Sergeant

Sergeant

Positions in this job family are assigned responsibilities related to maintaining the security, control and custody of inmates in a state adult correctional facility.

Typical functions include :

• Providing security and supervision to inmates in a variety of situations and activities.
• Providing a leadership role to subordinate correctional officers; serving as a positive role model and providing information to shift supervisor.
• Maintaining security of an assigned area or post and responding to emergencies.
• Providing security and supervision over inmate work crews.
• Escorting inmates to work sites.
• Inventorying and controlling all equipment, weapons, tools, caustics and keys.
• Patrolling yards, grounds, cell houses, corridors, dormitories and work areas on an assigned shift.
• Observing activities and movements of inmates.
• Managing inmate conduct, work and discipline.
• Maintaining order and discipline in programs and during meals and recreation periods.
• Inspecting living areas, facilities and work locations for unauthorized objects, materials and contraband; making reports on all incidents.
• Operating manually or electronically controlled security equipment, maintaining controlled movement of inmates, staff, and the public.
• Conducting inmate counts.
• Performing searches of inmates and living quarters for contraband.
• Enforcing institutional rules and regulations.
• Maintaining security of various assigned areas involving long periods of sitting, standing and / or walking.
• Conducting sanitation and security inspections of all areas within assigned posts; taking appropriate steps to correct deficiencies.
• Preparing written documentation and reports concerning inmate behavior, status and movement.

This is the leadership career level where employees are assigned responsibilities as a correctional security sergeant to include such duties as serving as a team leader or a lead worker and may also be responsible for providing training, assigning work, and other related duties. Employees assigned to this level who are working within an institution may be charged with independently performing a specialized function requiring advanced proficiency in the use of chemical agents or firearms, a high degree of judgment and skill as an inmate public work crew officer, gun gang officer, K-9-unit officer, transportation officer, restricted housing unit officer, key and tool officer, control room officer, visiting room officer, gate officer, activities officer, hospital security posts, use of all security equipment, emergency procedures or armory.

Knowledge, skills and abilities required at this level include knowledge of the fundamentals of English usage; of basic math; of reporting writing; of the use and care of firearms; of proper restraint methods and techniques; of self-defense methods; of the methods and objectives of discipline required for inmates under restraint; and of the psychology of inmate behavior. Ability is required to evaluate situations and adopt effective courses of action; to exercise alertness and be able to act quickly and effectively in an emergency situation; to follow oral and written instructions; to gather and organize facts and complete clear, concise reports; to communicate effectively; to establish and maintain effective working relationships; to maintain proficiency with firearms; and to assess and manage conflicts within the inmate population.

Education and experience requirements at this level consist of two years of experience in correctional officer or security work for a governmental agency or private corrections agency in addition to the statutory requirements contained in 57 O.S. 510 : "a. The minimum age for service shall be twenty (20) years of age. The Director shall have the authority to establish the maximum age for correctional officers entering service and b. possession of thirty (30) semester hours from an accredited college or university; or possession of a high school diploma acquired from an accredited high school or GED equivalent testing program and graduation from a training course conducted by or approved by the Department and certified by the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training either prior to employment or during the first six (6) months of employment...." Successful completion of the GED test is based upon standards established by the Oklahoma Department of Education.

Applicants / employees in this job family shall be subject to the following additional requirements : (a) be of good moral character; (b) before going on duty alone, satisfactory completion of an adequate training program for correctional officers and guards, as prescribed and approved by the State Board of Corrections; and (c) satisfactory completion of a physical in keeping with the conditions of the job description on an annual basis and along the guidelines as established by the Department of Corrections. Applicants must possess a valid driver's license at the time of appointment in order to perform necessary travel. Applicants will be subject to drug testing. Applicants must be willing and able to work any assigned shift or day of the week.

Employees in this job classification may be designated as peace officers by the Director and required to meet the training and screening requirements conducted by the Department and certified by the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training. (57 O.S. 510) No person who has received a verdict of guilty or pled guilty or nolo contendere to any offense required to register pursuant to the Sex Offenders Registration Act is eligible for employment as a peace officer. (57 O.S. 589.C) No person who has been convicted of a crime of moral turpitude who has not received a full pardon from the proper agency is eligible for employment as a peace officer. (70 O.S. 3311) No person who has been convicted of a nonviolent felony and who has not received a full pardon from the proper authority, or who has been convicted of any other felony offense, is eligible for employment in this job classification. (21 O.S. 1283.B) No person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, who has not been pardoned for, or had the conviction expunged or set aside, or is subject to a court order that restrains the person from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner or the partners' child or engaging in other conduct that would place an intimate partner or the partners' child in reasonable fear of bodily injury and includes a finding that the person is a credible threat; or who has been dishonorably discharged from any branch of the armed services is eligible for employment in this job classification. (18 U.S.C. 922) The Department of Corrections has determined that some positions in this job family are safety sensitive as defined by 63 O.S. 427.8.

Equal Opportunity Employment : The State of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of genetic information, race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, or disability.