Court Services Officers (CSOs) are a unique class of officers who work under the general direction and command of AST.
Court Services Officers conduct duties for the Commissioner of Public Safety, under AS 22.20.100-140, which include providing physical security of courtrooms, chambers, and other spaces of the courts, including the grounds of court facilities; coordinating and providing prisoner transport; serving court writs; and providing protective details and security for judicial officers.
Court Services Officer is distinguished from State Trooper and other commissioned job classes by its primary focus of providing prisoner transportation, process service, court security, and judicial protection to the court system.
As a Court Services Officer, you will have a rewarding career and receive paid, high-caliber training and benefits at no expense to you, while attending the academy.
Successful candidates will attend six weeks of initial training at the Alaska Law Enforcement Training Academy, in Sitka, Alaska and participate in a 13-week Field Training and Evaluation Program at their assigned duty station.
Court Services Officers are full time Department of Public Safety employees
Starting pay range (Depending on experience):
$76,606.40 – $92,081.60 Annually
$36.83 – $44.27 Hourly
*Pay listed does not include incentive pay, geographical differential, or overtime.
Bargaining Unit: Public Safety Employees Association, Local 803
Medical, Dental and Vision Coverage available for Court Services Officers and their qualified dependents
Court Services Officers Responsibilities include:
Transporting inmates to and from correctional facilities within the State of Alaska for court appearances, medical care, other transportation centers, and out-of-state prisoner transport.
Maintaining the custody and security of inmates during transport, appointments, and their return to incarceration.
Providing both courtroom and court facility security, to include response to alarms, disturbances, and public safety incidents, and dignitary security for the supreme court.
Serving process documents in accordance with instructions from the courts and agency standard operating procedures, including subpoenas, summons, writs, domestic violence writs, orders, complaints, and other legal notices.
Court Services Officers work in every state courtroom in Alaska, with courts in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Palmer, Juneau, Ketchikan, Kodiak, Kenai, Dillingham, Nome, Bethel and Kotzebue.
There is a geographic differential in determining CSO salaries, so they vary widely. CSOs working in more rural areas of Alaska can be compensated up to 60% more than the base pay plan.
As limited commissioned officers, the qualifications and hiring process for a Court Services Officer are nearly the same as for an Alaska State Trooper.
Court Services Officer Qualifications
Must be a citizen (including US Nationals) of the United States of America.
Must be 18 years of age or older* at the start of the academy.
Must be conversant in both spoken and written English.
Must possess a high school diploma or have passed a General Education Development (GED) test.
Driving
Must possess a valid driver’s license issued within the United States or its Territories.
Must be free of excessive moving violations and recent license actions (canceled, revoked, suspended, limited, or SR-22 requirement).
Drugs
Drug use/abuse is closely scrutinized and recent drug use may be cause for elimination from the hiring process, including:
Marijuana use within the last year
Use of illegal narcotics within the last ten years
Manufacture/sale of illegal narcotics as an adult
Illegal drug use while employed in a law enforcement position
Prescription drug use without a prescription, unless there was an immediate, pressing, or emergency medical circumstance to justify the use
Criminal History
Adult criminal history is closely scrutinized and the following may be cause for elimination from the hiring process:
Felony conduct as an adult
Misdemeanor convictions within the last ten years
Any conviction related to domestic violence
The above qualifications constitute a summary of major elements in both the Alaska Police Standards Council regulations and Department of Public Safety Selection Criteria. More specific questions should be directed to our DPS Recruitment Unit office at dps.recruit@alaska.gov or by calling (907) 269-5976.
Candidate Assistance Video Series
State of Alaska Department of Public Safety, 5700 East Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK 99507, Phone: (907) 269-5511