Detention Officer (Entry)

Lubbock County•Lubbock, TX

About The Position

Responsible for the accurate and timely processing of inmates into and out of the Lubbock County Detention Center. The Detention Officer is the primary contact for daily interactions with attorneys, law enforcement agencies, and the public, and helps ensure the safety and security of the facility and its personnel. The role requires reading, writing, speaking, and comprehending English, with language skills and typing evaluations administered. A minimum typing speed of 35 WPM with 80% accuracy is required. Employees must be able to work independently, maintain physical conditioning appropriate to assigned duties, exercise sound judgment in dangerous circumstances, and handle emergency situations and irregular work hours. The work takes place in a jail environment with possible exposure to bodily fluids, armed or dangerous persons, and communicable diseases; noise is usually moderate to loud. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Must be at least 18 years of age.
Valid Texas driver’s license.
Ability to read, write, speak, and comprehend English; language skills assessment will be administered.
Minimum typing speed of 35 WPM with 80% accuracy.
Ability to communicate effectively in writing and verbally.
Knowledge of pertinent federal, state, and local laws, regulations, codes, and ordinances.
Ability to obtain a Basic Jailer’s License Certificate from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE).
Ability to work independently in the absence of supervision.
Ability to maintain physical conditioning for assigned duties, including subduing resisting individuals, lifting and carrying moderate-weight materials, and standing or sitting for extended periods.
Ability to respond to emergencies and work closely with others during irregular work hours.
Ability to handle possible exposure to bodily fluids, armed or dangerous persons, and communicable diseases.
Effective audio-visual discrimination and perception for observation, reading, writing, equipment operation, and communication; ability to maintain vision and depth perception, including color vision.
Ability to exercise sound judgment and rational thinking under dangerous circumstances, evaluate alternatives, and choose appropriate and reasonable courses of action.
Ability to stand, walk up and down stairs, kneel, bend, reach, grip, use fine dexterity, push and pull objects, and occasionally flex or rotate the upper trunk.
Ability to frequently lift and/or move objects weighing up to 20 pounds.
Ability to perform occasional intense physical exertion during emergencies.

Responsibilities

Perform initial suicide, medical, mental, and developmental-disability screenings for inmates entering the facility.
Verify the validity and accuracy of arrest paperwork, warrants, and court bench orders to confirm the legality of holding inmates.
Verify the validity and accuracy of release paperwork, bonds, and court bench orders to confirm the legality of releasing inmates.
Administer body-scan technology to prevent contraband from entering the facility.
Document, search, inventory, and maintain inmate personal property to prevent the spread of contraband.
Determine the initial search level for inmates entering the facility using a decision tree.
Obtain and maintain proper TCIC/NCIC certifications for searching and viewing criminal-history information.
Perform fingerprinting and buccal-swab procedures.
Screen inmates and visiting members of the public for active warrants.
Maintain and organize arrest, booking, and release documentation in inmate files.
Separate, sort, and search incoming and outgoing inmate correspondence for contraband.
Perform other duties as assigned.