Correctional Officer 1

Nature of Work

$45,000 upon hire and $47,500 after 6 months - Critical Vacancy Pay Facilities: Huttonsville Correctional Center and Jail, Mount Olive Correctional Complex and Jail, Western Regional Jail and Corrections Facility, Northern Correctional Facility (including Ohio County Correctional Center), Northern Regional Jail and Correctional Facility, Chick Buckbee Juvenile Center, Vicki Douglas Juvenile Center, Potomac Highlands Regional Jail and Correctional Facility, and Eastern Regional Jail and Corrections Facility (including Martinsburg Correctional Center)

$40,000 upon hire and $42,500 after 6 months - Remainder of the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation facilities

Examples of Work

• Learns to implement training materials, post orders, administrative regulations, log entries and/or memoranda.
• Learns to obtain information from previous shift regarding activities occurring on that shift.
• Learns to observe and monitor offenders to detect unusual or prohibited behavior and maintains custody and control within the correctional facility.
• Learns to perform counts at regular, or other, intervals to insure offender accountability.
• Escorts offenders to and from various facility areas; learns to search persons, personal property and areas.
• Learns to supervise offenders in performing assigned tasks.
• Learns to conduct and assists with intake/discharge procedures for offenders.
• Maintains public safety and control of offenders by enforcing rules, regulations and state law; reports violations.
• Testifies at internal disciplinary hearings and in court.
• Learns to transport offenders to and from correctional facilities.
• Learns to listen and respond appropriately to offender requests, problems and complaints.
• Learns to model appropriate personal and social living skills when interacting with offenders.
• Learns to recognize and respond to potential or actual emergencies, such as, but not limited to, fires, physical altercations, disturbances, or escapes in a manner that is consistent with policy, procedure and state law and ensures public safety.
• Participates in staff, team and committee meetings.
• Handles and operates security/communications equipment and/or firearms as directed and in a manner that is consistent with policy, procedure and state law and ensures public safety.
• Learns to inspect, inventory, maintain physical control of, and log keys, tools, weapons and related equipment.
• Learns to report damaged or missing items or other noted irregularities.
• Learns to performs safety and sanitation inspections.
• Oversees cleaning of facility areas and inmate hygiene activities.

• Knowledge of correctional security, treatment and support program operations.
• Knowledge of rules, regulations and state law.
• Ability to read and understand training materials, policies, procedures and related written material.
• Ability to follow verbal instructions and written directives and to follow a formal chain of command.
• Ability to enforce rules, regulations and state law.
• Ability to provide an accurate count of offenders.
• Ability to safely handle and use mechanical restraints, intermediate weapons and firearms and be certified as required.
• Ability to operate a motor vehicle.
• Ability to run, jump, climb stairs and physically restrain violent offenders.
• Ability to plan, organize and direct offender activities and work details.
• Ability to resolve offender problems and conflicts and to handle requests.

Minimum Qualifications

Training: Graduation from a standard high school or the equivalent.
Conditions of Employment:

• Applicants must successfully complete a psychological examination prior to appointment and as required thereafter.
• Applicants must successfully complete a medical examination prior to appointment and as required thereafter.
• Applicants must successfully complete a physical performance test prior to appointment and annually thereafter.
• Applicants must successfully complete a chemical urinalysis drug-screening test prior to initial employment.
• All employees in this job class shall be subject to random drug testing, as well as drug testing for reasonable suspicion as set forth in agency policy.
• Applicant's character and suitability for employment as a Correctional Officer must be verified through an agency investigation prior to employment.
• Applicant's background must be clear of felony convictions.
• Applicant's background must be clear of any activity prohibited by the Prison Rape Elimination Act.
• Applicants are subject to recurring background checks as may be required by law, rule, standard, or policy.
• Applicants will be required to work various shifts and it is understood schedules are subject to change at any time.
• Applicants are subject to mandatory overtime requirements and must be available for assignment to any location in the State of West Virginia.
• Applicants must possess a valid driver's license prior to appointment and continuously maintain such license while employed in this classification.
• Applicants must maintain a working telephone in order for the agency to contact them.
• Applicants shall successfully complete training as may be required by policies established by the Commissioner, or as may be required by law, rule, or standard.
• Applicants must possess the ability to perform the essential functions and tasks of the classification.

Other Information

Additional Information:

• 
  Upon completion of the first year of continuous service in the position, any employee hired into the rank of the Correctional Officer series shall receive a retention incentive of $2,000.

• Employees in this classification shall receive an annual base building pay differential of $250 on July 1st, beginning July 1, 2024. This pay differential shall be allowed to take DCR employees’ salaries above the maximum of the compensation range.

• If an employee is hired into a Critical Vacancy Pay Facility (CVPF) and leaves the facility, the additional pay differential of $5,000 shall be removed from their salary, unless transferring to another CVPF.

Probationary period 1 year