Directs and manages the day-to-day operations within Travis County Parks involving visitor and resource protection, law enforcement, emergency medical services, search and rescue, and visitor and employee safety for Travis County parks. Implements the Incident Command system for the district and serves as the Incident Commander in managing emergencies, special events and other incidents. Protects natural and cultural resources in the park and preserve system through the enforcement of rules and regulations and state and federal environmental laws. Functions as an Intermediate Peace Officer Certified by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) and as an Emergency Medical Technician – Basic (EMT-B).

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:
This is a job classification within the Non-Travis County Sheriff's Office (TCSO) Peace Officer Pay Scale job family. Operates a motorized vehicle. Operates radio equipment. Administers CPR and first aid. Maintains physical endurance and agility. Acts decisively, rapidly, and knowledgeably in emergency and life threatening situations. This job works various shifts and may require working extended hours during emergency management operations. May be the resident ranger at a park, requiring the employee to be on-call 24 hours. This position requires a flexible work schedule to meet the needs of the department, including frequent evenings and weekends. Incumbents must be available for emergency response at all times when in geographic area.

• Conducts daily patrols of Travis County parks including but not limited to enforces laws, regulations and policies in County Parks; manages emergency medical services, search and rescue and safety programs for the district; implements the Incident Command System (ICS) in the district; directs responses to law enforcement and emergency medical calls inside parks and mutual aid responses to requests from other agencies; critiques all major emergency responses in order to improve the park system's emergency management program; coordinates consistent law enforcement and emergency medical coverage to ensure adequate coverage system-wide. Patrols county as field supervisor; monitors radio and mobile computer for calls of assistance from law enforcement officers; assigns districts and coordinates shift activities.
• Performs routine patrols of waters off park boundaries and along park shorelines; patrols park areas by foot, bicycle, vehicle, horse, motor vehicle and patrol boat to contact park visitors and neighbors in order to ensure compliance with park rules.
• Enforces Federal and State laws and educates the public on park rules.
• Disseminates park, preserve, and area information to the public; ensures information is accurate, professional, and timely; interfaces with visitors, neighbors, user groups, and volunteer organizations, and other agencies to promote Travis County parks and preserves in a positive and professional manner; responds to visitor complaints and concerns; directs corrective action, as required.
• Makes felony and misdemeanor arrests, issues citations, conducts investigations, and prepares appropriate reports. Transports prisoners, testifies in court and completes follow-up investigations as needed.
• Ensures compliance with regulations and policies within Travis County parks and preserves.
• Provides visitor and resource protection in Travis County parks and preserves.
• Responds to incidents inside parks as dispatched, reported, or as detected by the officer.
• Responds to, or is dispatched to medical incidents and situations within parks and preserves and provides patient care according to established protocols. Provides emergency medical services as part of a First Responder Organization. Initiates and/or participates in search and rescue operations. Treats patients in the field and prepares appropriate reports. Packages patients waiting transport and determines category of patient(s).
• Assists or is dispatched to assist other agencies to law enforcement incidents in or near parks.
• Recognizes, responds to, and coordinates response to search and rescue situations.
• Develops, oversees and supervises the work of rangers, including but not limited to recruits, recommends new hires, counsels, conducts performance appraisals, disciplines; terminates; provides training to ensure staff maintains required certifications and levels of skills; prepares and presents park protection and safety training on a system-wide basis; prepares work schedules to ensure adequate resources are available to handle visitor use patterns and assigns workloads; approves overtime and leave requests. Compiles statistics from daily activity sheets.
• Trains and evaluates officers and employees; trains new rangers and schedules employees for necessary training.
• Monitors maintenance of county equipment including but not limited to vehicles, uniforms, and weapons. Monitors preventive vehicle/equipment maintenance including but not limited to services equipment/ vehicles assigned to district; keeps all duty weapons, medical equipment and other assigned equipment clean and in good repair.
• Manages the park district Visitor and Resource Protection Program including but not limited to monitors customer service to the public ensuring visitor complaints and concerns are addressed promptly and professionally by park ranger staff; develops and maintains effective communication and cooperation with neighborhood associations, special interest and park user groups to promote parks. Performs Quality Control checks of facilities, grounds and equipment to ensure visitor and employee safety.
• Performs administrative duties, and interfaces and coordinates with private and public entities including but not limited to Travis County Sheriff's Department (TCSO), Austin and Travis County Emergency Medical Services (ATCEMS), the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA), Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), and special interest groups; ensures coordination and cooperation among groups; manages district volunteers and Adopt-a-Park Programs. Conducts research, prepares reports, correspondence and manuals; reviews/writes/revises/implements park system manuals and operating procedures related to public safety; ensures that law enforcement and emergency medical equipment are inspected on a regular basis and problems are documented and rectified; prepares purchase requisitions for supplies and materials, tracks expenditures and maintains an adequate inventory stock to meet the needs of the district; provides input into the short-term and long-range planning for park development with emphasis on public safety needs; prepares cost analysis and projections; attends meetings and training.
• Wears approved duty uniform and carries approved weapons in performing duties.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Education and Experience:
Bachelor's degree with emphasis in Criminal Justice-Law Enforcement, Parks and Recreation, Forestry, Conservation Biology, Geology, Wildlife Management, or other related Life Science discipline, OR minimum of four (4) years of responsible experience in park operations and maintenance may be substituted for the college degree,
PLUS two (2) years of experience in park management, one (1) of which must include supervisory experience.
Must have two (2) years of successful continuous service as a Travis County Park Ranger.
Must have a "meets standard" or greater performance review within the past year; AND must have no disciplinary action or pending Internal Affairs Investigations.

Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements:
Valid Texas Driver License.

Intermediate Certification as a Texas Peace Officer issued by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE).

Must maintain Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services (ATCEMS) system clearance as a Texas Department of State Health Services certified Emergency Medical Technician-Basic (EMT-B) based on standards established by the Austin/Travis County Medical Director; AND,

Pre-employment - must pass all written, physical, and psychological tests as required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Knowledge of:
• Texas Penal Code, the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure and of the Incident Command System (ICS).
• Criminal law statutes, crime prevention, investigation techniques and patrol operating procedures.
• Criminal law, investigation and crime prevention methods.
• Park administration and management, departmental rules and regulations.
• Specialized training including search and rescue techniques, technical water rescue, high angle rescue, swift water rescue, dive rescue certified, boating operations, hazardous material handling and control, technical self-defense, defensive weapons, and advanced life support techniques.
• Appropriate response to emergency medical situations and principles and practices of emergency medical services.
• Federal, State, Travis County and City of Austin applicable laws, rules, policies, regulations and guidelines.
• Computer equipment to include word processing, spreadsheets, databases and variety of software packages.
• Local ecology and resource management issues and strategies.
• Business letter writing, grammar and punctuation, and report preparation.
• County budgetary and fiscal policies and processes, including, but not limited to, budget programming and budget tracking.

Skill in:
• Effective oral and written communication, including presentations.
• Effective management of emergencies.
• Customer service and conflict resolution.
• Maintaining effective public relations.
• Explaining complicated technical problems in simple non-technical language.
• Use of personal computers and a variety of software applications including word processing and spreadsheets.
• Emergency Medical Technician with a Basic certification (EMT - Intermediate preferred) and CPR.
• Safe operation of motorized watercraft.
• Problem solving and decision-making.
• Using handguns and other firearms.

Ability to:
• Deploy personnel effectively.
• Supervise employee's work.
• Advise on technical problems of investigation and arrest.
• Maintain accurate logs and provide clearly written incident reports.
• Work independently with little direct supervision, as well as a team member within a diverse organization.
• Operate a motor vehicle.
• Articulate factual information to the public regarding parks and preserves.
• Analyze and solve problems.
• Provide informal interpretation of area resources.
• Detect and correct safety problems and hazards.
• Read and understand basic legal documents and technical publications.
• Respond to unexpected situations in a reasonable manner.
• Understand oral instructions.
• Reason and make judgments and decisions.
• Manage time well and perform multiple tasks, and organize diverse activities.
• Work calmly, effectively, decisively, rapidly and knowledgeably in emergency situations.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with County employees and officials, representatives of outside agencies, and the general public.

Physical requirements include the ability to lift/carry up to 10-60 pounds occasionally, visual acuity, mental effort, speech and hearing, hand and eye coordination and manual dexterity, necessary to operate a computer, and viewing screens for long periods including meeting physical ability/strength standards. Subject to talking, standing, sitting, walking, climbing stairs, bending, squatting, stooping, crouching, kneeling, pushing, pulling, reaching, twisting, balancing, handling, gripping, grasping, driving, repetitive motion, and client/customer contact to perform the essential functions. May work outdoors under extreme heat, cold, dampness for extended periods of time. May be exposed to high-risk situations involved in law enforcement, medical emergencies, natural disasters, search and rescue. Subject to contact with communicable diseases, radiation, hazardous waste, human fecal matter and foul odors. Subject to stressful environment and client and customer contact for extended periods of time. Ability to take physical control of another person as required and exposure to: volatile or stressful situations. Job may involve danger due to contact with criminals and suspects. Emergency operations require working under difficult conditions including but not limited to being subjected to hazards and potential physical danger inherent in public safety and law enforcement work. Emergency operations require working under difficult conditions, including but not limited to being subjected to hazards and potential physical danger inherent in public safety and law enforcement work.

Travis County employees play an important role in business continuity. As such, employees can be assigned to business continuity efforts outside of normal job functions.

Work Hours: 8 am - 5 pm, Monday -Friday. May work some

holidays, some nights, some weekends

Location: West 14624 Hamilton Pool Road

Department: TNR (Trans & Natrl Resrc)

Criminal background check, Driving, Education, and

Employment verification required.