Detention Officer I - County Jail - Sheriff

Salary : $60,308.00 - $69,957.00 Annually
Location : Denton, TX
Job Type: Full-Time Non-Exempt
Job Number: 26-017
Department: Sheriff - PR_6010 - County Jail
Opening Date: 02/02/2026
Closing Date: Continuous


Description
The Detention Officer I performs specialized law enforcement work in the care and security of inmates to ensure their constitutional rights and welfare are safeguarded in the County Jail. Work involves admitting and booking inmates, supervising trustees, ensuring security of inmates and Jail, performing commissary duties, receiving and maintaining an inventory of inmate property and supplies, performing control operations, performing inmate classification duties, and preparing and transporting inmates. Additional responsibilities may include monitoring cameras, monitoring emergency systems, performing various life and fire safety activities, performing telephone and radio communications and performing duties as a member of the Extraction Team. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary according to areas of assignment. Employee must exercise alertness and independent judgment in dealing with unusual situations. Employee is subject to the usual hazards of jail work.
Examples of Duties
Admits prisoners to the County Jail; ensures that inmates are properly booked and searched, and that inmates are allowed calls to attorneys and relatives; calls bondsman if necessary; and advises prisoners of all jail rules and regulations.

Reviews logs and reports from previous shift; maintains knowledge of inmate population and cell assignments; completes activity logs and reports.

Patrols entire jail area to prevent escapes and maintain order; monitors cameras showing interior and exterior perimeter(s); video-tapes incoming inmates; and monitors emergency systems.

Supervises inmate trustees performing various duties such as serving meals to inmates, loading and unloading materials at the dock, cleaning jail cells, performing laundry detail, and performing kitchen detail.

Issues linen, clothing, toilet supplies; supervises shower and inventory of supplies; oversees cafeteria area.

Distributes mail to prisoners; provides inmates with paper, pencils and envelopes; collects outgoing mail from inmates.

Inspects the cleaning of jail to meet requirements of state and local officials.

Prepares and transports inmates to and from court, visitations or medical appointments, etc.; escorts work release inmates to and from cell blocks; searches inmates upon return to Jail.

Performs various life safety functions which require training in CPR and fire safety and suppression.

Answers telephone and assists the public with questions concerning inmate status.

Assists visitors, inspects items brought to jail for inmates.

Receives, secures, logs, and receipts inmates' property, properly storing and returning appropriate items upon release.

Selects, reviews, and monitors housing assignments of inmates according to proper classification mandated by Texas Criminal Justice Standards using custody assessment system; reviews and updates inmate custody status in reference to bond amount changes, charges added and dismissed; and completes daily population counts.

Sorts incoming inmate mail; opens and searches mail for money or contraband; logs and receipts money and property not given to inmates; and delivers mail to designated areas within the jail.

Mails packages for inmates.

Regular and punctual attendance is required.

Performs other related work as required.

Minimum Qualifications
Must be 18 years of age.

High School diploma or GED required.

Must be a U.S. citizen.

Must attain certification by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement as a Jailer within one (1) year of employment.

Possession of a valid Driver's License. Must be able to obtain a State of Texas driver's license within 90 days.

Supplemental Information

EMPLOYEE IS SUBJECT TO THE USUAL POTENTIAL HAZARDS OF CONTACT WITH INMATES.

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Denton County offers a full range of employee benefit programs for eligible employees, retirees, and their families. These programs include group health plans for medical and dental coverage; an Employee Assistance Program (EAP); life; disability, and long term care insurance; and flexible spending accounts for health care and dependent care reimbursements. The County also provides retirement benefits. Full time employees participate in the Texas County & District Retirement System (TCDRS), and employees may also participate in a retirement savings program (Deferred Compensation). In addition to these "basic employee benefits" and retirement services, employees benefit from a variety of other programs including 12 paid holidays, Tuition Reimbursement, a Wellness Program, and more.

*Note: These benefits are not included for Community Supervision and Corrections Department (CSCD) employees, or any Denton County Part-Time employee.

Denton County is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against applicants or employees on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, mental or physical disability, age, national origin or veteran status.
Family Medical Leave: Denton County employees who have been employed for one year and who have worked 1250 hours in the preceding year may be eligible for up to twelve weeks of FMLA leave.
The FMLA provides for up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave

• for the birth, adoption, or placement of a child for foster care
• to care for a child, spouse, or parent with a serious health condition
• for an employee with a serious health condition

Employees who will be away from work for one of these reasons should contact Human Resources for additional information. When possible, an employee should provide at least 30 days advance notice. In the case of an emergency, notification should be made as soon as possible.
01


Failure to accept the acknowledgment statement below can result in your employment application being rejected for failure to meet the minimum qualifications as stated in the job posting. Your application for this employment opportunity will not be reconsidered if you fail to abide by the statements below.COMPLETED APPLICATION ACKNOWLEDGMENT: I hereby acknowledge that I must complete ALL sections of the employment application, to include the supplemental questions. I understand that failure to enter all relevant work experience in the work history section of the application will result in the rejection of my employment application. I understand that to knowingly make or cause to be made any false statement, omission, or misrepresentation of a material fact in any application, and/or its supplemental questions, shall be grounds for termination. I also understand that I must provide at least THREE references in the "REFERENCES" section of the application. Furthermore, I acknowledge that Denton County does NOT accept resumes in lieu of completed applications. Please enter your initials and today's date as acceptance of this acknowledgment. If you do not accept this acknowledgment, please understand that your application will be rejected.
02


Do you have a high school diploma or GED?

• yes
• No

03


Please indicate the highest level of education obtained:

• No High School Diploma or GED
• General Equivalency Diploma
• High School Diploma
• Associate's Degree
• Bachelor's Degree
• Master's Degree
• Juris Doctorate
• PHD
• Medical Doctor

04


How many credit hours have you earned at an accredited college or university?This should include hours earned from completion of a degree, hours earned towards a degree, and/or hours earned but not in conjunction with a degree.

• No College Credit - 14 Credit Hours
• 15-29 Credit Hours
• 30-44 Credit Hours
• 45-59 Credit Hours
• 60-89 Credit Hours
• 90-119 Credit Hours
• 120-149 Credit Hours
• 150-179 Credit Hours
• 180-209 Credit Hours
• 210-239 Credit Hours
• 240-269 Credit Hours
• 270-299 Credit Hours
• 300-329 Credit Hours
• 330-359 Credit Hours
• 360-389 Credit Hours
• 390 Credit Hours or more

05


I acknowledge that I must provide the Denton County Human Resources Department with an OFFICIAL transcript confirming hours completed as indicated in the question above, should an employment opportunity be offered and accepted. Please enter your initials and today's date as acknowledgment. If you did not indicate completion of credit hours, please enter N/A.
06


Please select the years of full-time experience you have in Law Enforcement: NOTE: YOU MUST COMPLETE THE WORK HISTORY SECTION OF THE EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION TO INCLUDE THE VERIFIABLE FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AS INDICATED OR BE DISQUALIFIED.

• Less Than 6 Months
• At least 6 Months, but less than 1 Year
• 1 Year
• At least 1 Year 6 months, but less than 2 years
• 2 Years
• 3 Years
• 4 Years
• 5 Years
• 6 Years
• 7 Years
• 8 Years
• 9 Years
• 10 years
• 11 Years
• 12 years
• 13 Years
• 14 Years
• 15 Years or more

07


Which if any, of the following jailer certification(s) do you currently hold? The certification you select below must be valid and current NOTE: YOU MUST PROVIDE ALL LICENSE AND CERTIFICATION INFORMATION ON THE EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION IN THE "CERTIFICATES and LICENSES" FIELD OR RISK DISQUALIFICATION.

• No Jailer Certification
• Basic Jailer Certification
• Intermediate Jailer Certification
• Advanced Jailer Certification
• Master Jailer Certification

08


Are you a U.S. citizen?

• Yes
• No

09


If you are licensed by TCOLE, please provide your PID number. If you do not already carry a license, please answer with N/A:
10


Have you EVER been arrested?

• Yes
• No

11


Have you ever been detained by law enforcement?

• Yes
• No

12


Have you ever had a criminal case dismissed?

• Yes
• No

13


Have you EVER been indicted, criminally charged, or convicted of any misdemeanor or felony offense in this state or in any other legal jurisdiction (including offenses punishable under the Uniform Code of Military Justice)?

• Yes
• No

14


Are you presently involved in any criminal proceedings, civil, felony or misdemeanor, excluding minor traffic violations (i.e. required to appear in court and/or pay a fine, pay probationary fees, on probation, involved in a pre-trial diversion program)?

• Yes
• No

15


Have you ever been convicted of any charge that would prevent you from legally possessing a firearm or ammunition?

• Yes
• No

16


If you have answered yes, to any of the previous six questions, please provide the following information: List the date of arrest and/or conviction, the type of arrest and/or conviction (describe the nature of the offense- felony or misdemeanor), and the disposition (jail/prison, probation, reduced charge, dismissed, pre-trial diversion, statute expiration) for each offense. If you responded no to all of the previous six questions, please enter, N/ A.
17


Have you EVER previously submitted an application for the Denton County Sheriff's office?

• Yes
• No

18


If you answered yes, to the previous question, please list all positions you have applied for within the Denton County Sheriff's office. Please include date applied, position applied for, and status of the application:If you responded no, to the previous question, please enter N/A.
19


List any and all former names, including nicknames, that you have gone byPlease enter N/A if this question is not applicable.
20


Do you possess a valid driver's license?

• Yes
• No

21


Please provide your:Driver's License #: Failure to provide valid driver's license information will automatically disqualify you for this employment opportunity.
22


Please provide the State of Issuance for the driver's license # provided in the previous question: Failure to provide valid driver's license information will automatically disqualify you for this employment opportunity.
23


Please provide the Expiration Date for the driver's license # previously provided: Failure to provide valid driver's license information will automatically disqualify you for this employment opportunity.
24


The county jail operates 24 hours a day, seven (7) days a week. Are you willing and available to work nights, weekends, and holidays under potentially hazardous conditions?

• Yes
• No

25


Where did you hear about this position?

• Denton Record Chronicle
• Governmentjobs.com
• Monster.com
• Indeed
• Craigslist
• Facebook

26


Were you referred to apply for this position by a current Denton County Employee?

• Yes
• No

27


If you answered yes to the previous question, please name the current Denton County employee that referred you to apply for this position, or input N/A if an employee did not refer you to apply for this position.
28


Did you see an advertisement for this position on Google Ads?

• Yes
• No

29


Did a recruiting firm directly contact you? If yes, what company?
30


Should you be selected for an interview, you will receive a phone call or email with all the necessary information for scheduling and attending your interview. Please see the acknowledgment below.Failure to accept the acknowledgment statement below can delay the processing of your application. By acknowledging the statement you understand you are responsible for checking your phone messages and email address (provided during online application registration) for information pertaining to potential interviews for this job posting. To ensure proper delivery of emails please add View email address on click.appcast.io to your email safe list. INTERVIEW ACKNOWLEDGMENT: I hereby acknowledge that all interviews for this vacancy, will be communicated via phone or email. Please enter your initials and today's date as acceptance of this acknowledgment. If you do not accept this acknowledgment, please enter N/A.
31


I understand that no employment contract either expressed or implied is created should I be hired by Denton County. I understand that I will be required to pass a drug/alcohol and/or physical examination prior to employment. I also understand that if I am a new employee, I will be required to complete a twelve (12) month probationary period. I give my consent to Denton County to conduct a background investigation including: contacting any current and/or previous institutional employers, reference checks, criminal searches and verification of credentials. Please enter your initials and today's date as acceptance of this acknowledgment. If you do not accept this acknowledgment, please understand that your application will be rejected.
Required Question