Detention Officer
POSITION OVERVIEW
The Harris County Sheriff's Office is hiring Detention Officers within the
Criminal Justice Command
Join The Team!
We appreciate your interest in joining our family! We are the largest sheriff's office in Texas and the third largest in the nation.
The mission of the Harris County Sheriff's Office is "To enhance the safety and protect the trust of the citizens of Harris County by enforcing the law with integrity and professionalism."
The Harris County Sheriff's Office's primary responsibility to Harris County citizens is to house individuals awaiting trial or commitment to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
As a Detention Officer of the Harris County Sheriff's Office, you are a vital team member responsible for maintaining care, custody, and control over individuals housed in the Harris County Jail.
Detention Command Career Paths
Armed Detention Officer - responsible for transporting and securing inmates to and at hospitals or clinics.
Detention Sergeant - responsible for supervising detention officers assigned to their area.
Detention Lieutenant - responsible for supervising all personnel assigned to their shift.
Detention Captain - responsible for supervising all personnel assigned to their facility.
Duties and Responsibilities
Reports to and receives assignments, instructions, and direction from Sergeants, Lieutenants, and Captains.
Reads pass-on logs and receives activity briefings from off-going shift personnel.
Observes and monitors jail inmates and detects and deters improper or unacceptable behavior.
Controls and directs inmates while out of cell areas during transfers, work assignments, meals, recreation, etc.
Books inmates into the Inmate Processing Center and performs searches of individuals and jail cells to locate weapons or contraband.
Prepares logs, records, and reports of jail activities.
Performs other duties and assignments as required and/or necessary.
The Detention Officer (Jailer) Position is a Civil Service-protected position with the Harris County Sheriff's Office.
This Job Description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this position. Management may, at its discretion, assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
High School Diploma or G.E.D.
A minimum of 18 years of age
Must be a U. S. Citizen (See General Information for exceptions)
Valid Driver's License or State-Issued ID
Eyesight must be correctable to 20/20 vision, normal color vision, and peripheral vision
Correctable normal audible range in both ears
Required Documents
Documents to attach with your application:
Birth Certificate (issued by a government agency, not a hospital) or Certificate of Naturalization
Social Security Card
Driver's License or State-Issued ID (front and back)
Current Vehicle Liability Insurance
Proof of Education: High School Diploma or Transcript, GED Certificate or College Transcript (If transcripts, a sealed original will be required at a later stage in the application process)
DD-214 Military Discharge Form [if applicable] (copy of original Member - 4 form)
PLEASE NOTE: If you have never been in the Military, upload another copy of your Driver's License as a placeholder to continue with the application process.
Testing:
Pass pre-employment testing - Written exam (examples: Spelling and Vocabulary, Reading Comprehension, Attention to Detail, etc.)
Physical Agility (Squats, Walking Lunges, 165 lbs. dummy drag)
Passing a thorough background investigation (Criminal background check, fingerprinting, personal interview, etc.)
Passing a psychological evaluation
Passing drug screening
Ability To: Work in a standing position for extended periods while observing and monitoring inmates, checking cells, escorting inmates, etc.
Bend, stoop, and kneel when checking under tables, beds, and mattresses during cell searches.
Finger dexterity and hand and arm steadiness when adjusting knobs and switches and operating a computer keyboard.
Eye, hand, and arm coordination when fingerprinting individuals.
Training:
Successful completion of the (7) week Basic Jailers Course is required for continued employment as a Detention Officer with the Harris County Sheriff's Office.
The Harris County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) provides its employees with the ability to obtain the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) Corrections Officer (Jailers) Certification at no cost through the HCSO Academy.
If selected, PAID employment begins the first day of the required (7) week Basic Jailers Course at the Harris County Sheriff's Office Academy.
NOTE: The Texas Workforce Commission offers FREE assistance to job seekers through their WorkSource offices located throughout Harris and surrounding counties
The WorkSource offers FREE use of computers, copiers, printers, and scanners as well as assistance in completing job applications
Please visit their website for more information, or click here for a list of locations: http://www.wrksolutions.com/find-a-location
Harris County Public Libraries also offer FREE use of computers at all their locations throughout Harris County
PREFERENCES
Graduates of Law Enforcement High School Program or Participation in a Law Enforcement Explorers program
Previous Law Enforcement or Corrections work experience
Honorable discharge from the United States Armed Forces
GENERAL INFORMATION
Common Disqualifiers
General Information
A. Written Comprehension.
- Ability to read and comprehend narrative handwritten materials, including pass-on logs, round sheets, caution tags, cell search logs, etc.
- Ability to read and comprehend printed materials, such as Standard Operating Procedures (SOP's), fire procedures, and the Inmate Handbook.
- Ability to read and comprehend computer screen information and data when booking individuals.
- Ability to prepare handwritten activity logs and narrative incident and offense reports in a legible and grammatically acceptable manner to permit comprehension by the receiving party.
B. Verbal Comprehension.
- Ability to understand and exchange information with supervisors and co-workers when receiving assignments, instructions, and shift change information, and while performing assigned duties and tasks.
- Ability to understand and exchange information with the public, including attorneys, jail visitors, and maintenance personnel.
- Ability to interact with inmates and to understand and comprehend inmate responses to questions.
- Ability to provide verbal direction to inmates to affect conformance to rules, regulations, and other directives.
C. Mathematical Capabilities.
- Ability to add and subtract when taking prisoner counts and reconciling discrepancies.
D. Visual Capabilities.
- Ability to detect abnormal behavior and extraordinary activities when observing the actions of an inmate or group of inmates.
- Ability to identify colors when preparing personal descriptions requiring entry of the color of eyes, preparing the written description of personal property in describing the color of jewelry, and observing armbands to identify the classification of inmates.
- Ability to detect smoke from cigarettes, electrical fires, etc.
- Visual acuity must be correctable to 20/20 for both eyes.
- Color vision must be normal.
E. Auditory Capabilities.
- Ability to hear alarms.
- Ability to hear and understand the information received over the telephone and intercom.
- Ability to distinguish between normal jail sounds and sounds indicating impending, improper, or unacceptable inmate behavior such as altercations, fights, assaults, etc.
- Must have hearing that is within the normal range as defined by nationally recognized audiometric standards, or that surpasses the normal range.
F. Olfactory Capabilities.
- Ability to detect the presence of smoke from cigarettes, electrical fires, etc.
- Ability to detect the presence of alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs.
Benefits:
For detailed information on the benefits offered by Harris County, please click on the "Benefits" tab of this posting.
Location:
1200 Baker St, Houston, TX 77002, Texas
Citizenship Exceptions: Per SB 252, you may be eligible for TCOLE licensure if you have fulfilled all the following requirements:
Must be a permanent legal resident.
Must be an honorably discharged veteran from the United States armed forces with at least two years of active service. (Must have a DD-214 that reflects service time and discharge status)
Must provide evidence that they have applied for United States Citizenship.
Work Environment & Physical Capabilities
Work Environment: Direct interaction with inmates.
May require working under stressful conditions.
Job duties may result in possible exposure to communicable diseases or body fluids.
Physical Capabilities:
Ability to lift weights to 40 pounds when lifting and positioning Scott Air Pack on back.
Ability to climb stairs when moving within cell blocks.
Position Type and Typical Hours of Work
Working a minimum of 40 hours per week is an essential function for all Detention Officer positions. Includes Nights, Weekends, and Holidays.
Mandatory Overtime as deemed necessary to fulfill operational needs.
Maintains punctual and reliable attendance to ensure proper staffing levels and continuous facility operations, adhering to all departmental scheduling, call-in, and reporting procedures.
Salary and Incentive Pay:
Paid biweekly based on 26 pay periods per year, plus benefits
Up to 12 years of credit for service as a TCOLE Certified Jailer upon hire (Restrictions Apply)
Paid Incentives: (Annually, based on 26 pay periods)
BENEFITS
Harris County offers a competitive benefits program, including comprehensive group health and related benefits plan as well as a defined benefit retirement plan.
The following list of benefits is offered only to employees in regular (full-time) positions:
Medical
Dental
Vision
Wellness
Life Insurance
Long-term disability
Employee Assistance Program
10 days of vacation each year for the first five (5) years of service. Accrual rates increase based on years of service.
10 county holidays plus one (1) floating holiday
Paid Parental Leave
Professional development opportunities
Dependent Care Reimbursement Plan
Healthcare Reimbursement Account
457 Deferred Compensation Plan
The following benefits are also available to regular (full-time) employment and may be available to part-time employees:
Retirement pension (TCDRS) Flexible schedules (varies by department) Transportation Assistance (Metro RideSponsor Program)
In accordance with the Harris County Personnel Regulations, Group Health and related benefits are subject to amendment or discontinuance at any time. Commissioners Court reserves the right to make benefit modifications on the County's behalf as needed. For plan details, visit the Harris County benefits website: