Juvenile Custody Officer

Chelan County Comunty Development Dept.; Wenatchee (WA); On-site; USD 49,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Chelan County Comunty Development Dept. is seeking a Juvenile Custody Officer to maintain the health, welfare, and safety of youth in a detention facility. The role involves ensuring secure operations, supervising detainees, and supporting program activities as assigned.

The position supports the Safe Detention Center and requires adherence to policy and procedures. The job emphasizes monitoring, safety, data entry, and transport duties, with responsibilities covering daily transport and

Qualifications

• Associate degree or two years’ college credit or technical credential, or a comparable credential from a technical school.
• Ability to read, speak, and write fluently in both English and Spanish may substitute for college.
• Practical experience in juvenile corrections or related field is considered as substitute for college.

Responsibilities

• Monitor facility, grounds, juvenile inmates, and equipment.
• Perform book-ins and book-outs with required forms and risk assessments.
• Provide security and attend to the medical and emotional needs of detained youth.
• Monitor youth behavior and assign points to determine privilege level.
• Lead youth in exercise or recreational activities.
• Supervise youth in facility work crews.
• Perform room checks to ensure safety and adherence to rules.
• Search detention rooms and common areas to remove contraband.
• Care for youth with minor illnesses or injuries.
• Transport youth to court and other destinations.
• Take notes and write reports.

Skills

Bilingual English/Spanish

Education

Associate's degree or two years’ college credit or technical credential

Job description

Description

Salary

PW06 Steps 2-4 $4,369.64 - $4,772.19; Longevity Steps 5-8 $4.988.69 - $5,705.31

Closes

09/30/2026 @5pm (2) positions avaliable

Participation in the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems (DRS) retirement program, with an optional deferred compensation program. Comprehensive benefits package including medical and dental insurance, plus County contributions to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA). Employees receive up to 11 paid holidays annually, additional floating holidays as provided by the applicable collective bargaining agreement, and monthly accrual of vacation and sick leave.

Summary

The JCO position is responsible for maintaining the health and welfare of juvenile detainees, as well as the safety, security, and efficient operation of the detention facility.

Responsibilities

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Monitoring and surveillance of facility, grounds, juvenile inmates, and equipment
• Performing procedures such as book-ins and book-outs, including completion of necessary forms, along with risk and health assessments.
• Providing security and attending to the personal, medical, and emotional needs of detained youth.
• Monitoring and evaluating youth behavior and assigning points to determine youth privilege level.
• Leading youth in exercise or recreational activities.
• Supervising youth in facility work crews.
• Performing room checks to assure the safety and well-being of youth and adherence to facility rules.
• Searching detention rooms and common areas to ensure they are clean and free of contraband.
• Caring for youth with minor illnesses or injuries.
• Supervising runaway children in the Secure Crisis Residential Center.
• Transporting youth to and from court and other destinations outside the facility.
• Body searching youth for weapons, drugs, and other contraband.
• Restraining combative youth and applying mechanical restraints such as handcuffs and leg irons.
• Performing data entry, recording statistical information, and writing reports.
• Taking inventory and ordering supplies and equipment.
• Distributing clothing, equipment, medication, and supplies.
• Operating facility controls including video cameras, intercoms, security doors, and alarm systems.
• Preparing and serving meals and snacks.
• Performing cleaning and maintenance work in the facility.
• Facilitating support groups and learning activities for youth. *Structured Program facilitation is defined separately and does not constitute an essential function of the position.
• Providing care, supervision, and behavioral management of youth when assigned as a direct care staff in the Secure Crisis Residential Center (SCRC) program unit while following the policy and procedures in the SCRC Program Manual.
• Other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities

In the absence of the shift supervisor, the most senior custody officer supervises his or her assigned team as the designated lead worker or additional teams if working overtime while assigned to another staff team. In the event that the designated lead worker responsibility is voluntarily waived by the most senior custody officer, this responsibility will be offered to other custody staff in order of seniority.

Qualifications

EDUCATION And/or EXPERIENCE

Associate's degree (AA) or two years’ college credit or comparable credential from a technical school. Practical experience pertaining to juvenile corrections field or ability to read, speak, and write fluently in both English and Spanish may be considered as substitute for college.

Language Skills

Ability to read and understand documents such as the detention policy and procedure manual, safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, court orders, and similar documents. Ability to write incident reports and other technical documents. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from managers, offenders, and members of the general public, both individually and in group settings.

Mathematical Skills

Practical arithmetic, including the ability to add, subtract, divide, and multiply using integers with and without fractions or decimals, and to calculate and understand percentages.

Reasoning Ability

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to understand information and instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

Valid Washington State driver’s license, first aid/CPR card, and food handler’s permit. Must have HIV/blood borne pathogens training. Must successfully complete the 80-hour Juvenile Services Academy of the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission (WSCJTC) and a 16-hour Crisis Residential Center (CRC) pre-service child care training program. Must maintain qualification to work in the CRC by passing background checks performed by DSHS Children’s Administration, and by successfully completing 24 hours of CRC training each year.

Physical Demands

Must be able to pass a Physical Ability Test as a condition of employment. Subsequently, must be able to pass the Physical Ability Test, which is a pre-requisite for the CJTC Academy consisting of timed push-ups, timed sit-ups, and timed squat thrusts. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand and walk. The employee is occasionally required to sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms, balance, and talk and hear. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move more than 100 pounds. Specific vision requirements include close vision, distance vision, and peripheral vision. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work Environment

Custody officers are required to work 12-hour shifts, day or night, in a secure detention facility, including shifts that fall on weekends or holidays. Work is performed in the presence of youthful offenders who may be assaultive or verbally abusive. This exposes the JCO to stress and the possibility of physical harm. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Background Check

Custody officers are required to pass an extensive background investigation including, but not limited to, a national fingerprint-based criminal history check and pre-employment polygraph and psychological evaluations. Among other potential disqualifiers, candidates will not qualify for employment if they have engaged in sexual abuse in a prison, jail, lockup, community confinement facility, juvenile facility, or other institution (as defined in 42 U.S.C. 1997) or if they have been convicted or civilly or administratively adjudicated of engaging in or attempting to engage in sexual activity in the community facilitated by force, overt or implied threats of force, or coercion, or if the victim did not consent or was unable to consent or refuse.

Note: Please indicate in the cover letter if you are a current member of the PTC bargaining unit.

External Candidates Must Successfully Pass An Extensive Pre-employment Background Check Including a FBI Fingerprint Based Criminal History Report, Polygraph, And Psychological Examination As Well As a Physical Abilities Test As a Condition Of Employment. Hyperlink To Physical Abilities Requirement For JCS Position Is As Follows https://cjtc.wa.gov/physical-ability-test-pat