Information Technology Public Safety Specialist

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Job description

GENERAL STATEMENT OF JOB

The Information Technology Public Safety Specialist will use a customer-focused approach to primarily support the Police and Fire Rescue Departments of the Town of Palm Beach, Florida. This individual will serve as the primary IT support and liaison for the public safety departments. This is a full-time, on-premises role that requires flexibility with hours, including the potential for after-hours and overtime work. The specialist will be the first point of contact for providing public safety technical support in a Microsoft Windows environment, responding to customer phone calls, emails, and work orders.

The role involves identifying and resolving common technical issues and concerns, documenting service requests through the Track-It help desk tracking system, and referring requests outside the scope of the position to appropriate technical support personnel. This position will also help guide technological advancements for the Town's public safety departments by identifying gaps in technology and processes, creating a vision for public safety technology, finding solutions, and facilitating the implementation of those solutions through collaboration with various departments, vendors, and consultants.

Additionally, the specialist will provide technical training to public safety personnel when needed.

Strong communication and interpersonal skills are essential for success in this role. Due to the nature of the departments this role supports, the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and work effectively under pressure is critical. The ideal candidate must be a critical and creative thinker who can work independently but, more importantly, is a dedicated team player. This position will work closely with other IT personnel to provide complete and comprehensive IT support for the Town of Palm Beach.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Serve as the proactive IT liaison and technical support specialist for the public safety departments (Police and Fire Rescue), with an emphasis on proactive engagement.
• Administer, configure, and maintain public safety technology resources and information systems, including hardware and software inventory and system recovery. Support systems such as RMS, CAD, Enforcement Mobile, MFA, Message Switch, VPN, tablets, MCTs, Mobile Field Reporting, Wi-Fi, AVL/GPS, License Plate Readers, mobile printers, Livescan Fingerprint software, and security cameras.
• Maintain and support essential public safety IT systems, including desktops, servers, security tools, applications, email, and peripheral hardware devices, including those in all public safety vehicles.
• Perform field installations and support of public safety hardware, software, and peripherals. Ensure product availability and proper operation during installations, schedule installations, deliver equipment, and test installed products per public safety agency standards. Have working knowledge of disk imaging software for machine distribution and related tools for PC refresh tasks. Provide initial user training on new products as needed.
• Collaborate with vendors to support and maintain public safety video and communication systems.
• Engage with decision-makers, stakeholders, system owners, and end users to help define the business and operational requirements of public safety departments.
• Assist in the creation and maintenance of documentation to facilitate project planning, budgeting, scope, design, implementation, and closeout.
• Help ensure projects stay within budget, scope, and timeline.
• Hold vendors and consultants accountable to agreed-upon project parameters.
• Research departmental issues and projects that require technology resources.
• Conduct research on software and hardware to maintain operational efficiencies.
• Assist in analyzing existing processes and workflows, offering suggestions for improvement and documenting changes.
• Prepare and deliver reports, recommendations, or alternatives to address existing and potential trouble areas.
• Ability to work in confined spaces, such as police and fire rescue vehicles.
• Perform all other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM AND PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• A Bachelor's degree in computer technology or a related field.
• 5 years of experience in IT support, administration, and operations.
• Excellent interpersonal skills for establishing and maintaining effective working relationships.
• Availability for on-call support.
• Basic knowledge of automotive and electrical concepts is a plus.
• Prior experience supporting public safety departments is a plus.
  
  

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Extensive knowledge of computing technologies (Servers, Desktops, Office 365, Active Directory).
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively across the organization.
• Excellent organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize and manage time efficiently.
• Ability to work in a dynamic, agile environment.
• Availability for after-hours on-call support. Town-wide coverage on a rotating 7-day schedule every 4 weeks, in addition to serving as the first line of contact for the Fire and Police Departments.
• Technical acuity.
• Business acumen.
• Leadership skills.
• Project management experience.
• System administration expertise.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Vendor management experience.
• Cross-departmental collaboration and liaison experience.
• Strategic planning capabilities.
• Process analysis and improvement skills.
• Experience with Tyler CAD RMS, Mobile Device Terminals, License Plate Recognition systems, communication systems, video surveillance systems, and CJIS policies and procedures is a plus.

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