Jail Deputy

The Jail Deputy is a uniformed sworn deputy with the Boulder County Sheriff's Office, Colorado POST certification is not required to work in the jail. Jail deputies need to have strong communication skills and some comfort in dealing with people with emotional and mental health problems. The major job emphasis is on the institutional safety and security of incarcerated individuals and staff. This includes; inmate supervision, conflict resolution, enforcing rules, conduct investigations, exercising physical control over violent and uncooperative prisoners, booking of prisoners which includes taking fingerprints and photos and conducting strip searchers, hand cuffing and escorting prisoners to and from Court, writing reports and testifying in Court. In addition to all of this, jail deputies spend a significant amount of time mediating and de-escalating prisoners with significant mental health issues.

Working varying shift assignments with varying days off is required to provide staffing twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, including recognized holidays. Shifts and days off are bid for on a seniority basis. Working overtime is frequently required. Minimal restriction (compensable) on-call is required twice a month.

In some positions, deputies must carry a firearm which will require them to maintain qualification and training standards with their firearm. Some assignments such as Court transport, hospital transport duty, and alternative sentencing supervision require motor vehicle operation.

On occasion, appropriately qualified jail deputies may be required to perform similar job functions which are normally required of patrol deputies, i.e., extra duty events, riot/crowd control response, searches for suspects outside the confines of the jail, augmentation of the patrol force during major criminal events or natural disaster and catastrophic events such as floods, wind storms and forest fires. 

New employees receive an 80-hour bank of vacation at the time of hire, in addition to 8 hours of both vacation and medical leave accruals each month.

Boulder County is a family-friendly workplace dedicated to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and respectful environment for all employees. We prohibit unlawful discrimination against applicants and employees on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Boulder County requires its employees to reside in the state of Colorado as of the first day of work.  

PLEASE NOTE: When submitting your application be sure to include all relevant education and experience, as applications are screened based on the qualifications listed in this position announcement. Applications that do not appear to meet minimum qualifications, as outlined below, will not be considered. Resumes are not accepted in lieu of completed applications.

Please be aware that your cover letter and resume will not be accessed in the initial screening process, so you must complete your application and supplemental questions with as much detail as possible. Any personally identifiable information (PII) such as name and address will be redacted from applications that meet the minimum screening requirements and are forwarded to the hiring manager. If the hiring manager selects you to advance in the hiring process, your cover letter and resume will then be accessible to the hiring team.The duties require all the assignments listed below on a rotating basis.

1. Module Assignment - Works directly with prisoners in the individual living areas, seeing to it that they are fed, that the modules are kept clean, escorts prisoners throughout the facility and that interpersonal conflicts are constructively resolved. Module deputies will also work closely with Jail Program's staff as well as various other professional service providers.

2. Alternative Sentencing Supervision- Works directly with and supervises prisoners who are sentenced to county time and have no other wants or warrants out of other jurisdictions. Such prisoners may be sentenced to work release or straight time and are able to work as part of a supervised work crew. Prisoners may also be sentenced to home detention or the day reporting programs.

3. Booking Assignment - Books in arrestee, takes photos and fingerprints, conducts searches and inventories property as well as providing a brief orientation to new jail residents.

4. Court Assignment - Escorts prisoners to and from Court and briefs them on what will take place. Responsible for providing Courtroom security and filling out assorted Court paperwork.

5. Transport Assignment - Transports prisoners to and from other agencies, medical and dental facilities.

6. Support Services/Classification assignments – Classifying prisoners security levels and determining the most appropriate housing assignments for prisoners. Works closely with Jail Programs staff to determine whether or not a prisoner is appropriate for jail programming based on behavior and inmates’ classification level (i.e. minimum, medium or maximum security). Identifies prisoners who are appropriate for and eligible to work as a Trustee.

7. Specific individuals - After additional specialized training are subject to hazardous duties, i.e., Hostage Negotiation Team, Hazardous Material Team, etc.

• Must be 21 years old.
• Must not have any felony convictions. Must not have committed/been arrested for any felonies.
• Must not have used any illegal drugs in the past three years.
• Must not have any domestic violence offense related convictions or domestic violence related restraining orders in effect.
• Must not have any DUI/DWAI convictions or driver’s license suspensions or revocations within 24 months of application or more than one DUI/DWAI conviction in lifetime.
• A history of excessive use of illegal drugs, or other offenses could disqualify an applicant.
• Must have a good driving record.

Bi-lingual applicant preferred: Ability to read, write, speak, and understand other languages desired, however, is not required. Applicants who meet these bi-lingual criteria may be eligible for an additional stipend (criteria set forth by Boulder County. To be eligible for stipend pay, employees must be tested to prove proficiency).  

Education and Experience:
High School Diploma or equivalent (G.E.D.) required. College Degree in the Behavioral Sciences preferred but not required. Corrections, jail or law enforcement experience is helpful but not required. Bi-lingual skills in Spanish is desired but not required.

• Must be able to complete departmental jail officer training program.
• Must have ability to accurately perceive, soundly reason, and correctly judge situations, occurrences and circumstances.
• Must possess good communications skills and be able to express clearly and precisely, orally and in writing.
• Must have a great deal of initiative and tenacity to actively influence events rather than passively accepting them.
• Must have a proper degree of stress-tolerance, including stability and the ability to perform under pressure.
• Must have the personality traits conducive to working with superiors, peers, subordinates, and members of the public from all socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.
• Must possess the following personality traits:
• Maturity, honesty, integrity, adaptability, sensitivity, compassion, common sense, good self-esteem, patience, wisdom, reliability, self-discipline, creativity, fortitude, assertiveness, pride in work, initiative, dedication to public service, and problem solving skills.
• Must be a resident of Colorado and possess a Colorado Driver's License at the time of appointment.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Must be able to complete departmental jail officer training program.

Must have ability to accurately perceive, soundly reason, and correctly judge situations, occurrences and circumstances.

Must possess good communications skills and be able to express clearly and precisely, orally and in writing.

Must have a great deal of initiative and tenacity to actively influence events rather than passively accepting them.

Must have a proper degree of stress-tolerance, including stability and the ability to perform under pressure.

Must have the personality traits conducive to working with superiors, peers, subordinates, and members of the public from all socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.

Must possess the following personality traits:

Maturity, honesty, integrity, adaptability, sensitivity, compassion, common sense, good self-esteem, patience, wisdom, reliability, self-discipline, creativity, fortitude, assertiveness, pride in work, initiative, dedication to public service, and problem solving skills.

Must be a resident of Colorado and possess a Colorado Driver's License at the time of appointment.

Physical Demands of the Position:

VISION: Dual vision is not required. Single eye 20/20 vision, natural or corrected, is acceptable. Minimum peripheral vision for single vision is 900 on the ear side and 700 on the nose side. Frequently uses peripheral vision to observe and monitor multiple persons and activity. An individual with single eye vision must adequately demonstrate the ability to compensate for their restricted peripheral vision with increased scan abilities. Dual vision is required if the Deputy is in a job assignment that requires driving a Sheriff's Office/County vehicle.

HEARING: Dual hearing is required. Good hearing is required in performing a majority of the tasks. Jail Deputies are constantly required to listen to multiple audible inputs simultaneously such as portable radio conversations, telephone conversations, conversations with inmates or other, noises within the housing units. Frequently listens for audible alarms. Occasionally must hear inmates verbally calling/yelling for help from a distance of fifty feet.

SENSE OF SMELL: Intact. Occasionally uses olfactory sense to detect illegal use of drugs or chemicals. Occasionally uses the olfactory sense to evaluate the presence of toxic vapors, smoke, and fuels.

SPEECH: Jail Deputies must have the ability to speak and understand English clearly within normal parameters. Constantly uses voice to communicate with other officers, professionals, prisoners, and the public in person and by telephone and two-way radio. Clear diction and audible volume is required. Frequently verbally directs inmates and citizens using a louder than normal speaking voice. Occasionally must talk or yell while wearing a gas mask or self-contained breathing apparatus.

SITTING: Sitting is performed on an occasional to frequent basis while in the module and booking areas. The actual amount of sitting varies on a daily and shift basis. Individual preference also influences the amount of sitting as compared to standing. While working in master control, the deputy will sit constantly but with the option to select a standing posture if preferred.

STANDING: The amount of standing performed by a deputy in the module and booking areas will vary according to individual preference of sitting or standing. While working in master control, a deputy could choose to stand as opposed to sit while performing his/her duties. This is done on a constant basis.

WALKING/RUNNING: Walking is performed on a constant basis when working as a module and booking deputy. Once per shift a perimeter check is completed involving one Deputy walking around the outside perimeter of the jail. The distance covered is approximately 1/3 mile. The maximum distance deputy would have to run inside the jail is approximately 1200 feet(1/4 mile).Deputies are required to demonstrate the ability to complete a maximum effort essential job function evaluation in the form of an obstacle course of running a distance of approximately 300 feet, or 100 yards, from a sitting position, within which you will have to navigate an obstacle course requiring you to open two doors as you enter and leave a room, serpentine around two stationary obstacles and clear two 16” high hurdles within 45 seconds. Upon completion of the 100-yard run, you will then have to place a compliant person into handcuffs while giving verbal commands (double-locking is not expected). 

LIFTING: The Jail Deputy position is categorized at the Medium Level for the Physical Demands Characteristics of Work. Deputies may also be required to lift and carry an impaired or combative individual from 20-30 horizontal feet in booking on an occasional basis. Deputies are required to demonstrate the ability to lift a 150 pound drag dummy and hold it off the ground for a period of 10 seconds then drag the 150 pound dummy on a level surface twenty five feet, lift a 25 pound medicine ball and carry it up 13 stairs and back down, lift 35 pounds from the ground up to chest height and then return it to the ground. 

CARRYING: A duty belt and 2-way radio are also carried and worn constantly weighing approximately 8.5 pounds.

PUSHING: Food carts and doors are pushed on an occasional basis. Table, chairs, laundry carts and a gurney are pushed on a seldom basis. Pushing a gurney requires a force of 30 pounds over a distance of 225 to 300 feet. Push a 150-pound weighted sled for 25 feet.

STOOPING/BENDING: Stooping is performed on a frequent basis in the module area when performing various tasks throughout the day. Those tasks that specifically require stooping include lifting/carrying restrained individuals, talking/handing mail to inmates through food ports, and conducting a cell and pat down search. Stooping is performed on an occasional basis in booking when performing pat down searches. Stooping is seldom performed in master control.

CRAWLING: Crawling is only done during cell searches/shakedowns on a seldom basis and only for a short distance, such as checking under beds or counter tops. 

CLIMBING: Climbing stairs in performed on an occasional to frequent basis when completing room checks inside the inmate modules, every 15 to 30 minutes. This requires ascending/descending one flight of metal stairs with handrails to check inmate cells on the upper level in the modules. Climbing stairs is also required to get to the master control room. This requires a walk up 24 metal steps on a narrow spiral staircase. Access to the penthouse requires climbing a ladder approximately 1.5 stories of stairs. There are several different penthouse areas located throughout the facility. These areas are accessed to shut off the fire sprinkler system, close other vents and valves, or to retrieve a stray volleyball or basketball. Climbing onto beds, toilets, and sinks is also performed while completing room searches. 

TWISTING/TURNING AT THE WAIST AND NECK: Twisting/Turning at the waist and neck occurs on an occasional to frequent basis for deputies. This motion is performed while restraining inmates, when completing cell searches, when loading and unloading carts, when buckling inmates in their seats for transport. Turning or twisting to see out of motor vehicles for backing up or lane change purposes required on an occasional to frequent basis. The amount of twisting will vary on a daily basis. Deputies are required to demonstrate the ability to twist, while seated in a motor vehicle, sufficient enough to see into and out of the back area of the vehicle.

BALANCING: Good balance is required when restraining/carrying a combative individual.

HAND AND ARM FUNCTIONS:

Reaching at or below shoulder - occasional to frequent.

Reaching above shoulder - Occasional, when stocking and picking items from shelves, hanging property bags on conveyor, and performing cell searches/shakedowns.

Simple grasping - Occasional to frequent.

Power grip - Occasional, when restraining inmates, performing use of force techniques, pushing/pulling carts.

Gross, finger dexterity - Occasional to frequent, when performing cell and pat down search, performing use of force techniques, driving, using radios, using control panel in modules, using camera and fingerprint equipment, using computer and fax.

Fine, finger dexterity - Occasional to frequent, when performing cell and pat down searches.

Feeling - Occasional to frequent when performing cell and pat down searches.

FOOT FUNCTIONS: - Gross, foot control - Seldom, when transporting inmates via car or van.

DEFINITION OF TERMS
Seldom: Activity or condition does not exist on a daily basis.
Occasionally: Activity or condition exists less than 1/3 of work shift.
Frequently: Activity or condition exists from 1/2 to 2/3 of work shift.
Constant: Activity or condition exists more than 2/3 of work shift.

Salary : $81,828 - $114,384