Vacancy Announcement

Location: Cherokee County Detention Center

Position: Detention Officer

Hourly Rate: $16.8406 full time if certified

Status: Full time with benefits but start as part-time 28 hours per week

Posting Date: November 10, 2022

Description: Cherokee County Detention Center is seeking qualified applicants to serve as detention officers in the Detention Center. There is currently a pressing need for female officers to supervise female inmates, however we currently need officers of any gender.

An employee in this position is responsible for the supervision and safekeeping of inmates in the County’s detention center and seeing that inmates receive proper food and clothing, medical care, medications, access to religious activities if desired, family support, legal access, and other appropriate care.

Duties and Responsibilities

Essential Duties and Tasks

Supervises and maintains security for inmates in the County detention facility.

Oversees security for the entry of persons into and out of the detention facility according to defined procedures.

Processes inmates into and out of the detention facility, completes necessary forms and logs, searches arriving inmates, explains policies and procedures, determines any personal issues the inmate may have.

Performs security checks to insure inmates and facilities are secure.

Performs emergency services dispatching.

Monitors court appearance schedules and insures inmates are ready; transports inmates as required.

Makes inmates available for legal consultation with attorneys.

Performs housekeeping chores such as laundry and cleaning; maintains supplies and equipment.

Insures inmates receive meals, mail, medications, and medical attention if required.

Gathers and maintains information to support periodic and special reports documenting detention facility activities and events.

Performs routine office tasks, such as typing, filing, faxing, phoning, and copying.

Additional Job Duties

Performs related duties as required.

Recruitment and Selection Guidelines

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers and the public.

Ability to respond quickly and effectively, often in stressful situations

Ability to withstand verbal assaults by unhappy inmates, families and to endure sometimes high levels of stress.

Ability and knowledge of proper procedures to restrain an inmate, using force if necessary.

Successful completion of detention officer training within one year of hire.

Physical Requirements

Must be able to physically perform the basic life operational functions of climbing, crouching, crawling, reaching, standing, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, fingering, grasping, talking, hearing, and repetitive motions.

Must be able to perform heavy work exerting up to in excess of 100 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 50 pounds of force frequently,

Must possess visual acuity to prepare records and reports; observe people and things for security purposes, and operate electronic control panels and view computer screens.

May be exposed to extremes of hot and cold weather and may have contact with blood borne pathogens. May require the use of personal protective equipment in certain situations.

Desirable Education and Experience

Requires high school graduation or GED. Must be at least 21 years of age. Requires successful completion of detention officer training course within one year of hire.