Employees

Deputy Sheriff

Employee Name:

Gerry Kolp

Title:

Deputy Sheriff

Ministry:

Ministry of Attorney General

Background:

Education: Fire Science Courses, Justice Institute of B.C.;
Security Officer Certificate Program, Vancouver Community College;
Deputy Sheriff Pre-Employment Program, Justice Institute of B.C.
A member of the BC Public Service since: 1991

My Role: I work out of the downtown Vancouver courthouse and really enjoy my work. There is a lot of variety and each day brings something different. Deputy Sheriffs are peace officers and are responsible for security at courthouses around the province, including every person in the building: judges, jurors, accused, witnesses, lawyers, staff and the public. As such, we need to be able to respond quickly and effectively to any situation or emergency that may arise.

Sheriffs perform various duties including: high security escorts of accused persons; providing security in the courthouse; out of province escorts; assisting with jury selection, managing jurors during court proceedings and serving court documents and warrants.

Currently my position is Team Leader/Operations Supervisor for a high profile trial; this involves supervision of staff and ensuring court proceeds in a safe and secure manner. I am also a squad leader/trainer for our Crowd Management Team, which is called into action in the event a situation arises at the courthouse, a trainer for new recruits and provide refresher training for existing deputies.

A typical morning for me might begin with meeting one of the sheriff transport vehicles as it arrives from the Correctional facility, searching prisoners, escorting them to a jail cell and then taking them to the holding facility prior to court.

Before court begins, the courtroom is searched for contraband. When the accused is called, I escort him/her into the courtroom and ensure security is maintained during court proceedings. When a high profile trial, such as Air India or perhaps a gang-related prosecution is underway, the level of security increases substantially. In some cases, members of the public are searched before being allowed into the courtroom and extra Deputy Sheriffs are assigned.

At the completion of the court session, Sheriffs from our Escorts section pick the prisoner up and take them back to their institution.

Career Path:

I started out as security in nightclubs and then worked as a security officer during Expo '86. I spent two years working in loss prevention for a major retailer in downtown Vancouver. Then, after taking an industrial first aid course, I became a first aid attendant for a company that dispatched first aid to construction sites. I also worked security for St. Paul's Hospital and B.C. Transit Security. I saw an opening for a Deputy Sheriff position and it sounded interesting. I was hired and subsequently attended the Justice Institute Academy for Deputy Sheriff training. I have had the opportunity to work in all levels of Courts in British Columbia.

What I Like Best:

I like the people I work with, the camaraderie. We work as a team. As a trainer/mentor I feel I contribute to the team atmosphere which is an important aspect to my job. I work a lot of interesting, high security trials and I'm looking forward to being team leader/operations supervisor for some of the upcoming high-profile trials. I like that I don't take my work home with me; I get weekends off and I can go home and have a life. I have the freedom to do what I want to do at the end of the day.

Ideas At Work:

In my job, I feel like I'm a productive member of society and I'm contributing something worthwhile. I'm giving something back to community. I had the opportunity to be one of three Deputies that worked the 2007 Joint International Judicial Conference in Vancouver that included judges from all over North America. One of my proudest moments was when I attended career week at my son's school. I talked to his class, brought down a car and gave out shoulder flashers to the kids. I showed them our equipment, including helmets, shields and handcuffs, and spoke to students about being a Sheriff. My son looked so proud.

Advice:

You need to be a good team player and be a great communicator as you are dealing verbally with anyone from prisoners to judges on a daily basis. It also helps to have a good sense of humour and to bring a positive attitude. Keeping fit is very important. In fact, just the appearance of physical fitness can sometimes prevent things from escalating. Courses that are helpful would include First Aid and some post-secondary education in an area like criminology. If you want to eventually move up to a supervisor position, courses in Business Administration would be beneficial.