Detention Deputy; Academy

Salary: $64,446.60 - $ Annually
Location: Boise,
Job Type: Full-Time with Benefits
Job Number: 02790
Department: Sheriff
Division: JSB
- Jail Services
Opening Date: 12/01/2025
Closing Date: 4/5/2026 11:59 PM Mountain

Supervises and maintains custody of inmates and provides security for the Ada County Jail. Uses personal judgment in the performance of duties, referring unusual, unique, or complex issues to the sergeant for advice and guidance.

Day shift (6:48 am – 7:00 pm) or Night shift (6:48 pm – 7:00 am). Work week is four 12‑hour shifts, then four days off (2,220 hours per year). Shift pick every six months. The jail is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, so the position requires work on weekends, nights, and holidays.

• Low‑cost medical, dental, and vision insurances
• Idaho PERSI retirement plan
• Deferred Compensation plan 457(b) with a County match of up to 3%
• Flexible Spending Accounts – Health and Dependent Care
• Post‑Employment Health Plan – 50% of unused sick leave above 240 hours
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• No cost basic life, accidental death, and short‑term disability insurances
• 11 paid holidays annually
• Paid vacation leave, sick leave, and parental leave
• No cost gym access at three County‑owned facilities
• Wellness Program
• Optional 401(k) and/or Roth IRA

• Maintains security and custody of inmates
• Performs routine security checks of the building perimeter and grounds
• Preserves and enforces Idaho laws and departmental jail policies
• Processes inmates into the jail and assigns them to the proper level of confinement
• Receives and maintains inmates’ property
• Forcefully controls and restrains actively resisting inmates
• Works all shifts, including evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays, as needed or on‑call
• Supervises inmate visitations
• Supervises food dispensing to inmates
• Supervises inmates and trustee‑inmates in the cleaning of the jail and inmate living quarters
• Transports inmates to and from necessary locations
• Eligible for transfer among all Detention Officer positions and shifts
• Performs necessary searches for weapons and contraband
• Keeps records and prepares reports

• May be assigned to special assignments as needed
• Performs related work as required

• High school diploma or equivalent
• At least 21 years of age at the time of hire
• Citizen of the United States
• Knowledge of English grammar, spelling, and punctuation
• Ability to supervise and communicate with inmates
• Ability to hear, listen to, and understand radio transmissions using an earpiece
• Ability to communicate effectively, verbally and in writing
• Ability to tolerate criticism and verbal abuse from inmates and visitors without reacting negatively, projecting confidence and control
• Ability to subdue and restrain a combative inmate
• Ability to evaluate and recognize potentially adverse or unsafe situations and react per department policy
• Ability to perform duties without a direct threat to health or safety of the incumbent or others

• Must pass a written exam, the POST physical agility test, a polygraph exam, background investigation, medical exam, and a psychological evaluation
• Must become POST certified as a Detention Officer within one year of employment
• Must obtain and maintain an Idaho Driver’s License
• Position is safety‑sensitive and subject to random drug testing

• Work performed in and around the jail facility with an element of personal danger
• Requires sufficient physical strength to subdue an inmate in time of confrontation or break up a fight between inmates
• Must be able to remove an unconscious person from the jail in emergency and hold an inmate attempting self‑harm
• Must be able to use first‑aid and CPR techniques when necessary

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential functions satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodation. The above statements describe the general nature and level of work assigned to this job. They are not exhaustive. This job description is not an employment agreement. Ada County provides Veteran's Preference for all County jobs except for those deemed “key positions” in accordance with Idaho Code.