CORRECTIONAL POLICE OFFICER

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 supervisory official within the Department of Corrections, receives in-residence and on-the-job training including instructions for the appropriate care and custody of a designated group of inmates, and does work which will provide practical custody experience; does other related duties as required.

Examples of work

• <i>As trainee and productive worker:</i>
• 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.
• Attends a twelve (12) week in-residence training program and an additional two (2) weeks on-the-job training at an assigned correctional facility; is responsible for learning the various rules, regulations, policies, procedures, operational processes, and methods related to a correctional institution.
• Assists in performing assigned duties in accordance with established policies, regulations, and procedures to encourage and assist persons deprived of their liberty toward complete social rehabilitation.
• 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.
• Assists in patrolling assigned areas of the buildings and grounds and makes required reports by telephone, punch clock, or other means; makes periodic counts of inmates and reports the whereabouts of absent inmates.
• Assists in controlling the general conduct and behavior of inmates according to established institution procedures and prevents disturbances and escape attempts.
• Reports violations of prison rules to supervisory officials.
• Exercises 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.
• Assists in the maintenance of discipline in the prison cells, recreation yards, schools, hospitals, theaters, churches, mess halls, shops, farms, and other places where inmates are gathered in groups.
• Assists in ensuring that contraband articles are not concealed on the bodies of the inmates or in any part of the institution, and that institution property and equipment is kept in a clean, safe, and orderly condition.
• Assists in making periodic inspections of the locks, window bars, grills, doors, gates, and other places of possible egress from the institution.
• Escorts the inmates to and from their quarters.
• Notes suspicious persons and conditions and takes appropriate measures in reporting significant actions, occurrences, and conditions in the buildings and on the grounds; reports conditions constituting dangers and hazards and takes the necessary steps to ensure safe and orderly conditions.
• Attends demonstrations of the proper methods of utilizing available institution equipment and accessories.
• Assists in escorting inmates when their presence is required in a court of law.
• When assigned to medical facilities, ensures the safety and security of departmental and non-departmental personnel in the performance of their duties.
• When assigned to sentry duty, observes everything significant that takes place within sight and hearing of the post, reports unusual events to supervisory personnel, and prevents disorders and escapes.
• When assigned to farming work, is responsible for the custody of inmates involved in the various types of farm work.
• When assigned to institutional camps or any other outside detail or as assigned, is responsible for the safe care and custody of all assigned inmates.
• Learns procedures on how to convey information to inmates, clients, and their relatives who do not speak English as their first language.
• Learns to prepare and compose correspondence, memorandums, and other communications.
• Receives training in the preparation of reports and maintenance of essential records.
• Assists in performing investigations and prepares detailed, cohesive reports.
• Ensures inmate rights are not violated.
• May be required to appear as a witness in courts of law.
• 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.

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 from 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 the 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>
• Upon the successful completion of the twelve (12) month Correctional Police Officer working test period, appointees will be advanced to the title of Senior Correctional Police Officer. The inability of an employee to satisfactorily complete the working test period will be cause for separation.

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.

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

Appointees will be required to satisfactorily complete a twelve (12) week in-residence training program as well as a two (2) week on-the-job training program. Appointees will be required to successfully complete a twelve (12) month correctional police officer working test period. Such training includes successful attainment of a level of proficiency in the use of firearms.

Candidates certified from the eligible list for this title will be required to undergo medical and psychological examinations administered by the Appointing Authority.

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.