Correctional Officer

Mission

The Mission of the Jefferson County Correctional Facility is to provide the safe and secure detention of offenders in order to protect the staff, inmates and citizens of Jefferson County.

• Be a U.S. citizen.
• Be at least 18 years of age.
• Possess a valid Texas Driver’s License with a good driving record.
• Proof of valid auto insurance.
• Have a High School Diploma or GED.
• Never have been convicted of an offense above the grade of class A misdemeanor or a Class B misdemeanor within the last 10 years. Never have been convicted of any family violence offense.
• Be subject to a thorough background investigation and personal interviews by representatives of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

Must complete a TCOLE approved basic corrections officer course and be a TCOLE certified county jailer within 1 year of employment. The corrections course is offered in an online format and requires 3 days of physical skills training in person.

• Provides direct supervision and conducts security rounds inside the housing areas and other areas of the facility;
• Observes behavior in order to detect safety and security concerns;
• Intervenes to break-up physical altercations between inmates;
• Restrain and detain out-of-control inmates in order to maintain control of area;
• Conduct pat searches to maintain safety and security of facility;
• Inspects housing areas and other areas assigned to maintain cleanliness of facility;
• Enforces the rules and regulations of the facility;
• Write disciplinary and incident reports;
• Conduct searches within the facility for unauthorized contraband;
• Reports any safety, mechanical and maintenance problems that are observed to supervisor;
• Conduct escorts of inmates for security reasons;
• Attends daily shift meetings to receive instructions and exchange information regarding current conditions;
• Completes required paperwork at end of each shift, including any offense reports and incident reports.

Performs other job relating duties, as directed. Overtime may be required as necessary for the security of the facility and the citizens of Jefferson County.

The above describes the general nature and level of work being performed by employees holding this position. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities required nor are all the duties listed necessarily performed by any one employee so classified.

• Effective verbal and written communication skills;
• Strong interpersonal skills in order to interact and cooperate with co-workers and provide effective direct supervision of inmates;
• Effective problem-solving skills as well as proven leadership ability.

• Personal computer/mainframe computer terminal;
• Other general office equipment as needed;
• Security systems (including locks, fire alarms/sprinkler, camera surveillance);
• Handcuffs and attend training in use;
• The training and proper use of hand-held radio for communication within the facility.

• Work to be performed in all areas of facility;
• Must be available to work any and all shifts 7a-3p, 3p-11p, 11p-7a including weekends and holidays;
• Overtime when necessary to ensure proper staffing for safety and security.

• Duties require frequent walking, reaching, lifting, carrying, climbing.
• Restraining out of control inmates
• Dealing with emergency situations (medical, riot, fire, etc.)
• Must be able to stand and sit for long periods of time.

The Sheriff's Office offers a competitive benefits package including vacation, sick, holiday, personal and military leave; medical, dental, and vision insurance after 90 days; deferred compensation plan; overtime; mandatory retirement contribution to the Texas County and District Retirement System at 7% with a 2:1 match; education, bi-lingual, and longevity pay under contract; flexible spending accounts; life insurance; long-term disabiltiy; prescription drug coverage;
Employee Assistance Program; and use of the Employee Health Clinic.