CORRECTIONAL POLICE MAJOR
Correctional Police Major sits in the competitive class of New Jersey's state civil service, so reaching it runs through testing and an eligible list instead of a straight hire.
The requirements come down to a high school diploma, 6 years of relevant experience, and a valid NJ driver's license. This title is paid a single fixed rate of $166,943, and state payroll currently lists about 40 people in the title, most of them at Corrections.
How to apply
This title is filled by competitive examination.
See every real route in, and where to apply. One agency employs it. We don't track live vacancies.
See where to apply for this title →Who employs this title
Correctional Police Major appears on the State payroll at 2 departments, most of them at Department of Corrections.
State departments
| Employer | Employees |
|---|---|
| Department of Corrections | 38 |
| Juvenile Justice Commission | 2 |
State payroll and independent authority payroll are separate systems and are never merged. See data sources.
Who employs this title
State payroll records show 40 people working under this title. The median actual salary is $161,298. The agencies employing the most are:
- Corrections (38)
- Juvenile Justice Commission (2)
Counts from NJ YourMoney agency payroll. See statewide workforce analytics.
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 direction of an Administrator, Prison Complex or a Superintendent or other higher level supervisory official in the Department of Corrections, or in the Juvenile Justice Commission, provides oversight for custody programs and operations, functions as a higher level manager in the custody workforce chain of command providing oversight of subordinate custody employees, and ensures the care, custody, and maintenance of discipline among inmates at all levels of incarceration residing at various site locations; supervises staff and work activities; prepares and signs official performance evaluations for subordinate staff; does other related duties as required.
Examples of work
- Exercises full police powers and acts as a peace officer at all times for the detection, apprehension, arrest, and conviction of offenders against the law.
- Manages the custody workforce chain of command and oversees custodial operations.
- Organizes supervisory custodial work and develops effective work procedures.
- Ensures the observance of laws and regulations by inmates, custody staff, civilian employees, and visitors.
- Oversees non-criminal facility investigations, where appropriate, or rules and regulations violations committed by custody staff members or inmates and recommends and/or initiates appropriate action.
- Reviews pertinent criminal intelligence regarding institutional security and ensures appropriate action.
- Conducts grievance hearings with labor organizations and/or individuals who have submitted contractual and non-contractual grievances and represent management at various hearings when required.
- Oversees preparation of staff schedules, including assignment of officers to posts and shifts, scheduling of overtime, and vacation scheduling.
- Evaluates the need for overtime and implements procedures for eliminating unnecessary overtime expenditures.
- Develops or supervises development of training programs for all custody personnel.
- Supervises the work operations and/or functional programs and has responsibility for effectively recommending the hiring, firing, promoting, demoting, and/or disciplining of employees.
- Responds to attempted or actual escapes and ensures appropriate escape procedures are implemented and enforced; submits comprehensive reports of circumstances to the appropriate administrator and/or director.
- Carries a firearm and other restraint/defense equipment while performing duties or off-duty; is responsible for the care, use, and security of firearms and equipment.
- Responsible for the operations of custodial staff and briefing shift lieutenants on proper performance of essential institutional routines.
- Serves as a member of various Classification Committees and utilizes inmate classification material to make judgments on the degree of custody required for an individual inmate in order to prevent disturbances and escapes.
- Oversees access to services for the inmate population including, but not limited to, education, social services, drug treatment, etc.
- Supervises custody, rehabilitation, protection, housing, feeding, work, and discipline of inmates and assists with social rehabilitation.
- Ensures appropriate access to health services for the inmate population.
- Evaluates fiscal needs of the custody unit, submits requests for budget appropriations, attempts to operate within fiscal restraints, and justifies cost overruns.
- Ensures all emergencies and unusual incidents are responded to and reported on while adhering to department protocols and ensures appropriate escape procedures are implemented and enforced.
- Submits comprehensive reports of escapes and other emergent situations through the chain of command.
- May operate the Central Operations Desk as the centralized contact person to whom all statewide facilities report incidents and occurrences; records, screens, and processes related information and notifies the appropriate authorities.
- Evaluates incidents or activities that cause significant negative impact on facility operations and initiates appropriate action as dictated by department policy.
- May serve as a regional supervisor for more than one correctional facility, conducting audits of custody programs and serving as a liaison between Central Office Administration and the correctional facilities.
- Prepares complex, technically sound, accurate, and informative reports, documents, and correspondence.
- Communicates the mission and goals of the department verbally and in writing using various forums and techniques.
- Will be required to learn how to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
Education
Possession of a high school diploma or its equivalent.
Experience
Six (6) years of experience in the care and custody of inmates in a correctional institution, three (3) years of which shall have been in a supervisory capacity.
License
Appointee will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
- Knowledge of theory, principles, and practices of modern law enforcement relevant to the security, care, and rehabilitation of criminal offenders.
- Knowledge of custodial care procedures in a correctional setting.
- Knowledge of managing and maintaining a secure, safe, and orderly correctional facility.
- Knowledge of resource allocation and reallocation methods.
- Knowledge of care, use, and security of firearms and restraint/defense equipment.
- Knowledge of techniques used to conduct investigations.
- Knowledge of methods used for supervising custody, rehabilitation, protection, housing, feeding, work, and discipline.
- Knowledge of methods and principles of social rehabilitation of inmates.
- Ability to supervise assigned staff and plan, organize, and implement projects within the unit.
- Ability to carry a weapon while on duty.
- Ability to formulate and communicate program goals and objectives in a manner that will encourage staff to achieve them.
- Ability to interpret Department of Corrections standards, policies, objectives, regulations, and procedures of correctional institution conduct and apply them to specific situations.
- Ability to interpret N.J.S.A. 2C criminal code and apply it to use of lethal and nonlethal force in the custody of social offenders.
- Ability to develop and maintain adequate staffing standards.
- Ability to supervise and conduct investigations and inspections.
- Ability to develop and execute necessary plans to contend with emergencies and other crisis situations, and to remain calm and decisive in those situations.
- 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 be proficient in the care, use and security of firearms and other restraint/defense equipment.
- Ability to learn how 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, and 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 if 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.
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 the job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.
Appointees to this position shall be required to qualify in the use of firearms on an annual basis.
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.