Correctional Officer 4

State of West Virginia; Belington (WV); On-site; USD 53,000 - 58,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Critical Vacancy Pay

Retention incentive

Base pay differential

Job summary

State of West Virginia seeks a Sergeant Correctional Officer to oversee security operations in a correctional facility. Under general supervision, the officer may serve as shift supervisor, assigns duties, conducts roll calls, and ensures inmate safety and compliance with policy.

The position requires a high school diploma, four years of related experience, and completion of the Academy. Travel may be required to other facilities, and the role includes mandatory overtime and random drug testing

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Four years of related correctional or criminal justice experience.
• Substitution allowed by college coursework: 1 year per 30 hours of study.

Responsibilities

• Supervise shifts and assign duties.
• Conduct roll calls and inmate status checks.
• Initiate searches, counts, and security checks.
• Ensure compliance with agency policies.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

Nature of Work

Under general supervision, a Correctional Officer in this class functions in a supervisory role within a Correctional Facility and holds the rank of Sergeant. Correctional Officers contribute to the public safety mission by providing for the safety and security of the public, staff, and inmates ensuring the care, custody, and control along with the compliance with policy and procedure.

Correctional Officers in this class may serve as shift supervisors, or in some other mid‑level supervisory capacity within a specific work unit or department. This position assigns duties to subordinates and supervises the work performed; conducts roll call and obtains pertinent information from previous shifts and communicates to staff coming on duty; initiates and supervises searches of the facility, inmates and/or visitors; initiates inmate counts and initiates checks at regular and special time intervals to verify location and status of inmates.

Officers provide security over adult inmates at a facility or work unit; supervise the daily activities of inmates while observing and recording their behavior and movement to ensure their safe and secure operations. The work involves a high degree of mental stress from constant contact with inmates.

Required to successfully complete the Academy training program. Travel may be required to perform duties in other DCR facilities. Performs related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Training

Graduation from a standard high school or the equivalent.

Experience

Four (4) years of full‑time or equivalent part‑time paid experience as a correctional officer, probation/parole officer, any US Military Service (Part‑time National Guard service may be included as military service using the Division of Personnel's internal conversion calculation), police officer or in criminal justice or related field.

Substitution

Successfully completed coursework from a regionally accredited college or university in corrections, criminal justice or related field may be substituted for the required experience at a rate of one (1) year for every thirty (30) hours of study.

Conditions Of Employment

• Applicants must successfully complete competitive promotion selection process governed by agency policy.
• 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.
• Applicants shall successfully complete a Supervisor Training Course within six (6) months of promotion.

Other Information

Special Hiring Rates As Of 7/1/2024 (SPB 3088-B)

• $57,900.336 - 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) (SPB 3088)
• $52,900.224 - Remainder of the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation facilities (SPB 3088)

Additional Information, Per SPB 3088

• 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.
• Any Correctional Officer promoted into the Correctional Officer 4, 5, 6, and 7 classifications shall receive the special hiring rate and then have the total amount of their annual base building pay differential applied to their new salary.
• 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.

State employment offers a variety of benefits.

The minimum qualifications for this job title are:

Training

Graduation from a standard high school or the equivalent.

Experience

Four (4) years of full‑time or equivalent part‑time paid experience as a correctional officer, probation/parole officer, any U.S. Military Service (Part‑time National Guard service may be included as military service using the Division of Personnel's internal conversion calculation), police officer or in criminal justice or related fields.

Substitution

Successfully completed coursework from an accredited college or university in corrections, criminal justice or related field may be substituted at the rate of one (1) year for every thirty (30) hours of study.

Please note:

All college, university or vocational school education, licensure or certification must be verified ONCE by attaching a copy of an official transcript, license, or certificate to your online application or by emailing it to the West Virginia Division of Personnel at: [e-mail] YOU DO NOT HAVE TO VERIFY HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION OR THE EQUIVALENT. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMAS OR TRANSCRIPTS. You must only submit this documentation ONE TIME; please DO NOT SUBMIT DUPLICATE COPIES. Job duty descriptions of all experience MUST be included in the Work History section of your online application or be clearly stated on your attached resumé in order for them to be considered as qualifying experience toward the minimum qualifications. Please include details of daily job duties on your online application or resumé.