JOB SUMMARY

The purpose of the Detention Officer is to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of the patrol division of the police department by supplementing the patrol force through the assumption of duties not requiring sworn personnel. Such duties may include vacation house checks, traffic control, jail operations/prisoner transports, and ordinance enforcement.  As a condition of employment in the status of this position, all Detention Officers must be able to perform the entire list of duties as outlined in this job description. In addition, you must be motivated to accept new challenges and finding creative solutions, take ownership and pride by demonstrating the Town of Little Elm’s Core Values of Integrity, Customer Service, Efficiency and Innovation.

EDUCATION/TRAINING/EXPERIENCE

1. All Detention Officers must possess, at a minimum, the following qualifications:
2. Must have a High School Diploma or GED equivalency certificate.
3. Must have demonstrated a positive work history with a good attendance record.
4. Must meet health standards not to pose a risk to health or safety of others in the workplace, or to persons they come into contact with while in the performance of duty.  This risk shall include infections or communicable diseases deemed a medical high threat, and dysfunctional mental or psychological disorders.

 

REQUIREMENTS

1. Must be a United States citizen.
2. Must be 18 years of age
3. Must not have been convicted of any Class A misdemeanor or felony criminal offenses.
4. Must not have been convicted of any Class B Misdemeanor offenses within the past five (5) years and must not have been convicted of any crimes involving moral turpitude
5. Must possess 20/20 corrected vision and 20/200 uncorrected

LICENSES OR CERTIFICATES

1. Must possess a valid Texas Class C driver’s License.
2. Must complete Basic Municipal Jail Training within six months.

        

LANGUAGE SKILLS

1. Must be able to read and write the English language. Ability to speak Bilingual a plus.

REASONING ABILITY

2. Possess the ability to comprehend and carry out verbal and written instructions.
3. Be able to formulate and employ appropriate courses of action when no specific role or procedure has been established.
4. Be able to supply reasoning skills to actual situations.
5. Possess adequate memory capacity sufficient to remember various types of information that is necessary to carry out their duties successfully.
6. Must be able to assess a person’s intentions, behavior, and emotional state in order to make appropriate reactive and proactive decisions and responses.
7. Must be able to tolerate many types of stress without medication.
8. Must be able to make appropriate decisions regarding the fight or flight psychological response.
9. Must be able to control their emotions in the face of divergent interpersonal or life-threatening and traumatic situations.
10. Adequately maneuver a vehicle day and night, in all weather conditions.
11. Engage in physical defensive and offensive tactics; overcome and apprehend violently resistive people, and properly use the handcuffs, and mace.
12. Must also be able to conduct in custody prisoner searches.

 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Must have the ability to efficiently, effectively, and safely perform all of the essential required duties and tasks of the position.  The following outlines the required abilities:

It is imperative that all Detention Officers possess and maintain the essential physical abilities to perform their job safely.  They must be physically capable to the extent that they are not a liability to themselves or others.  They must be able to handle numerous emergency situations that will tax their physical abilities.  They must be able to provide protection to themselves and others without the premature or unnecessary use of deadly force.  They must maintain a standard of physical fitness in accordance with citizen expectations and department policy.                                                                        

a. Range of Motion/Flexibility: A Detention Officer must:

Be able to move rapidly from a sedentary to active position in response to emergency conditions or perceived deadly force encounters. Have the flexibility to rapidly assume a variety of positions to employ “cover and concealment” during emergency circumstances or perceived deadly force encounters.

Possess the necessary range of motion to overcome or respond to physical attack or effectively disengage an attacker or escape and summon aid.

Possess the quickness to be able to run short distances in order to escape danger, retreat from attack or take over or chase suspects on foot for short and long distances.

b. Manual Dexterity/Motor Skills: A Detention Officer must:

Have the dexterity to be proficient in the use of their defensive tactics’ equipment such as handcuffs, and pepper spray. Possess the ability to operate all the equipment and tools necessary to perform the job tasks such as computers, mobile and portable radios, vehicles, fax machines, video and audio equipment.

c. Aerobic Endurance: A Detention Officer must:

Possess the ability to engage prisoners without inordinate endangerment to themselves or others. 

They must also possess the endurance to overcome physical resistance during physical confrontations.

d. Strength: A Detention Officer must possess sufficient strength to:

Deliver CPR for extended periods of time.

Carry and use emergency equipment and supplies.

Overcome resistance or subdue physically violent persons.

Physically defend oneself or others from violent assault without the use of deadly force.

e. Sight and Visual Activity: A Detention Officer must:

Be able to discern the various colors and not have any color blindness that could prove a risk to himself or others.

Possess adequate depth perception in order to judge distances and estimate speed.

Possess adequate night vision that will permit the safe operation of motor vehicles and allow identification of dangerous obstacles, or persons in conditions of darkness.

Possess adequate peripheral vision to allow the safe operation of vehicles in a variety of environments.

f. Hearing: A Detention Officer must:

Possess the ability to hear adequately over the mobile and handheld radios as well as the telephone.

Be able to determine the point of origin of noises or sounds as during building or area searches for example.

Be able to identify different types of sound.

g. Smell: A Detention Officer must possess the ability to smell smoke, electrical hazards, and different types of fumes, toxic or otherwise.

 

WORK ENVIRONMENT

In carrying out the duties of a Detention Officer, the following conditions or exposures can be expected to be encountered.

1. Routine work indoors 65% of the job.
2. Routine work in vehicles/outdoors 35% of the job.
3. Working alone.
4. Working all shifts and days of the week.
5. Close physical contact with people.
6. Exposure to blood and other bodily fluids.
7. Work in all weather conditions.
8. Work on uneven, wet, or slippery surfaces.
9. Exposure to bodily injury or dangerous conditions.
10. Work in confined spaces, requiring cramped body positions.
11. Work in darkness or very dim lighting conditions.
12. Exposure to loud noises.

 

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS       

Listed below are many of the specific job tasks or functions typically required of a Detention Officer. This list should not be considered all-inclusive as additional job tasks may be required by either circumstances or ranking officers.

1. Daily inspection of the jail facility notifying the on-duty supervisor of any deficiencies or security concerns within the facility or individual cell.
2. The feeding of prisoners and stocking of food supply, according to jail General Orders
3. The inspection of prisoners held within the Little Elm jail in accordance with the Department’s General Orders.
4. The booking, release, and processing of prisoners within the Little Elm jail, including visitations, bonding procedure, and arraignments.
5. The replenishment of supplies and linen for use within The Little Elm jail
6. The Detention Officer is responsible to follow prescribed procedures for the treatment, movement, care, and security of all persons held within the Little Elm jail facility.
7. At all times, safety and proper procedure will be followed to ensure the integrity and security of the jail facility and minimize the threat, potential threat, or opportunity for threat toward any person or employee of the department.
8. At all times, the policy involving jail operations will be closely followed by the Detention Officer while working within the jail facility.
9. Complete walk-in fingerprints people.
10. Completion of vacation house checks daily inspections.
11. Assist with vehicle impounds, awaiting arrival of wrecker services.
12. Traffic control and direction: around fire ground operations, disabled vehicles, accident scenes, stranded motorists, and special functions when necessary.
13. Complete and file class “C” reports for minor incidents and offenses which are classified as "walk-in" reports to the police facility.
14. Assigned ordinance enforcement duties and/or follow-ups.
15. Any other assignments given by the Operations Division Commander.

E.O.E.  The Town of Little Elm does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability or military service in employment or the provision of services.