Open Records Compliance Officer

Harris County Sheriff's Office•Houston, TX

8d•Onsite

About The Position

The Open Records Compliance Officer oversees the daily operations of the Open Records Unit (ORU) within the Legal Division of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO). This position is responsible for supervising the work of the ORU staff who receive, track, review, coordinate, redact, and respond to requests for public information under the Texas Public Information Act, confidentiality laws, law-enforcement records requirements, and agency policies. The Open Records Compliance Officer ensures that public information requests are processed accurately, consistently, and in a timely manner; reviews staff work for completeness, quality, legal sensitivity, confidentiality concerns, appropriate redactions, and compliance with required deadlines; coordinates with divisions across HCSO to obtain responsive records; and escalates matters requiring supervisory review. This position requires advanced knowledge of public information laws, law enforcement records, confidentiality requirements, records management practices, and open-government compliance. The position does not independently provide legal advice or represent the agency in legal matters.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, and three (3) years of progressively responsible experience as an open records compliance supervisor for a Texas governmental agency; or Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school is preferred and may substitute for open records compliance supervisor and related experience if the candidate has assisted and counseled a Texas governmental agency as a licensed attorney in the handling of public information requests.
Knowledge of: Texas Public Information Act requirements, procedures, deadlines, exceptions, and related open-government principles.
Knowledge of: Public information request intake, tracking, clarification, cost estimate, redaction, release, and closeout processes.
Knowledge of: Records management principles, retention requirements, and custodial responsibilities.
Knowledge of: Proper handling of confidential, sensitive, privileged, or legally protected information.
Knowledge of: Office technology, electronic records systems, redaction software, document management systems, spreadsheets, and standard Microsoft Office applications.
Skilled in: Training, assigning, and reviewing the work of staff.
Skilled in: Reading, interpreting, and applying statutes, policies, procedures, and written guidance.
Skilled in: Reviewing records for confidentiality concerns, release restrictions, redaction needs, and legal sensitivity.
Skilled in: Managing high-volume workloads with competing deadlines.
Skilled in: Identifying operational risk, compliance issues, and matters requiring elevated review.
Skilled in: Communicating clearly, professionally, and tactfully with requestors, employees, supervisors, command staff, attorneys, and external agencies.
Skilled in: Drafting clear correspondence, summaries, reports, procedures, and documentation.
Skilled in: Maintaining accurate records, logs, metrics, and case files.
Skilled in: Exercising sound judgment, discretion, and attention to detail.
Skilled in: Resolving routine operational issues and escalating complex or legally sensitive matters appropriately.
Ability to: Lead the daily operations of a high-volume public information/open records unit.
Ability to: Prioritize work and ensure statutory deadlines are monitored and met.
Ability to: Apply consistent review standards to records, redactions, correspondence, and staff work product.
Ability to: Distinguish between routine operational determinations and matters requiring elevated review.
Ability to: Establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
Ability to: Work independently while keeping Legal Division leadership informed of significant matters.
Ability to: Communicate complex information in a clear, neutral, and professional manner.

Nice To Haves

Experience handling law enforcement records, including offense reports, incident reports, arrest records, calls for service, body-worn camera records, internal investigation records, personnel records, and related documentation.
Experience using records management systems, public information request tracking systems, electronic redaction tools, or document management systems.
Experience preparing correspondence, summaries, reports, metrics, or documentation for legal or compliance review.
Supervisory experience in a high-volume administrative, legal, compliance, or records environment.

Responsibilities

Supervises the daily workflow of ORU.
Assigns, prioritizes, monitors, and reviews public information requests to ensure timely and accurate processing.
Independently handles public information requests.
Provides training, guidance, and quality control to ORU staff regarding intake, tracking, records collection, redaction, response preparation, documentation, and closeout of requests.
Reviews incoming requests to determine scope, complexity, urgency, assigned responsibility, and whether clarification from the requestor may be needed.
Ensures requests are tracked accurately and processed in compliance with applicable deadlines, statutory requirements, agency procedures, and Legal Division standards.
Reviews proposed releases, redactions, and withholding recommendations for accuracy, consistency, completeness, and compliance with applicable confidentiality requirements and public information laws.
Identifies requests involving sensitive, confidential, and protected records.
Escalates complex legal issues, disputed releases, potential exceptions, subpoena-related concerns, litigation holds, or requests requiring supervisory decision or further review within the Legal Division.
Coordinates with internal divisions, commands, units, and record custodians to identify, locate, collect, and review responsive records.
Ensures appropriate documentation is maintained for each request, including communications, clarifications, searches conducted, records received, redactions applied, exceptions considered, deadlines, and final responses.
Reviews and approves draft correspondence to requestors, including clarification letters, cost estimates, status updates, release notifications, and other routine Open Records communications.
Ensures consistent application of redaction protocols, confidentiality markings, release standards, and record-handling procedures across ORU.
Monitors workload, request volume, aging requests, backlog, performance measures, and compliance trends.
Prepares reports, metrics, and status updates regarding ORU activity, pending requests, response times, backlog, staffing needs, and operational concerns.
Develops, updates, and maintains unit procedures, templates, checklists, tracking tools, training materials, and quality-control standards.
Provides guidance to agency personnel regarding ORU procedures, records searches, responsive record identification, and proper routing of public information requests.
Assists with implementation and improvement of records request management systems, redaction tools, tracking processes, and electronic records workflows.
Handles highly confidential and sensitive information with discretion, professionalism, and compliance with applicable laws and policies.
Supports Legal Division leadership in evaluating operational needs, staffing levels, process improvements, and risk areas related to public information requests.
Performs other duties as assigned within the scope and responsibility of the position.