It has come to our attention that our previous bulletin on 4 September 2024, which you can find HERE, contains a small omission concerning the protocol to be followed if you do not have three Sheriff’s Officers on a scanning location. Following internal industrial advice the PSA seeks to clarify the following:

• In the event that there are less than three Sheriff’s Officers on a screening location and you intend to suspend screening, you must also, in consultation with the Registrar and OIC, close the courthouse during this period. Screening should only be suspended where there is less than 3 officers, where responding to a duress alarm or emergency, or if required to enable a lunch break to be taken. You will need to work with the Registrar and OIC to coordinate how lunch breaks are taken at each individual location.
• Members should use their own due diligence to ensure that courthouses are still functioning safely. It should be remembered that the purpose of these work bans is to draw attention to the ongoing dispute over Sheriff’s Officer pay and should not in any way impact the safety of those court locations that remain open.
• In the event that an Officer needs to respond to a duress alarm, it is the view of the PSA that an Officer coming off the scanners to respond to an incident is in keeping with our work ban.
• In any event, there should never be a situation at a courthouse with operational scanners where a courthouse remains open if this scanning cannot take place.

Sheriff’s Office Vocational Branch Advisory Group (SOVBAG) delegates of the PSA and key contacts will meet tomorrow to further discuss the current and future organization of ongoing work bans.