Detention Officer - Full-Time

Detention Officer

The County is an equal opportunity employer. The County shall, upon request, provide reasonable accommodations to otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities. This job description is intended to reflect core areas of responsibility and an incumbent employee's knowledge and skill set needed to complete those functions. This document is not intended to catalog each individual duty; employees are routinely called upon to address emerging employer requirements in alignment with individual work units and assignments of jobs. The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer change.

Job Title : Detention Officer

FLSA Status : Non-Exempt

Department : Sheriff's Office

Reports To : Detention Captain

Work Unit Overview : The Sheriff's Office performs law enforcement and crime prevention work including preserving the peace, patrolling assigned areas, serving warrants and making arrests, and assisting in preliminary investigations. The mission of the Sheriff's Office is to maintain and improve the quality of life within the community by working with all people to preserve life, maintain human rights, protect property, promote individual responsibility, and community commitment.

Job Summary : The Detention Officer is responsible for supervising, observing, transporting, booking, searching, and processing inmates at the Sheriff's detention facilities; and performs related duties as required.

Essential Functions (Major Duties or Responsibilities)

These duties are the essential functions and are not all-inclusive of all duties that the incumbent performs.

• Maintain security and monitor movement of persons detained at a Sheriff's detention facility to protect the public and other prisoners.
• Supervise the security and conduct of inmates in housing units during group meetings, meals, bathing, at recreation, during visitations, and during work or other assignments.
• Book prisoners into detention facilities following prescribed procedures : issue clothing and supplies to inmates; process inmate discharges or transfers and arrange for transportation if necessary; write reports and maintain written records on standardized forms relating to inmates.
• Visually and physically search inmates for contraband, weapons, or narcotics; inspect inmates' quarters for contraband; inspect and direct cleaning activities of inmates for maintenance of sanitation, orderliness and safety.
• Promote acceptable attitudes and behavior of inmates to assist them in adjusting to confinement; confer with assigned supervisors or officers regarding behavioral or other inmate problems; participate in programs designed to prepare inmates for release.
• Perform risk assessments and classify inmates in order that more dangerous or hostile inmates are identified and made known to all staff according to established procedures to minimize risk to county staff and other inmates.
• Anticipate and avert potential problems and assist in suppressing and controlling problems that might occur; report incidents in the prescribed manner.
• Appoint and supervise inmate workers; make recommendations for transfer of inmates.
• Make appropriate judgments of needed actions for a wide variety of situations, including laws related to detention of individuals who have been accused of a crime and those that have been convicted, and adapt responses according to established departmental policy, criminal codes, ongoing training, conditions, and specifics of a situation. Use sound, professional judgment and rely on training and common sense to request assistance of other law enforcement officers, public health or safety officials, emergency medical personnel and / or medical examiners staff.
• Provide responsive, high quality service to County employees, representatives of outside agencies and members of the public by providing accurate, complete, and up-to-date information in a courteous, efficient, and timely manner.

Non-Essential Functions

Attend workshops, law-enforcement seminars, and educational sessions to keep updated on policing strategies, changing laws, and crime trends affecting the County to best serve the community in protecting life and property.

Coordinate community outreach events and public education programs to foster community relations and to promote a safe community committed to problem solving and respect for the law.

Perform other duties as assigned including assisting in special operations, attending meetings and conferences, providing backup for other staff, participating in training, etc.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions : The demands and conditions described here are representative of those the employee must meet to perform the essential functions of the job.

Supervision Exercised : List jobs reporting to the subject position and level of supervisory authority.

The position does not regularly supervise other County employees, but may train newer employees and direct the work of administrative personnel.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities : The job requires knowledge of modern methods and techniques of dealing with individuals in custody; criminal attitudes and behavior patterns; the social factors underlying criminal behavior; rules, regulations, practices and procedures in the day-to-day operation and control of the Sheriff's detention facility; and the behavior of people in a custody setting.

This job requires the ability to interpret and enforce institutional rules, regulations, and other policies with firmness, tact and impartiality; observe inmates; to anticipate and avert potential problems; effectively control, direct, and instruct inmates individually and in groups; make accurate risk assessments and inmate classifications; read, speak, and write English effectively and interpret written material; make simple arithmetic calculations; use electronic information equipment and specific systems utilized within the department; enter data accurately; use word processing software to prepare clear and concise reports; accurately follow oral and written directions; promote acceptable attitudes and behavior of inmates while in confinement; work with and around a wide variety of people; take verbal abuse; make quick, effective and reasonable decisions in emergencies and take appropriate action to physically restrain violent inmates; work in uniform; work all shifts, including days, evenings, nights, weekdays, weekends, holidays, and overtime.

Education and Experience : This job requires education and experience equivalent to a high school diploma or a GED certificate. Some law enforcement or detention experience preferred. Candidates certified for employment must be willing to undergo and successfully complete an in-depth background investigation, including a psychological evaluation, finger printing, criminal history check, polygraph, and a medical examination.

To apply, fill out Richland County Application and Release of Information Form and leave them at Sidney Job Service. Both can be found at Job Service Sidney, 211 North Central.