department, the city, and the community; conduct self in a professional manner
- Demonstrate integrity and build trust through credibility, reliability, commitment, loyalty, and ethical behavior
- Address difficult or contentious issues in a constructive manner
- Support/promote change; demonstrate flexibility, and take calculated risks when appropriate
- Participate in personal growth opportunities, and attend training courses designed to enhance capacity to bring new skills and ideas to the job and the organization
- Work to continuously improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the service or product being delivered
- Demonstrate support for team efforts by accepting new roles and responsibilities, and helping others achieve objectives
- Value diversity; demonstrate an awareness of differences; demonstrate sensitivity, and adapt behaviors and communication to accommodate these differences
GENERAL COMPETENCIES
Citywide - Every employee in this position is accountable to:
- Establish effective interpersonal relationships through honest, open communication and follow-through on commitments
- Recognize personal strengths and weaknesses, and target areas for personal self-development
- Demonstrate initiative in performing job tasks
- Exhibit problem-solving skills leading to sound judgment and quality decisions
- Achieve goals, and handle assigned workload and new assignments effectively; demonstrate an ability to work independently
- Communicate effectively with individuals and groups using clear and concise verbal and written communications
- Demonstrate accountability for work, and take ownership in job performance
- Demonstrate concern for the accuracy and quality of work; take steps to correct mistakes and improve the overall product
Job Specific – Every employee in this position must be able to:
- Apply knowledge of municipal and state laws concerning the terms and limits of probation, types of offenses, and sentencing alternatives
- Display thorough knowledge of criminal justice information, regulations, and procedures
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships with the public, and other employees.
- Display skill in evaluation and interview techniques
- Utilize excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to manage hostile offenders and families while de-escalating conflict situations
- Demonstrates the ability to work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders and to represent the probation department in a professional and effective manner
Job Specific Functions
Essential Job Functions, Duties, Responsibilities, and Tasks
- Provide caseload supervision for offenders assigned to probation and monitor compliance with the Court’s order, including:
- Assessing individuals and their behavior through interviews and investigations to determine appropriate services, referrals, sanctions, and sentencing recommendations to the prosecution team
- Filing petitions to revoke probation when a defendant is in violation of conditions, and testifying at the revocation hearing
- Preparing status reports for the prosecution team and presenting client status and progress during case staffing’s
- Preparing discovery materials summarizing the probation case history for the prosecution team
- Exploring alternative options for sentencing with the prosecution team
- Maintaining awareness of community resources and working closely with Court Navigator for any additional resources
- Scoring ODARA documents on new domestic violence cases for the Court
- Authorizing termination of probation when conditions have been met
- Prepares, maintains, and ensures the integrity of the probation records
- Conduct pre-sentence investigations, and prepare pre-sentence reports based on information from resources, including:
- Client interviews
- Police record checks
- Consultation with community resources personnel
- Verification of client imparted information
- Maintain positive working relationships with community agencies and evaluates the effectiveness of the services they provide.
- Demonstrate the ability to connect effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including the capacity to build trust and motivate positive change
- Demonstrate the ability to collaborate successfully within a team-based environment.
- Possess a valid driver's license and maintain a safe driving record
- Maintains regular and punctual attendance
Other Duties and Responsibilities
- Provide information to other jurisdictions upon request
Incumbent is accountable for all duties of this job, and other projects and responsibilities may be added at the City’s discretion.
Position Requirements/Working Conditions/Pre-employment Requirements
Education, Experience, Skills, Formal Training, Licenses, and Certifications
Required
- Bachelor’s degree with coursework in social sciences, preferably criminal justice, psychology, or sociology
- Experience working with a Probation/Pretrial Department OR previous work experience and/or knowledge in the criminal justice field
- Possession of a valid driver's license and maintenance of a safe driving record
Preferred:
- Two (2) years of experience working in a court environment, probation department, or correctional/treatment setting
- Experience working in a high-pressure environment with extensive public contact
- The ability to exercise excellent judgment, tact, discretion confidentiality, diplomacy, and imagination as the situation requires
Any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience, which would provide the required knowledge and skills, may be considered.
Physical Requirements
Work is sedentary in nature, and requires sufficient physical stamina and strength for:
- Constant sitting to perform daily tasks; occasional walking through a multilevel facility to retrieve information; frequent standing, sometimes for extended periods
- Frequent squatting, reaching above shoulder, and twisting to file documents and lift supplies and material; occasional bending, kneeling, climbing, balancing, and reaching below shoulder to store documents, material, and supplies
- Constant light grasp, fine manipulation, and handling to perform daily duties; occasional firm grasp to safely use equipment
- Frequent lifting, carrying, and pushing/pulling of up to ten (10) pounds to move material and supplies; occasional lifting and pushing/pulling of up to 25 pounds with dollies and carts
WORKING CONDITIONS
Work is constantly performed indoors and is primarily sedentary office work. Must demonstrate the ability to meet the physical demands of the job, including the ability to retrieve information from various locations in the office when needed. Exposure to periods of high activity and stress under demanding conditions. Continual one-on-one contact with both low-risk and high-risk offenders. Dealing with angry, frustrated, upset, hostile, or abusive individuals. The position requires a great deal of communication with City employees, the public, and outside agencies.
Required Materials And Equipment
General office equipment including telephones, fax machines, copy machines, personal computers, scanners, and printers.
Pre-employment Requirements
- Background checks will include employment references and criminal history, Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) criminal background check and fingerprinting, and when applicable, credit check, driver license record, and education verification
- Drug screen
- Must be legally entitled to work in the United States
The City of Westminster, Colorado, is a drug free workplace and an Equal Opportunity Employer that values diversity and aims to have its workforce reflect the community.
The City of Westminster offers a comprehensive benefit package including:
- Health and Dental
- Flexible Spending
- Pension/Retirement Plans
- Term Life Insurance
- Long-term Disability
- Survivor Benefits
- Wellness Program
- Career Development Program
- Tuition Reimbursement Program
- Leave program that provides for vacation, holidays, sick leave, major illness, and on the job injury
For a more detailed overview of our General Non Exempt employee benefit package:
Benefit Package
The City of Westminster does not participate in the Social Security system. In lieu of Social Security contributions, the city contributes to a 401(a) defined contribution plan on your behalf.
401(a) Contribution Rates
Employee Mandatory Contribution: 11.5% of your base pay. Contributions are pre-tax and fully vested.
Employer Contribution: 12% of your base pay.
Employer Contribution Vesting Schedule
- Less than 3 years - 0%
- 3 to 4 years - 60%
- 4 to 5 years - 80%
- Over 5 years - 100%
- For employees age 55 and older, the employer contributions are 100% vested
The City of Westminster provides employees with innovative and practical ways to improve their commute through two key features, EcoPass and Commute Benefits powered by Commutrics. EcoPass provides unlimited trips on RTD's core transit services and Commute Rewards allows you to record your trips and get rewards based on your commute mode.
01
This position has the following minimum qualifications: Bachelor’s degree social sciences, preferably criminal justice, psychology, or sociology and experience working with a Probation/Pretrial Department OR Previous work experience and/or knowledge in the criminal justice field. Do you meet all of these requirements?
02
Do you have experience working in a Probation/Pretrial Office or in a criminal justice environment?
03
If you answered yes to having experience working in a Probation/Pretrial Office or in a criminal justice environment, please describe your experience, if you answered no, please respond with N/A.
04
Please Rate Your Proficiency With Microsoft Word Software
- Advanced
- Proficient
- Moderate
- Low
- None
05
Please Rate Your Proficiency With Microsoft Excel Software
- Advanced (pivot tables, VLOOKUP, formulas, conditional formatting, charts/graphs)
- Proficient (basic formulas, formatting, sorting/filtering, simple charts)
- Beginner (basic data entry only)
- None
06
Are you proficient in the use of a court database system?
07
If you answered yes to being proficient in the use of a court database system, which one(s) and how many years of experience with each? If none, please respond with N/A.
08
Briefly explain why you are interested in working for the City of Westminster, specifically as a Probation Officer.
09
This position is 100% in-office with a Monday through Thursday, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. schedule. Please list any conflicts you may have. If none, please respond with N/A.
