CORRECTIONAL POLICE OFFICER APPRENTICE

Official job specification

The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.

Definition

Under the immediate supervision of a training officer or other supervisory official in the Department of Corrections, as a student, attends an in-residence course of study for correctional police officers approved by the NJ Police Training Commission at the Corrections Staff Training Academy or other designated approved academy and a non-residential period of on-site training at an assigned correctional facility; performs other related duties as required.

Examples of work

• <i>As a student:</i>
• As an apprentice and productive worker, observes and participates in activities associated with the care and custody of inmates and clients and does work which will provide a working knowledge of, and preparedness for, practical custody experience.
• Attends classes and seminars designed to address principles of inmate and client supervision practices and other law enforcement activities, in accordance with New Jersey Statutes and regulations.
• Observes and learns the proper procedures to exercise full police powers and act as a peace officer at all times for the detection, apprehension, arrest, and conviction of offenders against the law.
• During the period of on-site training, assists senior correctional police officers or other custody staff in the performance of their assigned duties and receives on-the-job training and instruction in the proper methods and practices for monitoring inmate and client activities, and learns other aspects of job.
• Learns the proper usage, security, integrity, and care for carrying firearms and the responsibility of maintaining firearms and other restraints and defense equipment while performing assigned duties.
• Attends a training program to learn various law enforcement practices, instructions, and qualifications in the use of firearms, physical preparedness, self-defense, report preparation, surveillance and detection techniques, laws, applicable regulations, practices, and procedures for arrest and apprehension of violators.
• Learns to perform custodial duties in accordance with established policies, regulations, and procedures to encourage and assist persons deprived of their liberty toward complete social rehabilitation.
• Attends training in the proper methods and procedures to be used in patrolling assigned areas of the buildings and grounds and making required reports by telephone, punch clock, or other means; learns to make periodic counts of inmates and clients, and report the whereabouts of absent inmates and clients.
• Learns to assist in controlling the general conduct and behavior of inmates and clients according to established institution procedures and prevent disturbances and escape attempts.
• Observes and participates in various classification and selection committees' processes and related principles and practices a ssociated with these forums.
• Learns the proper methods of reporting violations of prison rules to supervisory officials.
• Attends training in the proper procedures and methods to be used in the maintenance of discipline in the prison cells, recreation yards, schools, hospitals, theaters, churches, mess halls, shops, farms, and other places where inmates and clients are gathered in groups.
• Learns to assist in ensuring that contraband articles are not concealed on the bodies of the inmates and clients or in any part of the institution, and that institution property and equipment is kept in a clean, safe, and orderly condition.
• Attends training in the making of periodic inspections of the locks, window bars, grills, doors, gates, and any other places of possible egress from the institution.
• Learns the proper procedures to be used in escorting inmate and client movements.
• Attends training on noting suspicious persons and conditions and taking appropriate measures in reporting significant actions, occurrences, and conditions in the buildings and on the grounds; learns to report conditions constituting dangers and hazards and take the necessary steps to ensure safe and orderly conditions.
• Attends demonstrations of the proper methods of utilizing available institution equipment and accessories.
• Learns the proper procedure to be used in escorting inmates and clients when their presence is required in a court of law.
• Learns the proper procedures to be used when assigned to medical facilities, to ensure the safety and security of departmental and non-departmental personnel in the performance of their duties.
• Learns the proper procedures to be used when assigned to sentry duty, to observe everything significant that takes place within sight and hearing of the post, to report unusual events to supervisory personnel, and to prevent disorders and escapes.
• Receives training in the preparation of reports and maintenance of essential records.
• Learns how to recognize and rapidly evaluate potentially dangerous situations involving inmates and clients.
• Learns to exercise caution and good judgment in handling circumstances to restore order, avoid personal injury, or to prevent endangerment to the general public and/or serious property damage.
• Learns how to identify and properly deal with security violations and to enforce appropriate sanctions.
• Learns the practices and procedures for monitoring specific enforcement programs.
• Learns how to prepare incident reports of inmate and client violations and the procedures for reporting such incidents; learns about the investigations required to prepare reports.
• Learns to prepare and compose correspondence, memorandums, and other communications.
• Learns how to act as a witness and testify before formal hearings, grand juries, courts of law, administrative hearings, or other judicial bodies.
• Learns procedures on how to convey information to inmates, clients, and their relatives who do not speak English as their first language.
• Learns how to maintain essential records and the security of confidential records and files.
• Observes and learns to be of assistance in performing investigations and in preparing detailed, cohesive reports.
• Attends training designed to ensure that inmate and client rights are not violated.
• Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and computerized information system used by the agency, office, or related units.

Education

Possession of a High School Diploma or its equivalent.

<b>AGE:</b>

Minimum of eighteen (18) years of age.

<b>CITIZENSHIP:</b>

Must be a United States citizen at the time of appointment.

<b>SPECIAL NOTES:</b>

At time of appointment, eligible candidates for this position must submit acceptable proof of meeting the indicated requirements.

Where hiring preferences apply, appointments must meet the residency requirements of the jurisdiction as of the filing date, and up to and including the date of appointment.

Appointees must be eligible to possess a firearm in accordance with State and federal laws.

Candidates certified from the eligible list for this title will be required to undergo a thorough background check, including driving record, criminal history, psychological, and medical testing.

Candidates will be required to provide a urine sample for drug testing. Testing for unlawful drug use may be administered at random during the training program. Test results showing the use of such drugs shall be considered a cause for separation from employment.

Candidates accepting employment are required to adhere to the employment restrictions that they do not pursue outside gainful employment unless approved by the Commissioner, Department of Corrections or appropriate designee.

License

Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Knowledge of the problems likely to be encountered in work involving the social rehabilitation, care, and custody of persons deprived of their liberty, after a period of training.
• Knowledge of the principles of criminal justice and their applications to inmate custody and correction, after a period of training.
• Knowledge of the methods likely to be useful in working in an effective manner with persons of varied types, abilities, and personalities, after a period of training.
• Knowledge of the problems, procedures, and methods involved in taking suitable action concerning suspicious persons and conditions, and in reporting significant occurrences and conditions, after a period of training.
• Ability to exercise full police powers and act as a peace officer at all times for the detection, apprehension, arrest, and conviction of offenders against the law.
• Ability to understand the problems involved in assimilating factual matters of a technical nature and in comprehending and utilizing essential facts presented by lectures and/or demonstrations, and of applying technical and factual data in a useful manner in everyday work in an institution.
• Ability to understand what types of difficulties may be encountered in closely following prescribed rules and regulations.
• Ability to carry a weapon while on duty.
• Ability to understand, remember, and carry out oral and written directions, and to learn quickly from oral and written explanations and demonstrations.
• Ability to analyze custodial problems, organize assigned custodial work, and develop effective work methods.
• Ability to recognize significant conditions and to take proper action according to established procedures.
• Ability to understand the emotional adjustment and other problems of inmates deprived of their liberty.
• Ability to deal firmly and effectively with varied types of persons according to established policy and procedures.
• Ability to perform repetitive work without loss of equanimity, patience, or courtesy, to remain calm and decisive in emergency situations, and to retain emotional stability.
• Ability to assimilate information and profit by department training programs.
• Ability to give clear, accurate, and explicit directions, and to follow prescribed procedures.
• Ability to prepare clear, sound, accurate, and informative reports of significant conditions and actions taken.
• Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
• Ability to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
• Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
• <b>ADVANCEMENT:</b>
• Appointee's work performance will be reviewed and rated during the specified period of training for the apprenticeship program as approved by the Police Training Commission. Upon successful completion of the apprenticeship program, appointees will be eligible for advancement to the title of Correctional Police Officer, in accordance with Civil Service Commission Regulations.
• The inability of an employee in the Apprentice title to satisfactorily complete the training period and/or attain a level of performance warranting advancement to the title of Correctional Police Officer, shall be considered a cause for separation from employment.

Note

The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.

The responsibility for ensuring that employees possess the required motor vehicle license, commensurate with the class and type of vehicles they operate, rests with the Appointing Authority.

<b>TRAINING:</b>

Appointees will be required to satisfactorily complete a Police Training Commission approved Corrections Academy program which includes successful attainment of a satisfactory level of proficiency in the use of firearms, and a period of on-the-job training at an assigned correctional facility; and will be responsible for learning the various rules, regulations, policies, procedures, operational processes, and methods related to a correctional institution.

Appointees will be required to successfully complete the New Jersey Police Training Commission course standards in arrest, apprehension, investigations, inmate supervision, and other related law enforcement requirements. Such training shall also include firearms training and the ability to qualify and successfully attain the required level of proficiency, and the ability to re-qualify with firearms on an annual basis.

Appointees will be required to successfully complete a twelve (12) month Correctional Police Officer working test period commencing upon advancement to the title of Correctional Police Officer.