Senior Correctional Officer

Meade County Jail Administrative Support

This position is responsible for ensuring the safety, security, and orderly operation of the Meade County Jail by maintaining the care, custody, and control of inmates while providing essential administrative support for jail operations. Duties include monitoring inmate activity, enforcing facility policies and procedures, maintaining security within the facility, and assisting staff, inmates, and visitors in a professional manner. In addition to detention responsibilities, this position performs a variety of administrative functions including record management, data entry, report preparation, scheduling, processing inmate documentation, maintaining confidential records, coordinating communication between departments and outside agencies, and supporting the daily operational needs of the jail. The position plays a critical role in ensuring efficient jail operations while upholding the highest standards of safety, security, professionalism, and public service.

Major duties include:

• Processing legal and non-legal documents for inmates; reviewing documents for accuracy and instructing staff on corrections.
• Receiving and accounting for incoming funds; preparing checks for proper disbursement of funds to other agencies.
• Scanning and importing documents into computer program; reviewing for accuracy.
• Preparing work schedules for corrections officers and kitchen staff; reviewing leave requests; scheduling staff to cover shifts and updating schedules as needed.
• Receiving and responding to email.
• Preparing bank deposits; paying bills and recording bank transactions; balancing and reconciling accounts.
• Gathering data and preparing monthly billings for inmates.
• Gathering data and preparing reports.
• Calculating inmate jail time.
• Reviewing employee time records for accuracy and completeness; contacting staff for corrections as needed.
• Coordinating the hiring of temporary staff during motorcycle rally.
• Ordering and inventorying commissary items as needed; inventorying and ordering office supplies.
• Maintaining inventory records of all issued uniforms and equipment.
• Assisting in the operation of the control room with abilities to monitor security cameras and lock and unlock doors.
• Assisting in the opening and inspection of inmate mail to handle incoming cash and checks associated with inmate accounts.
• Repairing and/or reporting on maintenance issues.
• Responding to information requests from the public, inmates, attorneys, law enforcement officers and others.
• Performing related duties.

Knowledge required by the position includes:

• Modern office practices and procedures.
• County and agency policies and procedures.
• Computers and job-related software programs.
• Bookkeeping principles and practices.
• Prioritizing and organizing work.
• Customer services.
• Maintenance of files and records.
• Use of office equipment such as a computer, scanner, fax machine, and copier.
• Oral and written communication.
• Jail management principles.
• Jail medical and emergency protocols.
• Building security principles.
• Inmate rights.
• Rules governing the management of inmate funds.
• Monitoring and observing inmate behavior.

The work consists of related administrative duties. Frequent interruptions contribute to the complexity of the position. The purpose of this position is to provide administrative support for county jail operations while assisting in maintaining the safety and security of the facility. Successful performance contributes to the efficiency and effectiveness of those operations.

Contacts are typically with co-workers, other county employees, inmates, representatives of the South Dakota Department of Corrections, representatives of the Social Security Administration, and members of the general public. Contacts are typically to give or exchange information, resolve problems, and provide services.

The work is typically performed while sitting at a desk or table or while intermittently sitting, standing, walking, or stooping. The employee occasionally lifts light objects and uses tools or equipment requiring a high degree of dexterity. The work is typically performed in an office located within a secure jail facility.

Supervisory and management responsibility none. Minimum qualifications include knowledge and level of competency commonly associated with completion of specialized training in the field of work, in addition to basic skills typically associated with a high school education. Sufficient experience in the corrections officer responsibilities, and to understand and perform the essential duties of the position, typically acquired through completion of an apprenticeship, internship, or at least one to two years in a related position. A minimum of two (2) years using the Meade County Sheriff's Office Records Management System and be proficient in the entry, maintenance, retrieval, and management of jail records.