Corrections Officer

Corrections Officer

The Corrections Officer with the Renville County Sheriff's Office is required to personally interact and manage inmates, maintain an orderly and secure jail and ensure compliance by inmates with established rules and regulations. One must rely on independent judgment, training and policy/procedure to perform all duties necessary for day-to-day functions and in emergency situations. There is risk of injury up to and including death.

Physical interaction, possibly violent, with inmates may occur. Hazards such as inmates becoming combative or abusive, as well as unsanitary conditions and exposure to infectious diseases are possible.

Renville County Jail operates under a unique philosophy unlike most any other corrections facility. In an effort to genuinely advocate for our inmates, officers' study, learn and implement the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) scientific study to determine what in an inmate's past has caused them to commit the act that landed them in jail. Renville County Jail also requires officers to study, learn and implement Trauma Informed Corrections.

Each inmate is treated as an individual and we do not allow matrix style discipline. Disciplinary actions are an opportunity to teach. Through the ACE approach and Trauma Informed Corrections, we believe our success rate is higher and recidivism rate is lower than many other jails. We expect a Corrections Officer to understand and implement ACE operations and practice Trauma Informed corrections.

Essential duties and responsibilities include:

• Knowledge of differing booking processes on new arrests, warrant arrests, sentenced and boarder inmates as well as juveniles.
• Read and understand a judicial order for a jail sentence.
• Read and understand the components of a Release Order.
• Understand basic paperwork for federally boarded inmates, be able to answer questions in regards to their kite, grievance and appeals processes.
• Execute proper levels of inmate searches for safety and security of jail.
• Operate fingerprint machine for criminal and civil prints that are acceptable for BCA and FBI standards.
• Notify court, prosecuting attorneys and probation of new arrest.
• Understanding of the 36/48-hour rule for arrests to ensure constitutional rights are not violated.
• Assist new arrests with required court paperwork.
• Assist arresting officers with sick, violent, or under the influence individuals.
• Create and maintain a confidential office environment, utilizing tact, courtesy and good judgment.
• Collect U/A's, PBT and Drug Sweat patches.
• Knowledge of data privacy issues and information that can and cannot be released to outside agencies.
• Operate inmate phone system.
• Monitor incoming and outgoing inmate mail.
• Operate language line to assist with non-English speaking inmates.
• Supervise inmates with mandatory 30-minute cell/pod well-being checks, formal counts and 15-minute well-being checks for special management inmates.
• Talk to inmates who are struggling emotionally to avoid inmate issues later.
• Daily cell searches for contraband.
• Supervise inmate cleaning.
• Prepare reports of inmate violations and enforce inmate discipline when necessary.
• Knowledge of and ability to use restraint chair when necessary.
• Proper and necessary use of force to ensure safety and security of staff and inmates.
• Ensures the continued maintenance of safety equipment such as Tasers, hand-cuffs, leg irons, radios, Stun Cuff's and restraint chair.
• Medication delivery including set up and proper documentation.
• Respond to inmate medical problem emergencies and notify physician after direction from medical protocol.
• Knowledge of medical protocols from Contracted Medical Provider and when to use.
• Proper intake and documentation of medication from incoming inmate or pharmacy.
• Understanding of when an inmate meets mental health criteria and needs to be referred to jail psychologist.
• Working with those in mental health crisis, including states of psychosis and violence.
• Work with those on suicide watch with enhanced watch protocols.
• Care for sick inmates, sometimes being exposed to those with infectious disease.
• Release and receive work release inmates.
• Intake and documentation of all money transactions for inmates.
• Transports inmates to court.
• Transports arrestees to or from other facilities on warrants, WRITS or medical appointments including medical emergencies.
• Appropriately answer electronic requests from inmates.
• Effective communication with other counties, probation, attorneys, court, Human Services, Public Health, Police Departments.
• Ability to understand Release Orders, Sentencing Orders and warrants.
• Attend seminars, training, conferences relating to specific job duties, as required by Statue, Department of Corrects Standards, and MN Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) or at the direction of the Sheriff or Jail Administrator.
• Ability to prioritize tasks by matter of importance and remain calm in all situations.
• Write detailed reports that can be used for victim safety, prosecution or internal jail…