CORRECTIONAL OFFICER 1* - 08252026-80315

Location: Pikeville, TN – Department of Correction, Bledsoe County. A Motor Vehicle Records screening and pre-employment drug screen will be conducted. This position requires a criminal background check.

Pay

Monthly salary: $3,631.00 - $4,533.00 ($43,572.00 - $54,396.00 annually). Newly hired Correctional Officers are eligible for a $5,000 sign-on bonus, payable over an 18-month period.

Schedule

Full-time. Most correctional security employees can expect to be assigned to any one of three different work shifts and any number of different post assignments.

Qualifications

• Education equivalent to graduation from a standard high school.
• At least eighteen (18) years of age on the date of application.
• United States citizen.
• Good moral character, as determined by investigation.
• No conviction for a felony or dishonorable discharge from any branch of the United States armed forces.
• Pass a physical examination and psychological evaluation administered by licensed professionals, consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
• Pass a pre-employment screening test for use of illegal drugs.
• Possess a valid motor vehicle operator's license at the time of appointment in some positions.
• Willing and able to qualify with, carry, and use assigned weapons.
• Complete a criminal history disclosure form and supply a fingerprint sample for a criminal history records check.

About the Role

The Correctional Officer 1 is responsible for correctional work of average difficulty and performs related duties. This is the entry-level position in the Correctional Officer sub-series, involving the custody, transport, and rehabilitation of inmates. An applicant appointed to this class will be reclassified to Correctional Officer 2 after successful completion of a mandatory one-year training period at the Tennessee Correction Academy. Inadequate or marginal performance during the training period will result in automatic demotion or termination.

Responsibilities

• Supervises inmate activities in housing units, dining areas, recreation, and work areas; attends to medical, visitation, personal property, and recreational needs of inmates.
• Inspects and patrols the grounds for contraband, unauthorized personnel, and other security risks.
• Checks in new inmates by assigning accommodations, searching for contraband, issuing clothing, and storing personal property.
• Observes inmate behavior; counsels inmates and families about problems; evaluates inmates on hygiene, attitudes, and interactions; sends evaluations to the counseling department.
• Attends staff meetings, disciplinary board meetings, and training for riot control, escape prevention, and first aid.
• Prepares reports such as daily logs, disciplinary reports, records of inmates' jobs and pay, daily inmate counts, and requisitions for office supplies.
• Operates equipment including two-way radios, firearms, mace, electronic gates, television cameras, and motor vehicles.
• Ensures the safety of residents through supervision of daily activity.
• Breaks up fights or other potentially dangerous situations by persuasion or the use of physical force.
• Carries out and explains existing policies and procedures to others.