Surveillance Officer

[Feng Shui]

I was just curious to see if anyone had any insight/reviews about the surveillance officer positions? Specifically in Maricopa County.

I was interested in applying for this position in Maricopa County or Pinal County but I just wanted to get some reviews first if possible.

Any feedback from probation officers who work closely with the surveillance officers will be helpful as well.

Thanks!

[judoka]

I'm a police officer, so I don't know all their functions. I deal with them when they call for someone to be picked up. We make the arrest and transport for them. They take the suspect off our hands at the jail.
Honestly it seems like a really boring job to me, but some needs to do it. The ones I've worked with are armed and in a department vehicle. They basically spy on these guys and wait for them to screw up.

[judoka]

I'm a police officer, so I don't know all their functions. I deal with them when they call for someone to be picked up. We make the arrest and transport for them. They take the suspect off our hands at the jail.
Honestly it seems like a really boring job to me, but some needs to do it. The ones I've worked with are armed and in a department vehicle. They basically spy on these guys and wait for them to screw up.

[Nola504]

I was just curious to see if anyone had any insight/reviews about the surveillance officer positions? Specifically in Maricopa County.

I was interested in applying for this position in Maricopa County or Pinal County but I just wanted to get some reviews first if possible.

Any feedback from probation officers who work closely with the surveillance officers will be helpful as well.

Thanks!

I don't know how they do it for Maricopa County but I used to be a P.O. in Pima County and the job is actually not that bad. We had surveillance officers assigned to each team and they would do field contacts and detention visits for us. They would do arrest with/for us and they were a valuable tool. They do drug testing and Breathalyzer tests too. They were assigned to different functions such as intensive supervision, electronic monitoring, and other programs that weren't all that great. Its a good gig but you wont get paid as much as a P.O. do I you have your degree, go for a P.O. spot. Like I said, that is how they worked in Tucson, not sure how it is in PHX but the description I gave should be about the same.

[Feng Shui]

Thanks for the feedback guys! I do have a degree and previously worked for DHS. I definitely want to go for a probation officer spot but they don't hire very often, so I was thinking since this position was open now that would be a good start for a couple of years then I could apply to a p.o. position.

[MCAPO]

Thanks for the feedback guys! I do have a degree and previously worked for DHS. I definitely want to go for a probation officer spot but they don't hire very often, so I was thinking since this position was open now that would be a good start for a couple of years then I could apply to a p.o. position.

MCAPD actually hire quite often for POs. As for an APSO position (surveillance officer) the ratio is about 1:12 for every PO hired. It's a very unique position but you will be placed in a much needed area which consists of a lot of specialized unit coverage such as Sex offenders and domestic violence are the most filled for surveillance officer attention.

You do not need to go from SO to PO - if you already established a 4 year degree or equivalent bachelors - than apply straight to PO position. should you fit the role of SO first and work for over 12 months to 18 months (not sure the standard time now) and decide to being a PO - you will go through the probation academy once again.