Correctional Officer

Salary: Depends on Qualifications
Location : Douglas County Jail, 509 3rd Ave W, Alexandria, MN 56308, MN
Job Type: Full Time - Regular - 40 hrs/wk
Job Number: 10521:7/27/2026
Department: Law Enforcement
Opening Date: 07/27/2026
Closing Date: 8/10/2026 12:00 PM Central


Job Description
Join this vital team! No experience is necessary. W e will train you!

Future opportunities for growth and advancement!

*This recruitment will establish an eligibility list for one (1) immediate fill and future vacancies for up to one (1) year. If additional positions open within the next year, successful candidates placed on the eligibility list may be contacted for hiring.

Mark your calendar! Interviews for selected candidates will be held on August 12th and 14th!
JOB TITLE: Correctional Officer DEPARTMENT: Sheriff's Office (Jail location) STATUS: Full-Time-(Typically, 12-hour shifts).

STARTING SALARY: The starting salary for this position is $53,352 annually ($25.65/hr) based on the current 2026 pay grid (pay step increases may be considered based on experience), plus receive differential pay of $1.35 per hour when working night shifts and weekends. Receive anniversary step increases plus annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) per the current collective bargaining agreement.
* Generally, the scheduling will be 80 hours every two weeks, with 5 on, 5 off, 2 on, and 2 off, with the 5-day weekend off every other weekend. Shift rotations every 2 months. * Extra pay per hour for hours worked between 5 p.m. and 6 a.m. and between the hours of 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
JOB OBJECTIVES:

A Correctional Officer provides safety, security and assists in managing the daily operations of the Douglas County Jail. Enforces detention facility security policies and procedures. Ensures all state guidelines, rules, and laws are adhered to during their shift.


ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES : The duties listed are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of those specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.

• Monitor and enforce correctional facility security policies and procedures.
• Intake, booking and monitor incoming inmates and be responsible for the release of inmates at their designated time.
• Directly supervise inmates in their cell blocks and living units and maintain security and protection of all cell areas.
• Conduct cell block searches, monitor, and track all inmates at all times.
• Maintain proper correctional facility documentation and review documents before accepting or releasing inmates.
• Fingerprinting and photographing of all incoming inmates; inventorying and releasing inmate property.
• Brief all incoming inmates on correctional facility rules and regulations.
• Administer proper medications to inmates, provide first aid and care for sick or injured inmates, and arrange for medical attention, when needed.
• Oversee the laundry and distribution of clothing to inmates, the cleaning and sanitizing of the cell area, and coordinate the inmate's daily activity schedules.
• Maintain safe and secure facility including, but not limited to locking facilities doors, removing of any times that could be used as weapons, and inspecting incoming and outgoing inmate mail for contraband.
• Delivering meals to all inmates, supervising tray delivery for special/medical diets, picking up trays, accounting for all trays and utensils.
• Oversee the release and return of work release inmates.
• Receive and route all telephone calls or take messages and distribute the same inmates, when appropriate.
• At times, transport inmates to and from other facilities.
• Assisting probation, courts and attorneys.
• Complies with all rules and policies in order to maintain a safe work environment.
• Reliable, predictable attendance and punctuality.
• Performs other duties, as assigned or apparent.

Access to Not Public Data:
In this job, you may come across private or confidential information about people we serve. This data is protected by law and should only be viewed or used when it's truly needed for your work. You are expected to only look at private data when your job duties require it. Keep it secure and make sure others who don't need to see it don't have access. Stop accessing the data once your task is done, and store or dispose of it properly, following the rules in Minnesota's Data Practices Act (Chapter 13). If your job duties change and you need access to different private data, that access should also be limited to only what you need to do your job.

REQUIRED MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AT HIRE:

Education:
High School diploma or equivalent.

Licenses and Other:

• Possess a valid Class D Minnesota Driver's License at all times.
• Have an operating telephone in their residence, so they may be reached in case of emergency.

Physical Fitness:
Must be free of any physical disabilities that would prevent execution of assigned duties. Must be physically fit to perform all duties assigned and be able to perform any physical fitness standards that may be set by the Sheriff's Office.

REQUIRED MINIMUM KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES, & QUALITIES AT HIRE:

• Must possess good character, good judgment and have the ability to deal well with people.
• They must have good social and interpersonal skills, general intelligence and an aptitude for correctional facilities duties.
• Knowledge of modern methods in detention and correction.
• Ability to write and prepare legible documents.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Knowledge of first aid and CPR.
• Ability to defend themselves and others from unruly inmates.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other employees, court, and enforcement agency representatives, as well as the general public.
• Must have knowledge of federal, state, and county policies, laws, and regulations regarding correctional facilities.

DESIRABLE OR PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Education

• Completed education beyond high school.
• Previous education in Law Enforcement related field.

Experience:

• Previous work experience where duties involved substantial work with the public.
• Previous experience in Law Enforcement related field.
• Skills directly related to correctional officer duties.

Licenses and Other:

• Current CPR, First Aid, Medication Delivery, and Use of Force certificates.
• Computer skills and typing ability.
• Previous experience with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Previous experience entering and retrieving data from databases.
• History of performing volunteer work in a community.

WORK ENVIRONMENT
Public Building -The Douglas County Jail.

99% of work is indoors. Works independently frequently, but works with others and around others constantly. Occasional contact with the public. Constant contact with individuals with behavior challenges. Possible exposure to infectious diseases such as TB or bloodborne pathogens. Exposure to mechanical equipment such as vehicles and overhead doors. Exposure to electrical equipment such as cameras, radios, and master control equipment. Exposure to pressurized equipment such as fire extinguishers and moving equipment. Occasional exposure to smells such as body odor and heights when working on an upper tier of housing units.

Shifts:
Applicants must be able to work 12-hour rotating shifts that fit the 24 hours a day/7 days a week operation, with night, holiday, and weekend shifts. Overtime may be required.
*Shift differential of $1.35 per hour for hours worked between 5 p.m. and 6 a.m. and also between the hours of 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
*Generally, the scheduling will be 80 hours every two weeks, with 5 on, 5 off, 2 on, 2 off, with the 5 off being every other weekend.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS can involve, but are not limited to:
Lifting, pushing, and pulling while stationary, 1-50 lbs. occasionally, typically inmate property bags, supplies, and food in coolers. Lifting, pushing, pulling 50 to 100+ lbs., rarely, which may include a human and medical equipment such as a stretcher.
Lifting, pushing, and pulling while moving about 1-10 lbs. frequently, 10 to 50 lbs. occasionally, typically food trays, medical cart, cleaning supplies, restraint chair, and laundry carts. 50 to 100+ lbs., rarely in cases of uncooperative inmates, assisting with medical incidents and team lifts. Must have near, far, depth, and color vision constantly and field of vision frequently for observing inmates and general activity in the facility. Frequent talking, hearing, and reading are required. Sitting, standing, and climbing are required occasionally and walking is required frequently. Crouching, stooping, and kneeling are rare. Grasping, reaching, feeling, and smelling are required occasionally, using fingers frequently, handling of objects and driving are rare.

Amount Lifted:
Amount Lifted Up to 50lbs.: Occasional: = Range: 49 min to 2 hrs., 39 min or 29 to 86 days
Amount Lifted 51 to 101+ lbs.: Rare: = Range: 5 min to 48 min or 2.6 to 26 days
Amount Pushed or Pulled:
Amount Pushed or Pulled Up to 10 lbs.: Frequent: = Range: 2 hrs., 40 min to 5 hrs., 17 min or 88 to 172 days
Amount Pushed or Pulled 11 to 50 lbs.: Occasional: = Range: 49 min to 2 hrs., 39 min or 29 to 86 days
Amount Pushed or Pulled 51 to 101+ lbs.: Rare: = Range: 5 min to 48 min or 2.6 to 26 days
Vision:
Near and Far Vision: Constant: = Range: 5 hrs., 18 min to 8 hours or 174+ days
Depth and Color: Constant: = Range: 5 hrs., 18 min to 8 hours or 174+ days
Field of Vision: Frequent: = Range: 2 hrs., 40 min to 5 hrs., 17 min or 88 to 172 days
Contact With Others:
Works Alone: Frequent: = Range: 2 hrs., 40 min to 5 hrs., 17 min or 88 to 172 days
Works with and around Others: Constant: = Range: 5 hrs., 18 min to 8 hours or 174+ days
Customer/Public Contact: Occasional: = Range: 49 min to 2 hrs., 39 min or 29 to 86 days
Clients with Behavior Challenges: Constant: = Range: 5 hrs., 18 min to 8 hours or 174+ days
Communications:
Talking and Hearing: Frequent: = Range: 2 hrs., 40 min to 5 hrs., 17 min or 88 to 172 days
Reading: Frequent: = Range: 2 hrs., 40 min to 5 hrs., 17 min or 88 to 172 days
Basic Body Positions:
Sitting and Standing: Occasional: = Range: 49 min to 2 hrs., 39 min or 29 to 86 days
Walking/Moving About: Frequent: = Range: 2 hrs., 40 min to 5 hrs., 17 min or 88 to 172 days
Climbing: Frequent: = Range: 2 hrs., 40 min to 5 hrs., 17 min or 88 to 172 days
Balancing: Not Present
Crouching, Kneeling and Crawling: Rare: = Range: 5 min to 48 min or 2.6 to 26 days
Motor Skills:
Handling: Rare: = Range: 5 min to 48 min or 2.6 to 26 days
Grasping, Reaching and Feeling: Occasional: = Range: 49 min to 2 hrs., 39 min or 29 to 86 days
Using Fingers: Frequent: = Range: 2 hrs., 40 min to 5 hrs., 17 min or 88 to 172 days
Driving: Rare: = Range: 5 min to 48 min or 2.6 to 26 days
Exposures To:
Mechanical and Electrical Equipment: Rare: = Range: 5 min to 48 min or 2.6 to 26 days
Pressurized Equipment: Rare: = Range: 5 min to 48 min or 2.6 to 26 days
Burning Material/Equip: Not Present
Explosive and Radiant Energy : Not Present
Moving Equipment: Rare: = Range: 5 min to 48 min or 2.6 to 26 days
Heights: Occasional: = Range: 49 min to 2 hrs., 39 min or 29 to 86 days
Fumes/Odors: Occasional: = Range: 49 min to 2 hrs., 39 min or 29 to 86 days
Dirt/Dust and Gases: Not Present
See also Physical and Environmental Factors Form.
EXAMPLES OF EQUIPMENT USED

• Handcuffs, restraint belts, shackles, radio, Taser, pepper spray, food/medical/property carts, property conveyor, and PIPE (computer logging system for corrections).
• Microsoft Word and Excel, Outlook, Portals, CIS, POR, and S3 websites.
• Scanner, camera, flash drive, card readers, and computer.

OTHER

Must pass a full background check, physical examination, and psychological examination.
BENEFITS: We also offer no-cost/low-cost health insurance plan options. Douglas County contributes to a Health Savings Account and a (PERA) pension plan. Douglas County is also a qualified Employer for the Public Sector Loan Forgiveness Program.
Life Insurance- as a County employee you will be covered by $40,000 of life insurance at no expense. Supplemental coverage is available for you, your spouse, and your dependents.
Vacations: Employees will accrue vacation according to the following schedule:
0 - 4 years - 10 working days.
5 -9 years - 15 working days.
10 - 14 years - 20 working days.
15 - 19 years - 25 working days.
Over 20 years - 30 working days.
Sick Leave/Earned Safe and Sick Time: An employee shall be credited with 1 day of sick leave for each month of service accumulative to 90 days. The first 48 hours (or up to 80 hours if any eligible time was carried over) will be counted as ESST.
The schedule is an every two-month rotation from day shifts to night shifts.
Supervision Received : Under the immediate supervision of the Jail Sergeant.

Supervision Exercised : Inmates.

Labor Group: Union -LELS

FLSA Status : Non-Exempt.

Grade : 6

EEO Job Category : Protective Service Workers.

Work Comp Code : 7720
This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee, and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and the requirements of the job change.
Revised : updated 7/2026.
Douglas County offers an exceptional benefits package to full-time employees including vacation, sick, funeral leave, and holiday pay. Also included in this benefit package are health, dental, and life insurance; medical and dependent care reimbursement accounts (Section 125 Plan) and supplemental insurance; deferred compensation plan and Public Employees Retirement (PERA). For a more detailed overview of our benefits package,


Benefits may offered on a pro-rata basis or not offered for less than full-time employment.
01


The responses you provide to these Supplemental Questions will be used in combination with your application to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements and/or your final score. - DO NOT submit a resume in place of completing the Supplemental Questions. - DO NOT type "See Resume" as a response for any of the supplemental questions or on the employment application. - Thoroughly complete the Education and Work Experience sections of the application. Give detailed descriptions of each position that you feel qualifies you for the job you are applying for. Be sure to accurately report dates and hours worked per week. - Concisely, briefly, and accurately complete the Supplemental Questions. Be sure to cross reference where in your Education and Work Experience you learned your skills. - Any information you submit may be verified. Failure to provide detailed and complete information may result in your application being rejected or receiving a lower score.You must have a valid e-mail address to apply for jobs with the Douglas County. All communication regarding your application and status will be done by e-mail. If you do not have an e-mail address listed in your profile, you must include one before you submit and confirm your application.

• Acknowledge that I have read, understand, and agree with the above statements.

02


Indicate highest level of education completed:*Note: If you are in the process of earning a degree, do not list it as your highest level of education completed.

• Did not complete high school or GED.
• High School Diploma/GED.
• Some college, No degree received.
• Certificate (1 year education program post High School).
• Associates Degree (A.A.).
• Associates Degree and additional course work.
• Bachelor's Degree (B.S. or B.A.).
• Bachelor's Degree and additional coursework.

03


Have you ever engaged in, been convicted of engaging in, or been civilly or administratively adjudicated to have engaged in sexual abuse in a prison, jail, lockup, community confinement facility or juvenile facility?

• Yes.
• No.

04


Are you currently on probation?

• Yes.
• No.

05


Will you be able to work the schedule for this position as described in the job posting?

• Yes.
• No.

06


Do you possess a valid Minnesota Driver's License or ability to obtain within 30 days of employment?

• Yes.
• No.

07


Duties may require exposure to people who may be hostile, verbally abusive, emotionally disturbed, mentally ill, disorderly, confrontational in interpersonal situations; Are you willing to work under these conditions?

• Yes.
• No.

08


Do you have the ability to maintain an operating telephone to be reached in times of emergency or as needed?

• Yes.
• No.

09


Do you have one of the following Associates or Bachelor's degrees:

• Criminal Justice.
• Criminology.
• Law Enforcement.
• Criminal History.
• None of the above.

10


Which of the following best describes your level of experience in a correctional security setting where your primary duties were the care, custody and control of inmates? If you mark that you do have experience you must document this experience in the "Work Experience" section of your application. Convert part time work to full time work. Example: 2 years working 20 hours/week would equivalent to working 1 year 40 hours/week.

• None.
• Less than 6 months.
• 6 to less than 1 year.
• 1 year to less than 2 years.
• 2 years but less than 3 years.
• 3 years or more.

11


Do you have paid experience working in a position that 50% or more of the duties were spent providing DIRECT customer service to the public? Public includes people of all social, economic, and ethnic backgrounds.

• None.
• Less than 1 year.
• 1 to less than 3 years.
• 3 or more years.

12


Please explain where you gained this experience. If no experience, type "none".
13


Check the work experiences, training and skills you have:

• Work as a team member.
• Process records and maintain forms and files.
• Use computers to enter, access and retrieve data.
• Prepare reports in timely manner.
• Guard prisoners in correctional institutions.
• Monitor inmate activity.
• Apply appropriate physical restraint in a correctional setting.
• Use appropriate physical response.
• Enforce laws, ordinances and regulations.
• Use law enforcement methods and procedures.
• Conduct body searches.
• Communicate details concisely and consistently.
• Conduct legal area searches.
• Recognize physical and emotional abuse.
• Resolve conflicts with de-escalation training.
• Confronting escalating situations.
• Operate and monitor surveillance equipment.
• Use correct grammar, punctuation and spelling.
• Recognize emergency medical procedures.
• None.

14


Have you had any of the following training?

• None.
• Diversity Training.
• Inner Personal Communication Training.
• De-escalation Training.
• Critical Incident Response Training.
• Resiliency Training.

15


Do you have computer, typing, and word processing skills to efficiently and accurately draft correspondence, compose reports, and complete forms and templates?

• Yes.
• No.

16


If yes to above question, please explain:
17


Do you have paid work experience accessing, entering, and searching for information in a Jail Management System?

• Yes.
• No.

18


Do you possess a CURRENT First Aid certification?

• Yes.
• No.

19


Do you possess a CURRENT CPR certification?

• Yes.
• No.

20


Have you successfully completed a Use of Force course?

• Yes.
• No.

21


Have you successfully completed a Medication Delivery course?

• Yes.
• No.

22


Select the number of organizations you have performed official volunteer work for:

• None
• 1 to 2.
• 2 to 3.
• 3 or more.

23


List the total number of hours you have logged performing official volunteer work in a community:

• 1 to 10 hours.
• 11 to 40 hours.
• 41 to 80 hours.
• 81 to 160 hours.
• 161 hours or more.
• None.

24


Which of the following Veteran's Preference do you wish to claim (in order to receive Veteran's Preference credit, you must submit a copy of your DD214 to the Administrator's Office by the application deadline?

• No Veteran's Preference.
• Veteran Preference.
• Veteran Preference with disability.
• Spouse of disabled or deceased Veteran.

Required Question