Court Liaison Coordinator

Job Information

Overall Purpose

Under the supervision of the Supervisor Court Liaison or the Sgt Court Liaison, the Court Liaison Coordinator is responsible for:

• Full carriage and completion of assigned Charge Packages in support of achieving successful Criminal, Federal and Provincial Offences Act (POA) prosecutions within policy, procedures and legislation requirements.
• Attending Criminal Court, providing information, documenting decisions and acting on court outcomes.  
• Maintaining the integrity of all criminal records information, including fingerprint verification, sealing, purging and dispositions.
   

Major Responsibilities

Responsible for full carriage and completion of assigned Charge Packages in support of achieving successful Criminal and Provincial Offences Act (POA) prosecutions within policy, procedures and legislation requirements:

• Review and prepare all pertinent information respecting “Bail Files”, for Crown including a synopsis of evidence, Crown Notes, Criminal Record, outstanding charges, and any Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Grounds for detention.
• Review RMS and eJust reports (text pages and images) to ensure sufficient detail to substantiate charges and readiness for court including accuracy and completeness of required documents.
• Create and generate required Court documents in accordance with legislated timelines such as Charge Information, Long Form Summons, and 810s, Warrants, etc. 
• Generate a new GO and complete required text pages for old warrant files (pre-RMS), cases of Fail to Appear for Court or Fingerprints and for Shop theft Protocol cases.
• Perform follow-ups with Investigative Officer as required to ensure timely completion of any outstanding documentation to ensure the successful prosecution is not compromised; review the quality and accuracy of submitted documentation; escalate with Officer Supervisor if required.

Attends Criminal Pre-Trial Court, providing information to the Court, documenting decisions and court outcomes through all phases of Court Proceedings and upon completion of same.  

• Prepare and compile all required documentation for Court.
• During Court Proceedings:
• Attend court and provide officer availability for setting trial dates.
• Prepare and serve Applications for Adjournment on behalf of the OPS to the Defence and Crown.
• Verify all officer availability, generate police court notices and civilian subpoenas, and determine involvement of witnesses and type of service needed.
• Prepare documentation of travel authorization for civilian and police witnesses.
• Monitor, track and verify that all subpoenas and court notices have been served 8 weeks prior to trial.
• Receive, track and manage copies of bench warrants including preparing documentation for extension requests.
• Update court dates on file fronts, RMS and send electronic notification to CPIC.
   

Major Responsibilities (continued)

Upon completion of Court Proceedings:

• Retrieve, analyze and interpret sentencing information on all Criminal Offences and enter dispositions into RMS, and send electronic notifications and disposition to RCMP, 
• Liaise with RCMP, Forensic Identification, police agencies and detention staff regarding disposition information. 
• Update RCMP with information concerning breach of Conditional Sentences and Court of Appeal Information.

Maintain the integrity of all criminal records information, including fingerprint verification, sealing, purging and dispositions:

• Process, verify and update daily the RMS and Intellibook system with fingerprint information for persons fingerprinted under the Identifications of Criminals Act.
• Maintain tracking system for persons failing to appear for fingerprints.
• Maintain Youth files in accordance with the Youth Criminal Justice Act, OPS retention and destruction or records policy. Seal Intellibook records and updating RMS regarding Records Suspensions and deceased person.
• Process ceased and revoked Records Suspensions as required, purge records and process C163 (death notification forms)
• Maintain a tracking system for fingerprint destruction, including actions taken, dates of destruction, etc.
• Administrate and troubleshoot Intellibook Biometric software in partnership with IT respecting access, guidance, and testing.
• Provide training to Special Constables as the subject matter expert on issues relating to their role in fingerprinting and photographing accused persons, and ensuring the Booking Reference Guide is kept up to date.
   

Major Responsibilities (continued)

Other responsibilities include:

• Issue Screening Notices for First Attendance Part I and Part III tickets, transcribe Traffic Queue, review RMS error report and make corrections as required, enter Suspension Notices in RMS, serve red-light ticket infractions to City Provincial Offences Clerks, and ensure hardcopy PON's are filed with POA Court within legislated timelines.
• As per policy and collective agreement process officer overtime submissions.
• Manage officer non-attendance at court; monitor illness notification line; follow up with officers who did not attend as scheduled and did not notify Court Liaison; notify crown and officer supervisor. 
• Provide expert advice and assistance to members on the functional areas of RMS, eJust, eWords, and court procedures.
• Provide excellent customer service to clients, order supplies, manage mail, and other general office duties as required.
• Respond to emails received in Section email box(s) and voice messages left on the "must answer" telephone line(s).
• Train new staff and coach new team members on job functions and procedures when cross-training.

Perform other duties as required or directed.
 

Statement of Required Qualifications

Education

• Completion of Secondary School - Grade 12 or equivalent, plus one (1) year relevant post secondary education.
• Experience and formal training combined may substitute for stipulated education requirements.

Experience

Minimum of one (1) year experience working in a police or comparable environment dealing with highly confidential electronic records or information i.e. police and court related documents:

• Experience working in a high volume environment, requiring attention to detail and accuracy.
• Experience providing client centered service requiring detailed explanations based on policy and / or legislation.

Language

• English – fluency in oral, reading, and writing.
   

Certifications and Licences

N / A

In service Training

The following mandatory training and education is provided to all employees of the OPS:

• Occupational Health & Safety.
• Respectful Workplace. 
• Violence in the Workplace.
• Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).
• Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI).

Training in the use of Corporate Software will be provided if necessary.
 

Job Knowledge

Working knowledge of the Organization’s Mission, Vision and Values.

General knowledge of the:

• Criminal Code of Canada, Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, Highway Traffic Act and the Youth Criminal Justice Act, Identification of Criminals Act and other related statutes.
• Ottawa Court Structure and general office procedures.

Competence in the use of computers in a Windows environment including MS Outlook, MS Word, and MS Excel. 

Understanding and ability to work in a client centered service.
 

OPS Competencies

Hours of Work

Effort and Working Conditions

• Work is performed in a standard office environment and courtrooms where conditions are noisy due to frequent flow of other staff, members of the public, and individuals in the custody of the police.
• Providing service to several people and various partners working under simultaneous deadlines; working in courts where the demands of the Judiciary, Crown and Defence Counsel are simultaneous and often times conflicting.
• Work can involve dealing with accused and / or their associates and agitated members of the general public
• Work involves the filing, moving and retrieval of court files which involves bending, carrying stacks of files, retrieving and filing files on high shelves utilizing step stools and ladders, as well as shelves low to the ground including boxes and large binder briefs. Also includes the filling and lifting of storage bins for shipping to file storage.
• Work can also involve extended periods of time working at computer terminals.
• The incumbent must be able to work shifts as designated in the “Hours of Work” section of the job description.
   

Desired Qualifications

• Oral, reading, and writing fluency in French or other languages.
• Two (2) years related work experience including a minimum of one (1) year experience working with court related documents and / or in a court related environment.
• Two (2) year College Diploma in Police Foundations or Legal Assistant.
• General knowledge of all OPS sections and their function pertaining to the Court Preparation Policy and Procedures.
• Investigative procedures as they relate to Warrants and the Court Preparation Policy and Procedures 
• Competence in the use of Versadex RMS, Court Assist, eJust, Intellibook, APS and the use of scanning equipment.
• Knowledge and use of Police record management systems and Canadian Police Information Center (CPIC).
• Knowledge of Ontario Court Corrections process, legislation, and practices.