This is a position where you would assist judges in order to keep an orderly and safe courtroom, not just for the judge but for everyone in the courtroom as well. Your duties would typically include searching people for firearms that are unauthorized. Of course, it is okay for certain people to carry firearms.
It is also the job of the security officer to keep the jury safeguarded from the public. Since the job of the jury is to have only opinions that are formed from the courtroom and not from the media or stalkers outside the courtroom, it is important that they are kept from the public. Sometimes, the jury could be in danger leaving and coming to the court house, especially in trials where someone might be sentenced to death or life in prison.
As someone who is in the job role of physical security in the courtroom, it is also up to you to formally announce the judge when he or she enters the courtroom. It is also up to you to make sure that all of the courtroom rules are followed by everyone in the room.
If after reviewing the standard job description of the security officer you feel that this is a career path that you would like to take, it is important to know the requirements. Many people find themselves under the impression that you need to have a criminal degree but this is not always the case. Generally, court officers do not even need to have a college degree but there may be regions that prefer it. If you happen to have taken courses in criminal justice or other fields of the law, you might have a better chance at being accepted for a position.
Candidates for open positions must be able to pass with success a criminal background check, a drug test and a physical exam. You might also be interested in knowing that a report from 2009 showed that the average salary of someone in this field earns about $34,200 a year. It is also said that this is a field that is expected to continue to grow and that by 2016, there should be about 21,000 bailiffs working, which would be an increase of eleven percent.
If you feel that you would be an excellent person for this type of work and you have what it takes to make sure that the laws are followed and that everyone remains respected and safe, and then you might want to get started looking for employment. The sooner you start your search the sooner you will be working in the courtroom.
