Detention Officer - DOCC Certified - Tiered

What You’ll Be Doing

Are you ready to step up and serve your community in a meaningful way? As a Detention Officer, you won’t just be supervising a secure facility — you’ll be shaping lives, maintaining safety and helping uphold the justice system that protects us all. This is more than just a job. It’s a career built on discipline, integrity and respect.

This position is for Detention Officers who have completed Detention Certification by the state of North Carolina. Detention certification is not the same as Correction Certification and each require a different certification. If you are not detention certified in NC, you should fill out a Detention Officer - Cadet application.

Detention Officer - Already Certified Salary and

Incentives:

Hourly rate for DOCC certified officers begins at $25.33 per hour (approximately $55,219 annually) up to $30.37 per hour (approximately $63,175 annually) based upon experience, education, military service and fluency in a foreign language.

• The Detention Officer is responsible for custodial duties associated with the transportation, security and supervision of prisoners in the Wake County Detention Center (WCDC) and the Wake County Public Safety Center (PSC)
• Detention Officers perform a variety of duties ranging from direct supervision, control desk, inmate escorts, K-9, and transportation of inmates
• Work is performed in accordance with the Wake County Sheriff’s Office policies and procedures, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, and the Training and Standards Council of the Department of Justice of North Carolina
• Work is performed under the direct supervision of that employee’s squad or area supervisor
• The applicant must be willing to work 12‑hour rotating shifts which include holidays and weekends

With a wide array of services, Wake County Government is at the heart of a rapidly growing and diverse area offering residents, employees and visitors exciting opportunities to live, work, grow, and play. Wake County Government employs approximately 4,400 employees and approximately 1,000 of those are employed by the Sheriff’s Office which provides Law Enforcement services throughout the community. With over 850 square miles of area and over 1 million residents, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office is the primary law enforcement agency for those in the unincorporated areas of the County.

• Must possess North Carolina detention officer certification (not corrections certification)
• Must be at least 20 years old
• Must be a citizen of the United States
• Must have a high school diploma or equivalent
• Must possess or be able to possess a North Carolina driver’s license
• Must not have been charged or convicted of a felony or more than 3 misdemeanors (call or email to discuss)
• Must be willing to relocate within an hour response time to the Wake County Detention Center

Candidates must undergo an extensive background investigation including, but not limited to, physical fitness assessment, reading test, medical exam, drug screen, and psychological exam. The candidate must meet all the applicable standards with the North Carolina Sheriff’s Training and Standards Commission as well as the policies of the Wake County Sheriff’s Office.

Detention Officer candidates must demonstrate a minimum level of physical ability and fitness by completing the Wake County Sheriff’s Office’s Physical Agility Test (SOPAT). The test consists of running 40 meters, climbing up and down stairs, completing 10 push‑ups, and simulating rolling/moving an adult‑sized object. The purpose of this physical test is to simulate and measure an officer’s physical ability to respond to a critical incident and apprehend or potentially control a prisoner/suspect.
Following submission of this application, you will receive an email to schedule a physical fitness assessment.

• Knowledge of Federal, State and local laws governing the operation of the Wake County Detention Center and the Wake County Public Safety Center
• Knowledge of forms, records and reports used in the detention facility
• Ability to…