About Job

The City of Suffolk is seeking a Public Safety Technology Manager that is responsible for the management, planning, and coordination of all IT systems that support public safety operations, including emergency communication systems, security systems, and other technology infrastructures. This role involves working closely with the public safety departments, including Police, Fire & Rescue, Sheriff, and dispatch centers, to ensure the technology meets their needs, is secure, and operates efficiently. This includes the software and hardware equipment, and various mission critical interfaces and applications used by public safety department personnel. The Public Safety Technology Manager will oversee the Information Technology Public Safety division in the implementation, maintenance, and support of systems and ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations. Reports to the Assistant Director of Information Technology.

This position is responsible for information technology needs in the respective departments, including, but not limited to, installing, configuring, troubleshooting, and upgrading software applications and hardware. Maintaining hardware and software application inventories and licenses for the Records Management Systems (RMS), Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD), Mobile Computer Terminals (MCT), and any other ancillary technologies while adhering to IT policies, standards, and life-cycle management. Coordinating and documenting the testing of new technology. Providing customer service technical support and assistance to end users.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions herein described. Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were written out in this job description.

System Management and Support:

Oversees the administration and support of IT systems used by public safety departments, including Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD), Records Management Systems (RMS), and Mobile Data Terminals (MDTs).
Manages the installation, configuration, and maintenance of security and surveillance systems, including cameras, access control systems, and alarm systems.
Ensures the availability, reliability, and security of IT systems that support 24/7 public safety operations.

Project Management:

Leads IT projects related to public safety, including system upgrades, new technology implementations, and integrations with other systems.
Develops project plans, allocate resources, and monitor project progress to ensure timely completion and within budget.

Collaboration and Communication:

Collaborates with public safety departments to understand their technology needs and provide solutions that enhance their operations.
Serves as the primary IT liaison for public safety departments, facilitating communication and ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
Coordinates with vendors, contractors, and other external partners to support public safety technology initiatives.

Security and Compliance:

Ensures all public safety IT systems comply with local, state, and federal regulations, including CJIS (Criminal Justice Information Services) security policies.
Implements and maintains cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive data and ensure the integrity of public safety systems.
Conducts regular audits and assessments of public safety IT systems to identify vulnerabilities and areas for improvement.

Training and Support:

Provides training and technical support to IT Public Safety division and public safety personnel on the use of IT systems and technologies.
Develops and maintains documentation for public safety IT systems, including user manuals, procedures, and best practices.

Budget and Resource Management:

Develops and manages the budget for public safety IT systems, including hardware, software, and support contracts.
Identify cost-effective solutions to meet the technology needs of public safety departments while maintaining high standards of service.

Work Environment:

This role may require being on-call and available outside of normal business hours to respond to emergencies or critical system issues.
The position may require occasional travel to different public safety facilities or locations within the jurisdiction.

Administers, maintains, and evaluates Police and Fire Information Technology (IT) systems used in the Public Safety dispatch center.
Investigates, analyzes, and resolves public safety application related problems; resolves compatibility problems; troubleshoots system software, hardware, and communication problems; recommends and implements changes and improvements.
Serves as a liaison with system software and hardware suppliers and vendors; monitors contracted services for quality and compliance with City standards. Serves as program management focal point on a variety of projects related to public safety IT systems; evaluates public safety operational requirements; researches and develops information systems solutions; monitors project performance and compliance with applicable specifications.
Works with the IT Geographic Information Systems (GIS) team to maintain comprehensive GIS data in relation to the public safety departments and its integration with CAD, MCT, and other interfaces.
Works with the IT Enterprise Applications team to analyze and extract data from dispatch and public safety databases to use for studies, reports, and recommendations by the public safety departments.
Collaborates with other departments to obtain and share data to ensure the data and software meets standards; exchanges knowledge and technology; performs necessary updates and upgrades of Public Safety dispatch IT equipment.
Performs technical writing duties in the development, production and maintenance of system documentation, instructional materials, and procedural manuals; creates and updates Public Safety IT system Standard Operating Procedures.

Graduation from an accredited college or university with an BA/BS degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Computer Engineering or related field. Equivalent vocational or technical school training in server and systems maintenance with a minimum of five years of experience working with public safety in the information technology field is required; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job. Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL), Project Management Professional (PMP), or other relevant certifications are preferred. Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) certification or ability to obtain certification is required.

Operational knowledge of various computer aided dispatch systems, public safety applications, and peripheral equipment.
Principles, practices, methods, and techniques used in computer systems development, maintenance, and administration.
Performing systems development, implementation, maintenance, and administration duties.
Evaluating, testing, implementing, monitoring, and supporting computer systems.
Reading, interpreting, and applying complex technical publications, manuals, and related documents.
Troubleshooting, diagnosing, and resolving systems, hardware, and software problems.
Installing, testing, and configuring system hardware and software applications and programs.
Responding to helpdesk requests and inquiries from system users efficiently and in a timely fashion.
Working independently to achieve goals and objectives, making sound judgments and decisions.
Fosters an environment that embraces integrity, service, inclusion, and collaboration.
Is an integral team player, which involves flexibility, cooperation, and communication.
Builds and maintains positive working relationships with co-workers, other City employees and the public using principles of good customer service.
Performs related duties as required.