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Form of workThis is responsible administrative support and advanced level programmatic work in the City of Madison Police Department. This work requires exercising considerable judgment and discretion in the interpretation and application of department policies and procedures, along with the Wisconsin Public records law. Work is performed under the general supervision of the Records Custodian and may provide direction to limited numbers of other staff members. The work primarily consists of processing and reviewing public records requests made of the Police Department. The records may consist of police reports (paper or electronic), video, photographs/images, personnel records, emails, etc. The employee exercises considerable judgment and discretion in handling extremely sensitive and confidential information.
Employees may be eligible for loan forgiveness through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.
The City of Madison is an equal opportunity employer functioning under an affirmative action plan. We value diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Black, Indigenous, people of color, women, trans, nonbinary, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply!
Public Records (Open Records)
Interagency Records Requests
Miscellaneous Responsibilities
- Maintain current, working knowledge of the Wisconsin Public records law and related state and federal laws.
- Adhere to procedures established for processing/reviewing public records requests.
- Read or view record requests.
- Apply the "balancing test" as stated in the Public records law to determine: Absolute right to access; Absolute denial of access; and Right of access by the balancing test.
- Based on the outcome of the "balancing test," redact protected information from records requested.
- Determine if requests are truly public records requests or requests that have limited access in state law or under agreement.
- Conduct any additional research necessary to complete the records request review.
- Conduct follow-up calls with other records custodians to ensure the review is complete.
- Communicate with requestors via email, telephone, or in person to clarify the request and/or provide a timeline for the completion of the review.
- Prioritize workload.
- Attend regularly scheduled meetings with the Police Records Custodian and the assigned City Attorney.
- Compose written responses to requestors.
Interagency Records Requests
- Adhere to procedures established for the processing/reviewing of interagency records requests.
- Read or view record requests.
- Determine if record can be released by evaluating if the case is pending, if there are confidential informants, if there are undercover officers, etc.
- Communicate with requestors via email or telephone to clarify the request and/or provide a timeline for the completion of the review.
Miscellaneous Responsibilities
- Act as point of contact for other Records personnel with public records questions.
- Perform other related work as required.
- Three (3) years of responsible administrative support experience that included significant administrative responsibilities involving complex clerical, administrative, and/or accounting systems and procedures.
- Coursework in secretarial, business, and/or accounting.
-OR-
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university may be substituted for the experience and coursework requirements.
-OR-
- Two (2) year technical college degree in a related field such as administrative assistant, legal secretary, office management, etc. may be substituted for the experience and coursework requirements.
If an applicant does not possess the specific requirements outlined above, HR will review the application materials to determine if the applicant possesses the following equivalent experience:
Four (4) years of experience in applying the following:
Four (4) years of experience in applying the following:
- Wisconsin Public Records Law.
Two (2) years of experience in applying the following:
- Office administrative methods, practices, and equipment.
- English composition, correct punctuation, spelling, grammatical usage, and acceptable business letter and report formats.
- Computers and computer software applicable to the duties of the position, such as Microsoft Word, Excel and similar database programs.
The City of Madison strives to provide exceptional customer service to all its residents and visitors. Therefore successful candidates will have demonstrated ability to effectively work with multicultural communities.
For a complete list of the knowledge, skills and abilities, please view the class specification.
Must obtain Transaction Information for the Management of Enforcement (TIME) certification within six (6) months of hire and must be re-certified every two (2) years. Because of this certification, candidates must undergo a thorough background check including fingerprints, and will be disqualified based on FBI guidelines.
Must successfully complete Public Records training. The employee must complete formal training in Open Records Law within 12 months of appointment. Failure to complete the required training will result in removal from the position, absent extenuating circumstances.
Physical requirements:
Work in this position is primarily sedentary, requiring the ability to sit/stand at a desk, work on a computer, and use a monitor for extended periods of time under varied and occasionally stressful situations.
*Payroll title for this position is Program Assistant 1
Stated salary will receive a 4% wage increase effective December 24, 2023.
Employment Type: PERMANENT FULL TIME
