Corrections Lieutenant (SDSP)

State of South Dakota•Sioux Falls, SD

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The South Dakota Department of Corrections is hiring a Corrections Lieutenant at the South Dakota State Penitentiary in Sioux Falls. This full-time position enforces Department of Corrections policies, institutional implementation adjustments, and procedures. It schedules and supervises correctional personnel and monitors offender activities to maintain safety and security. The lieutenant supervises an assigned institutional area and its staff and offenders, makes immediate disciplinary determinations for infractions affecting institutional security, and serves as the institution’s ranking officer on night shifts and weekends. The role includes staff scheduling, supervision, training, performance management, and security oversight. The lieutenant responds to emergencies, investigates incidents and offender violations, oversees counts, searches, contraband handling, offender movement, admissions, transportation, and releases, and may serve as a Disciplinary Hearing Officer or initial commander during emergencies. The position may also involve working with and caring for a K9 and K9 vehicle. The successful applicant must complete all modules of South Dakota DOC Basic Training, including competency assessments and written and practical examinations in defensive tactics and firearms/armed transport. The role involves rotating 12-hour shifts, including nights, weekends, and holidays; exposure to Oleoresin Capsicum during training and assignment; and working in potentially stressful, noisy, hot or cold environments, including outdoors in inclement weather. New employees must undergo TB screening. Employment offers are conditional on successful drug screening, and applicants must undergo a background investigation. Applicants must submit a cover letter and resume online; emailed submissions are not accepted.

Requirements

Three years of progressively responsible corrections experience working directly with offenders, including at least one year supervising correctional staff at the Sergeant level or higher; alternatively, a combination of qualifying education and experience totaling three years.
Qualifying education may be in Criminal Justice, Social Work, Sociology, Psychology, or a similarly related field.
Corrections-related experience must involve direct service to or work with clients detained against their will, such as custody/control, teaching, social work, nursing, food service, general maintenance, or supervising offenders in a program such as correctional industries. Entry-level officer and clerical support experience do not meet the stated offender-management definition.
Successfully complete all modules of South Dakota DOC Basic Training, including English reading comprehension, competency assessments, and written and practical exams in defensive tactics and firearms/armed transport.
Have the physical ability to complete defensive tactics, including the listed movements and techniques: lifting arms above the head, kicking to waist height, stabilizing and controlling another person, delivering strikes, withstanding impact, swinging a baton, rotating the body for defensive tactics, and repeatedly getting down on and up from one or both knees.
Be able to see and hear to observe, address, and respond to potential safety and security breaches.
Be able to seize, hold, control, or subdue violent or assaultive people and defend oneself or others to prevent injury.
Demonstrate body agility, strength in all four limbs, and the ability to walk and climb stairs consistently.
Be able and willing to work 12-hour rotating shifts, including holidays and weekends, and various day, afternoon, and overnight shifts.
Be able and willing to travel.
Be able to work in situations involving assaultive behavior, physical control of another person, and restraints.
Interact tactfully and congenially with people with varied moods and behaviors, including people of the opposite sex, diverse racial and ethnic groups, and mentally ill or emotionally disturbed offenders.
Communicate by speaking, listening, and/or signaling to convey or exchange information and assignments.
Work in fluctuating noise and temperatures, including hot and cold conditions, and potentially outdoors in inclement weather or in concrete-floor and concrete-wall settings.
Undergo tuberculosis screening upon hire.
Successfully complete a background investigation and drug screening as a condition of employment.
Submit a cover letter and resume with the online application; emailed resumes or submissions are not accepted.
Verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete Form I-9; the State does not sponsor work visas.

Nice To Haves

A National Career Readiness Certificate may be submitted with the application, but it is not necessary for consideration.

Responsibilities

Schedule correctional staff for all shifts to support facility security and the safety of employees and offenders.
Enforce Department of Corrections policies, institutional implementation adjustments, and procedures.
Determine appropriate actions in emergencies and authorize emergency procedures.
Supervise subordinate staff, provide training and work direction, interview staff, approve leave, address staff problems, recommend discipline, and conduct performance reviews.
Inspect posts and staffing levels to maintain security and safety.
Review officers’ reports, maintain detailed daily activity logs, authorize and direct offender counts, and conduct rounds and shift briefings.
Coordinate searches of offender property and living areas for contraband; control contraband handling and immediate storage.
Arbitrate disputes among offenders and staff and initiate drills and exercises.
Oversee the facility Point of Entry, including staff processing of individuals through metal detectors and searches of incoming items for contraband.
Evaluate security breakdowns and emergency medical situations, inform facility managers, and take action to de-escalate potential hazards.
Direct offender movement into and out of the facility and process new admissions, personal property, and transaction records.
Authorize and plan offender transportation and verify offenders for release or discharge at sentence completion.
Serve as a Disciplinary Hearing Officer when assigned and investigate offender violations for disciplinary hearings.
Act as initial commander in emergency situations.
When assigned, work with and care for a K9 and K9 vehicle.
Prepare reports of findings and participate in administrative tasks supporting facility management.
Inform subordinates of policy and procedure changes and perform other assigned work.