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Detention Officer

City of Allen, TX
Allen, TX Full Time
POSTED ON 10/12/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 2/8/2027

DESCRIPTION

HIRING RANGE: $20.7024 - $25.3614 Hourly
FULL SALARY RANGE: $20.7024 - $30.0203 Hourly

Check out the Allen Police Department

THIS POSTING MAY CLOSE AT ANY TIME ONCE A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED


Join the City of Allen—a vibrant community of over 100,000 residents where strong economic growth, excellent schools, and an exceptional quality of life make it a great place to live, work, and play.


Our mission is simple: “To achieve excellence in managing community development and city services, continually enhancing the quality of life and public confidence.”


At the City of Allen, our employees bring the PRIDE values to life:
  • People First – Prioritizing others
  • Respect – Treating everyone with courtesy and dignity
  • Integrity – Serving with honesty and trust
  • Deliver – Following through and exceeding expectations
  • Excel – Driving innovation and continuous improvement


We do Work that MATTERS! Join a team that serves our community and makes a real impact every day. Learn more about the City of Allen at allentx.gov.


The position of Detention Officer, under general supervision, protects and serves the property and citizens of the City. This is accomplished by maintaining the operation of the City detention facility. Other duties may include booking and releasing inmates, maintaining prisoner care, distributing property and supplies, providing custodial services, restraining violent inmates, operating detention facility equipment, and interfacing with other City employees and citizens. This position does not provide direction to other employees.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

The following duties ARE NOT intended to serve as a comprehensive list of all duties performed by all employees in this classification, only a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.

  • Performs booking intake and release procedures of inmates by ascertaining charges from arresting officer, inputting information in computer system, accepting payment for jail fees and completing required paperwork and forms for inmate release from detention facility.
  • Maintains prisoner care in detention facility by making hourly jail checks, physically checking each cell and prisoner for contraband, monitoring inmate status and documenting findings.
  • Distributes property and supplies to inmates by handing out inmate clothing, mattresses and blankets, dispensing medication and serving three meals per day to inmates.
  • Provides custodial services by maintaining sanitary condition of detention facility and cleaning discarded blankets and clothing. Discards bio-hazardous waste.
  • Responds to violent inmates by applying knowledge of the Allen Police Department’s Force Continuum, preventing incident escalation by applying non-physical, or physical, force to prisoner resistance as appropriate.
  • Operates detention facility equipment by using office equipment, providing fingerprinting and photographic services for new inmates and serving in other areas regarding the detention facility as required. Must interact with and maintain a good working relationship with other agencies.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

Education & Experience

  • High School Diploma or equivalent with no prior experience.

Special Requirements:
  • Must possess a valid Texas Class C driver’s license.
  • Must be able to pass required pre-employment screenings, CJIS, and fingerprint check, and have the ability to comply with state and federal requirements for Criminal Justice Information Security standards.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

Knowledge of:

  • Rules and regulations and applicable federal, state, and local laws and ordinances.
  • Department standard operating procedures.
  • Texas Penal Code, Traffic Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, legal terms, and jail regulations.
  • Modern office practices, procedures, and equipment.

Skill in:
  • Establishing and maintaining working relationships with professional and support staff, vendors, the public, inmates, other law enforcement agencies, and City employees.
  • Reading and understanding City, State and Federal rules and regulations.
  • Operating a personal computer utilizing a variety of business software.
  • Maintaining calm under adverse conditions and making sound judgements under pressure.
  • Staying alert and acting quickly and effectively during an emergency.
  • Detecting potential behavior problems of inmates and early symptoms of common health problems.
  • Physically restraining inmates and calling for assistance.
  • Effectively communicating both in writing and orally.

Physical Demands / Work Environment:
This list is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it does not address the potential for accommodation.
  • Detention facility.
  • Ability to work evenings, nights, weekends, holidays, and on-call.
  • Ability to work with mechanical, chemical, electrical, fire, and biohazards.
  • Ability to work with possible exposure to armed/dangerous persons and communicable diseases.
  • Ability to sit and stand for long periods.
  • Ability to lift, push, pull, reach, kneel, crouch, crawl, bend, twist, climb, and balance frequently.
  • Ability to operate city or personal vehicle for business purposes.


This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the City of Allen and employee and may be revised by the employer as needed.

The City of Allen is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, genetic information, or military status in employment or in the provision of services.

The City of Allen participates in the federal e-Verify program to confirm the employment eligibility of all new hires. All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States.


Jump into a full-time role (40 hours/week) with the City of Allen and enjoy a benefits package designed to support you at work and in life! You’ll receive comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, basic and optional life insurance, long-term disability, accrued vacation and sick leave, paid holidays, TMRS retirement with a 2-to-1 city match, a 457 deferred compensation plan, and longevity bonuses.

All City employees also have free access to recreation centers, including:

Don Rodenbaugh Aquatics Center
Ford Pool (Summer Only)
Joe Farmer Recreation Center
The Edge (Summer Only)
Stephen G. Terrell Recreation Center
Allen Senior Recreation Center (60 )

Plus, enjoy wellness challenges, book clubs, LinkedIn Learning, foodie groups, education assistance, CPR & Stop the Bleed training, leadership essentials, safety training, City Suite Event Center tickets, city conferences, health fairs, walking clubs, safety golf tournaments, possible hybrid or flexible schedules, and many more employee perks!

Find out more about our full benefits package at allentx.gov.

Join the City of Allen and be part of Work that MATTERS!—apply today and make a real impact in your community while growing, learning, and thriving!

Salary : $21 - $30

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