Job Description

Posting number: 9

Department: Public Safety

Division: Detention Center

Job classification: DETENTION CENTER - Corrections Officer

Posting type: Open

Categories: Corrections, Public Safety

Summary

**The position you are applying for requires an additional Applicant Waiver and Applicant Questionnaire. Please verify that you have downloaded the Applicant Waiver and Applicant Questionnaire, completed them, and attached them to this application in the Attachments section of the application.**

Correctional Officers are responsible for overseeing individuals who have been arrested and are awaiting trial or who have been sentenced to serve time in the Detention Center. They are responsible for the safety and security of incarcerated people in the Detention Center.

Examples of duties

• Must complete required pre-service training at Horry County Human Resources Department and J. Reuben Long Detention Center.
• Must satisfactorily complete the JRLDC Field Training Program.
• Must attend and satisfactorily complete required training at the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy within the first twelve months of employment.
• Completes annual in-service training programs as required by the department and the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy in order to maintain their required certifications.
• Supervises inmates in direct and in-direct supervision housing units, conducts searches for contraband, conducts inmate counts, supervises meal servings, conducts watch tours, maintains housing unit logbook, and maintains an orderly housing unit operation.
• Provides custody and security of offenders including observing actions of offenders, squatting and bending to conduct "pat" and "strip" searches of offenders, restraining and securing sometimes assaultive offenders, and transferring and transporting offenders by walking or riding in various vehicles such as trailers, vans, buses, and other forms of transportation.
• Supervises and provides security of inmates performing skills such as construction, maintenance, laundry, food service, lawn maintenance and general cleaning task.
• Responds to emergencies, including climbing stairs while searching for escaped offenders, hearing calls for and calling for help, giving first aid at the emergency site, carrying an injured or unconscious offender or employee various distances to safety up or down. Uses force including the use of chemical agents and lethal and non-lethal weapons, to control offenders.
• Reads, reviews, and properly applies information found in offender records which is related to the offender’s health and safety and to the security of the facility; provides leadership and technical guidance to other staff; complies with policies, procedures, rules, and regulations; enforces offender disciplinary rules; and prepares and maintains records, forms, and reports.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Knowledge of:

• HCSO JRL Detention Center policies and procedures.
• County policies and procedures
• Prisoner detention principles, practices, methods, and equipment.
• Corrections practices and criminal justice system processes.
• Relevant laws, rules, regulations and standards pertaining to confinement in a detention center and as applied to inmate rights.
• Ability to recognize and identify potential suicidal inmates, inmates with mental illnesses, and inmates with substance abuse detox issues and respond appropriately.
• Adult corrections including behavior observation techniques, principles, theories and practices; knowledge of institutional procedures, crisis intervention, and verbal and physical intervention skills.
• Common safety rules, regulations, procedures and practices to include effective restraint techniques, basic first aid and CPR.

Ability to:

• Maintain records and preparing reports.
• Qualify with issued lethal and/or non-lethal weapons properly use restraint equipment, and general office equipment.
• Communicate orally and in writing.
• Operate keyboard equipment.
• Meet strenuous physical demands of criminal justice officials.
• Read, analyze and interpret center policies, procedures and directives, write reports, effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, inmates and general public.
• Solve basic mathematical problems.
• Solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in a situation where only limited standardization exists.
• Evaluate and respond quickly to situations in a firm and tactful manner. Diffuses emotional situations and offers solutions. Considers the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram or schedule form.
• Develop and maintain cooperative and professional relationships with employees, managers, and representatives from other departments and organizations. Shares knowledge with staff for mutual and departmental benefit.
• Establish and implement effective administrative programs and procedures. Ability to plan and organize daily work routine. Establishes priorities for the completion of work in accordance with sound time-management methodology. Performs a limited range of supervisory responsibilities over others.
• Communicate ideas effectively, including the preparation of reports and logs. Ability to listen and understand directions, information and ideas presented verbally and in writing. Ability to handle a variety of inmate questions with tact and diplomacy and in a confidential manner.
• Anticipate, identify and evaluate potentially dangerous, unusual or deviating situations and to exercise appropriate judgment to establish priorities and take prompt action for problem resolution.
• Exercise judgement in relating to people and in responding to changing situations.
• Demonstrate moral character, honesty, tact, fairness, lack of prejudice and desire to help when dealing with people.
• Prepare clear, concise, accurate and complete written and oral reports and to maintain accurate records of work activities.
• Fulfill physical requirements of work assignments to include maintaining physical conditioning required for performance of work assignments; occasional - frequent moderate lifting of 25-50 lbs.; and confinement to secured areas.

Supplemental information

Minimum:

• 18 years of age.
• Graduation from an accredited senior high school or equivalent or GED.
• Continued employment is contingent upon satisfactorily completing pre-service, Field Training and the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy Basic Jail Program.