Correctional Deputy

About the role

The Dakota County Sheriff's Office seeks qualified candidates for the position of Correctional Deputy. This role involves the control, observation, and direct supervision of inmate populations to ensure the maintenance of security, operational rules, procedures, and guidelines of the Dakota County Jail.

Responsibilities

• Represent the Sheriff's Office in a positive, professional manner.
• Build and maintain positive working relationships.
• Maintain standards of dress in accordance with policy and procedure.
• Understand and comply with policy and procedure to include Sheriff's Office memorandums, directives, and notices.
• Maintain officer safety and situational awareness.
• Provide credible and truthful reporting and testimony as needed.
• Monitor security precautions and control the movement of inmates & staff within the secure area of the Dakota County Jail via monitors and control panel access or keys control.
• Provide direct supervision of up to 60 inmates in a housing unit (inmates are not always locked down in their cells, but rather spend most of the day in a common secure area supervised by a correctional deputy).
• Patrol facility and make rounds counting and recording prisoners coming into or out of the Dakota County Jail.
• Book in prisoners following established procedures to include, initial medical assessment, the taking of fingerprints, photographs, and collecting medical information and personal histories of new inmates.
• Provide security for medical staff as they administer medication, including narcotics, conduct diabetic checks (blood sugar and insulin), and address other medical issues and treatment of inmates according to physician's orders and/or dietary restrictions.
• Respond to and assesses emergency situations such as fights, suicide attempts, threats to staff, fire alarms, escape attempts, contraband recovery, and medical situations by applying first aid, enforcing rules, restraining inmates, responding to calls for assistance, or by notifying proper authorities in an attempt to restore order and security.
• Apply objectively reasonable and necessary amount of force in accordance with Sheriff's Office policy.
• Respond to calls for assistance throughout the jail and document all incidents and facts by preparing reports on jail problems and discipline.
• Supervise, coordinate, escort and communicate effectively with inmates in jail housing units.
• Process, coordinate, and disseminate all needs including, but not limited to, medical issues, courts, programs, visitation, food, clothing, inmate requests and shelter.
• Conducts searches of inmates (pat or visual strip searches), living areas, cells and visitors for contraband in accordance with jail policy and procedures.
• Process inmate funds according to standard operating procedures.
• Process inmate releases to include releasing and returning inmate personal property upon their release from the Dakota County Jail and the processing of bail/bonds.
• May supervise inmate recreational and visiting periods as well as inmate housekeeping responsibilities within the housing units and inmate worker housekeeping activities throughout the facility such as kitchen and laundry duties.
• Other duties as assigned or required of a specific job post.

Essential Job Functions

• Ability to see, hear and remember facts and circumstances to write an accurate report of the facts.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Ability to deal with inmates, coworkers and the public in a fair and respectful manner.
• Ability to solve varied and diverse problems that require deductive reasoning skills.
• Ability to work independently with little supervision, self-motivated.
• Ability to maintain a state of physical fitness to effectively be able to perform the duties of the assignment.
• Considerable ability to work effectively while under stressful situations.
• Ability to lift, carry or drag objects/people weighing up to 100 pounds when responding to emergency situations.
• Knowledge of State, County, and Federal statutes, rules, and regulations.
• Knowledge of the jail's records management system (PCI).
• Knowledge of various medical supplies to include an oxygen kit, defibrillator and tourniquet.
• Knowledge of various restraint methods to include a restraint chair, leg restraints, and handcuffs.
• Knowledge of various issues related to mental health and chemical dependency.
• Knowledge of cultural diversity and different religious practices.
• Knowledge of Alco Sensor (Portable Breath Test).
• Knowledge of infectious diseases and blood-borne pathogens.

Work Environment

Work is performed in a secure jail, supervising inmates incarcerated for criminal activities ranging from misdemeanor to felony offenses. Lifting and/or carrying 10 to 50 pounds daily, and occasionally pushing/pulling/lifting over 100 pounds. Standing or walking 8 to 12 hours daily. Climbing, running and kneeling frequently in response to code calls and inmate disturbances. Exposure to disagreeable odors (e.g., body odors, dirty clothing, human feces), body fluids, hazardous chemicals, communicable diseases (e.g., T.B., hepatitis, AIDS), mentally unstable individuals and individuals under the influence of controlled substances. This work environment also includes the need to distinguish between the colors of blue, khaki, red, green, orange, yellow, white and pink to maintain inmate security. Equipment used may include, but is not limited to, computer, printer, telephone, calculator, copier, 2-way radios, still camera, body-worn camera, intercom, chemical agents, handcuffs, restraint chair, restraints, Alco Sensor, metal detector, control panel, fire and emergency panel, jail policy and procedure manual, Minnesota Rule 2911, mugshot, fingerprint machine, inmate accounting system, medical cart, and blood sugar test kit. Additional physical/mental requirements that occur may not be listed above, but are inherent in performing the position's essential functions.