Sheriff's Traffic Aide (Volunteer)

HERNANDO COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

AL NIENHUIS, SHERIFF

TITLE: SHERIFF’S TRAFFIC AIDE (VOLUNTEER)

Characteristics Of The Class

The Sheriff’s Traffic Aide (STA) is a volunteer position intended to augment the sworn force of the Sheriff’s Office. The STA Unit is supervised by the Traffic sergeant. The STA Unit performs service and police functions that do not require law enforcement or regulatory authority, including traffic direction and control. While in the field, the STA is directly accountable to, and will follow the direction provided by the squad supervisor or the incident commander on a scene.

Duties And Responsibilities

In support of Law Enforcement and Fire Rescue, the STA unit may perform one or more of the following duties:

• Traffic Control: Manage and control vehicle flow at a fire or traffic accident scene. Task may be accomplished using various techniques for traffic control/patterns.
• Scene Safety: STAs will be utilized to ensure that the scene of an incident is safe for those working in the vicinity; this includes both emergency service personnel and the public.
• Crowd Control and Liaison: Many individuals may approach the scene of an incident, including residents, owners, occupants, relatives, transients, and spectators. STAs should position themselves so as to prevent them from coming into harm, and from interfering with the work of emergency services personnel. STAs will often be the first point of contact and as such, must have excellent public relations skills.
• Scene Monitoring: STAs may be asked to monitor unattended equipment. An STA, however, should always ensure their safety first.
• Law Enforcement Assistance: Many of the above tasks also fall within the area of responsibility of Law Enforcement. STAs may be deployed to provide supplemental assistance in order to allow Law Enforcement to concentrate on other more specific functions of law enforcement.
• Logistics: STAs may be requested to act as a logistics resource - handling vehicle movements, communications or similar duties.
• In the performance of their duties, STAs will observe all applicable laws and regulations as well as all the policies of the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office.
• STAs do not have arrest powers and will not carry a firearm while performing assigned duties.
• STAs are not permitted to use physical force in the performance of their duties except as a last resort in self-defense.
• Duty hours and shifts will be assigned by a senior STA Unit member and coordinated through the traffic sergeant pr designee.
• The STA will not respond to any incident requiring emergency operation of their assigned vehicl All responses will be consistent with routine response. Emergency lights and flashers may be used at an accident scene for safety and protection.
• STAs will not be dispatched to respond to any crime in progress, crimes against persons or incidents involving persons who are suffering from mental health issues.
• Should an STA unit inadvertently be in close proximity to an in-progress or potentially dangerous situation, the STA will notify the Communications Section of their location, then move to a position of safety and observe until a sworn officer arrives, without becoming involved.
• Communications personnel will ascertain from the complainant if there are any suspects on scene or in close proximity to the scene. In the absence of suspects on scene, a STA may be dispatched. While at the scene, if the STA determines there is a suspect present, he/she is to immediately leave the area and notify the Communications Section and a sworn officer will be dispatched.
  

Compliance

While acting as a representative of the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, volunteers will be subject to all applicable policies and regulations of the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office.The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office reserves the right to discontinue the service of any STA volunteer due to violations of General Order 1023.00 “Code of Conduct” or any other agency policy. All external activities undertaken by the group that are directly related to their volunteer capacity with the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, must be pre-approved by the Community Relations Unit designee. This includes use of official equipment for other volunteer engagements and fund-raising activities.

Equal Opportunity Employer