Bridge Link Detention Officer (Second Shift)

Position: Bridge Link Detention Officer (Second Shift)

Opening Date: 3/28/2024

Closing Date: Until Filled

Salary: $46,984

Department: Probate Court/JJC

Location: Juvenile Justice Center

Status: Full time

Job Category: POLE (Protective Occupations Law Enforcement)

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Description:

To perform this position successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed in this document are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. St. Joseph Probate Court provides reasonable accommodation to qualified employees and applicants with known disabilities who require accommodation to complete the application process or perform essential functions of the job, unless the accommodation would cause an undue hardship.

Essential Functions:

DIRECT REPORT: The Bridge Link Detention Officer reports directly to the Assistant Supervisor of Bridge Link and/or the Director of Detention and the Chief Probation Officer or their designee and follows the established chain of command within the Juvenile Justice Center.

SCHEDULE: Per assigned schedule on Second Shift, 3:00pm-11:00pm (May include evenings, weekends and holidays)

DUTIES: Incumbent serves as a Bridge Link Detention Officer (BLDO) for the St. Joseph Probate Court/Juvenile Justice Center, responsible for providing care and security for residents in the Bridge Link Program (BLP) at the Juvenile Justice Center, meeting the physical and emotional needs of all residents. Incumbent possesses the ability to perform any tasks necessary and requested for the overall operation of the agency.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES: Duties include but are not limited to the following:

1. Provide direct supervision for up to eight (8) Bridge Link Program residents – most typically male, ages 16-19 2. Attend and participate in Bridge Link staffings 3. Adhere to assigned Bridge Link schedule 4. Facilitate groups

5. Appropriately interact with others, including Mental Health/Social Service staff, Detention staff, Probation staff, Security staff, as well as those outside the facility 6. Facilitate journal discussions 7. Effectively manage residents who are displaying behavioral problems 8. Observe and report behavior in the behavior logs for each BLP resident 9. Complete incident reports when appropriate 10. Assist BLP residents with homework 11. Prepare materials for upcoming groups 12. Transport program participants to designated locations 13. Communicate with program participants’ parents or immediate family as needed 14. Facilitate independent living cooking programming and laundry 15. Participate in case planning with other staff and program participants 17. Check all resident doors regularly 18. Checks on residents in rooms every 15 minutes, with closer intervals if situation warrants 19. Searches all rooms for contraband 20. Routinely makes material (i.e. pencils) and physical headcounts 21. Provides immediate crisis intervention for residents 22. Disciplines program participants consistently and fairly for misbehavior 23. Supervises visits from parents, grandparents and guardians 24. Supervises program participants during community events and community service 25. Female staff supervise male and female detainees. Male staff supervise male detainees. Staff are not allowed to enter the cell of the opposite sex unless a staff member of the opposite sex is present. Except for supervisors, male staff may only enter the female pod or cell in case of an emergency, even then a female staff must be present 26. Supervises program participants during meals and snacks and supervises clean up 27. Supervises program participants during all cleaning activities 28. Performs minor maintenance chores and notifies appropriate maintenance/supervisors of related problems that need attention. 29. Any and all other duties as assigned

RESPONSIBILITY:

Considerable judgment must be exercised on an independent basis in regard to the safety and security of all residents and staff. Policies and procedures are written, but every situation is not, and cannot be covered. Supervisory assistance is available. Errors in judgment may result in safety or security problems such as: fights, escapes, suicides, and injury to staff or residents.

PERSONAL WORK RELATIONSHIPS:

Receives phone calls from police personnel, parents of juveniles, juveniles on probation, and general public. Responsible for answering questions, taking messages, and relaying accurate information in a courteous and professional manner. Interacts with juveniles in detention, parents, grandparents, and relatives of juveniles in detention, teachers, other Detention Officers, Probation Officers, Police Officers, Administrative staff. Must maintain a professional relationship with all residents and staff at all times and staff while on duty. Detention Officers are expected to be positive role models at work and in the community and demonstrate VBBM values of Respect, Responsibility, Tolerance, and Acceptance.

PHYSICAL /MENTAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

This is a locked facility with youth who have been detained due to delinquent offenses including, but not limited to violent and aggressive behaviors. The safety of this community, as well as our staff and residents depends upon staff who have the ability to act quickly, responsibly, and fairly, with compassion, consistency, and control.

Work is performed on carpeted and cement floors. There is a considerable amount of walking in the center to escort residents from one area to another and to monitor rooms every 4 to 15 minutes. BLDO must possess the ability to visually inspect a cell room through the door window before entry. Inability to do so would greatly increase the possibility of attack upon staff or decrease the possible witnessing of an incident taking place inside the room.

Physical confrontations with residents and cleaning require physical fitness, endurance, a moderate amount of strength and mental awareness. BLDO must be physically able to subdue a resident who is fighting or out of control. This may include physical restraint, handcuffing, use of pepper spray, and transporting the juvenile to a more restrictive environment when necessary.

BLDO must have the ability to manage and control residents who are verbally and physically abusive without losing control of emotions, perform duties professionally, maintain self-control, and treat all residents with respect, without partiality.

BLDOs are required to undergo yearly OC-10 pepper spray as part of annual training.

The duties described above are indicative of the knowledge, skills, and abilities and normal task assignments of this job, and do not constitute an exhaustive list of all tasks which may be required. Additional duties requiring similar or lesser skills may be added at any time without the necessity of altering the description or re-evaluating the job.

Qualifications:

EDUCATION: Successful completion of sixty (60) college credits in Human Services or related field (Sociology, Psychology, Criminal Justice, etc.) required. Commensurate experience will be considered in lieu of college credits. Bachelor degree in Criminal Justice or Social Services preferred.

EXPERIENCE: Prior training or experience dealing with adolescents preferred. Must be at least 21 years of age.

SKILLS: The skill set needed to serve in this position is as follows:

1. Ability to understand, memorize, retain, and carry out written or oral instruction and present findings in oral or written form.

2. Ability to relate to professional staff, youth, and their families without bias or partiality.

3. Must possess tremendous patience and a calm demeanor, solving problems without undue aggression (yelling). 4. Ability to conduct oneself as a positive role model for youth by demonstrating values of respect, responsibility, tolerance, acceptance, and forward thinking.

5. Must be capable of facilitating group discussions with youth, using positive motivation to relate lessons taught to real life situations; i.e., encouraging youth to think through their options before they act and the consequences of those options chosen.

6. Must be appropriately assertive, possess good judgment, the ability to problem solve, deescalate, anticipate, prevent, intervene, and solve crisis situations while remaining calm.

7. Must possess strong verbal communication skills in order to communicate effectively with children, co-workers, other departments, with sensitivity to professional ethics, gender, cultural diversities and disabilities

8. Must possess strong written communication skills enabling one to write strong, accurate reports.

9. Ability to make rational, independent decisions regarding facility operations and juveniles’ needs.

10. Must be mature and able to accept responsibility with minimal or no supervision.

11. Ability to recognize what needs to be done, with initiative to complete the task in a timely manner.

12. Ability to engage with program participants, building relationships, and displaying care and concern with the intent of effecting the program participants’ success in the program.