Functions
Erie County Sheriff
Erie County Sheriff
Erie County Courthouse
140 West Sixth Street
Room 400
Erie, PA 16501
Bomb Technician
More information coming soon
Courthouse Security
It is the primary function of the Sheriff’s Office to provide a variety of services to the Erie County Court of Common Pleas.
Deputies assigned to courtrooms, hearing rooms or offices within the court structure are given the responsibility of maintaining order and security, and taking custody of defendants who are incarcerated in jail or are sentenced by the court. Deputies also screen people entering entering the security checkpoint to the courthouse.
The courts are divided into several areas:
Criminal Court offers deputies the responsibility of providing security for the entire courtroom. Defendants, witnesses, attorneys, judges, jurors and spectators fall under the deputies’ watchful eye. Evidence must be protected, witnesses separated and family’s victims separated. The court must run at a smooth pace to insure fairness for all concerned, along with the confidence that everyone feels secure.
Family Court is not confined to only the courtroom. It includes hearing rooms and offices of those who enforce Family Law. Emotions often run high in this court, and tempers are easily agitated. Deputies assigned to this court must exercise tact and understanding and be sensitive to the unique problems which may arise.
Juvenile Court Officers face the same security problems as any other courtroom. This duty is unique, however, in that deputies not only deal with young individuals themselves, but also their parent or parents, who may believe that their child has done nothing wrong.
The Office of Children and Youth often conducts hearings in courtrooms and hearing rooms. These hearings must also be monitored and secured. Parents may often lose custody of the child or children to foster care or placement. Deputies must monitor emotional reactions towards those who are pursuing these actions.
The Sheriff’s Office will continue to provide this service to the courts and the citizens of Erie County.
Holding Facility
In January 1995, the Erie County Prison relocated to 1618 Ash Street. This resulted in increased job responsibilities for the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, as inmates summoned to court must now be transported and housed in the Erie County Courthouse.
Transports are done on a daily basis by Erie County Sheriff’s Office deputies. Inmates are housed in the Erie County Sheriff’s Office Holding Facility until their court appearance. New commitments to the Erie County Prison are processed and held for transportation.
The duties of the Holding Cell deputies include maintaining the care, custody and control of all inmates in this facility.
Sheriff’s Deputies
Sheriff’s deputies perform the primary missions of process service, court security, and prisoner transport and custody. All Sheriff’s Deputies are required by Pennsylvania Law to complete training under Pennsylvania Legislation, Titled Act 2, which was passed into law in 1984. This law was passed so that all deputies would receive standardized training and education in the professional and lawful execution of their duties as law enforcement officials. When the first training school started, in 1985, the law required that all deputy candidates receive 160 hours of training.
This training and schooling required that deputies learn the history of the sheriff, process service, court security, prisoner transportation and custody, along with firearms qualification and safety, first aid and self-defense.
As a result of efforts on the part of the Pennsylvania Sheriffs’ Association, the school has been expanded from the originally mandated 160 hours of training to a total of 760 hours.
The original Deputy Training Program was taught at the Dickinson School of Law in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The Academy has since moved to Pennsylvania State University at State College, Pennsylvania.
This schooling and training has been recognized by the State Supreme Court and the Pennsylvania State Attorney General’s Office as comparable to the Municipal Police Officers Education and Training Act (120).
In addition to the initial required schooling, certified deputies are required, semiannually, to complete 20 hours of continuing education on various subjects in order to maintain their state certification.
When vacancies occur in the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, potential candidates are required to take a general aptitude test and a physical agility test.
Candidates who pass the tests are interviewed, and from there the list of eligible candidates are selected to fill vacant positions.
Deputies are continually taking classes to enhance their profession in all facets of law enforcement and will continue to do so throughout their careers.
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