Public Information Officer

Plans, develops and coordinates comprehensive community education, communication, crisis communication, and marketing strategies for the Ada County Sheriff’s Office. Serves as a primary source of timely, accurate public safety information during critical incidents, emergencies, and other events affecting the community; provides direction to the Sheriff’s Office involving public information, internal information, and community relations activities; publicizes Sheriff’s Office progress and accomplishments, points of view, and programs; creates video, photography, graphics, and other multimedia content; develops and distributes print and digital media, primarily through the Sheriff’s Office social media platforms.

Schedule and Availability

• 40 hours per week with flexibility in schedule;
• On-call coverage which may include evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays;
• Communicate availability and schedule on a weekly basis;
• Arrange for back up coverage if unavailable.

BENEFITS

• Low cost medical, dental, and vision insurances
• Idaho PERSI retirement plan
• Deferred Compensation plan 457(b) with a County match of up to 3%
• Flexible Spending Accounts – Health and Dependent Care
• Post-Employment Health Plan – 50% of unused sick leave above 240 hours
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• No cost basic life, accidental death, and short-term disability insurances
• Eleven (11) paid holidays annually
• Paid vacation leave, sick leave, and parental leave
• No cost gym access at three (3) County owned gym facilities
• Wellness Program
• Optional 401(k) and/or Roth IRA

Visit adacounty.id.gov/Human-Resources/Employee-Benefits to view details regarding our full benefits package.

• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with media outlets and individual reporters;
• Responds to media inquiries in a timely manner;
• Schedules and facilitates news conferences, editorial meetings, and interviews with traditional news outlets, podcast and YouTube hosts, and other media producers; coordinates inquiries and requests from network television productions, including documentaries;
• Compiles, provides background and prepares talking points for the Sheriff and other members of the ACSO for media interviews and presentations;
• Maintains media contact lists and the system for distributing news releases;
• Serves as a strategic communication advisor to the Sheriff and command staff; advises administration on effective communication practices, including public relations (PR) and information dissemination, and provides media training for staff;
• Develops and carries out crisis communication plans, and serves as an agency spokesperson during critical incidents, emergencies, and other high-profile events;
• Manages the Sheriff’s Office brand and public reputation, ensuring consistent messaging, tone, and visual identity across all platforms;
• Writes information releases and other messages about incidents, events, service, crime prevention and other areas of interest to the community, and determines the most effective method of distribution, such as news releases, social media, or media pitches;
• Maintains a regular on-call schedule, including evenings and weekends, and provides timely responses to the media;
• Plans, films, and edits short-form and long-form video content for social media, the public website, internal communications, and agency events;
• Designs and produces graphics, slide shows, displays, multimedia presentations and other informational materials;
• Provides event photography for academy graduations, retirements, award ceremonies, and other agency events, and captures photos for digital media;
• Develops, schedules, and publishes content across Sheriff’s Office social media platforms, and manages digital content for the ACSO public website;
• Monitors social media platforms and responds to public comments and messages as appropriate;
• Tracks social media analytics and reports on content performance and audience engagement;
• Maintains an organized library of photo, video, and graphic assets;
• Keeps the ACSO administration informed of potential controversies and public issues involving law enforcement.

Additional Functions

• Performs related functions as required.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations, Journalism, Communication, or a related field;
• A minimum of 3 years experience in broadcast, media or public relations;
• Experience with software such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Photoshop, Adobe Acrobat, and Canva to create reports, graphics, and multimedia presentations;
• Experience with video editing software such as Adobe Premiere Pro, iMovie, CapCut, and Edits;
• Experience operating digital cameras, audio equipment, and lighting for photo and video production;
• Knowledge of federal and state laws, regulations, and standards for the management, storage and disclosure of confidential and public information and current principles, techniques, methods, and objectives of public information management;
• Knowledge of social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, as well as current content trends and best practices for audience engagement;
• Knowledge of the role of law enforcement, the goals and objectives of news media organizations, and the strategies used in advertising, marketing, and promotional activities;
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of strategic communication, crisis communication, and brand and reputation management;
• Ability to use PR strategies and communication tools to conduct public information programs for internal and external audiences;
• Ability to exercise sound judgment regarding effective methods for communicating policies, practices, achievements, philosophies, political positions, and events to the media, the public, and employees;
• Ability to develop, organize, and use public contacts and publicity and promotional strategies to promote community awareness and support;
• Ability to write a variety of articles, informational releases, fact sheets, and speeches;
• Ability to facilitate multimedia presentations for diverse internal and external groups;
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing;
• Ability to interpret data and use it to inform communication strategies and recommendations;
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.

Other Requirements

• Must appear before an oral board and complete a polygraph, credit check, and background investigation prior to hire;
• Must respond to crime scenes as requested;
• Must obtain and maintain a current valid Idaho Driver’s License;
• Must maintain strict confidentiality of sensitive information, including details of active investigations and personnel issues;
• This position has been designated safety sensitive and therefore the incumbent is subject to random drug testing.

• Work is performed in an office environment and in the field at agency events, community events, and incident scenes, and may involve exposure to outdoor weather conditions;
• Regularly exposed to sensitive and potentially distressing subject matter, including crimes against children, sexual exploitation, death, and other traumatic incidents;
• May be required to lift and carry camera, audio, and lighting equipment up to 30 lbs.;
• Requires sufficient personal mobility and physical reflexes to function in office and field environments, including standing and walking for extended periods while filming or photographing events.

DISCLAIMER

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the primary job responsibilities satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodation. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being assigned to this job. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of individuals in the job. This job description is not an employment agreement and/or an expressed or implied employment contract. Management has the exclusive right to alter this job description at any time without notice. Ada County provides Veteran's Preference for all County jobs except for those deemed "key positions" in accordance with Title 65, Chapter 5 of Idaho Code.