CORRECTIONAL POLICE OFFICER 

DEFINITION:

Under the immediate supervision of a supervisory official within the 
Department of Corrections, receives in-residence and on-the-job 
training including instructions for the appropriate care and custody 
of a designated group of inmates, and does work which will provide 
practical custody experience; does other related duties as required.

NOTE:  The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes 
only.  A particular position using this title may not perform all duties 
listed in this job specification.  Conversely, all duties performed on 
the job may not be listed.

EXAMPLES OF WORK:

As trainee and productive worker:

Exercises full police powers and acts as a peace officer at all times
 for the detection, apprehension, arrest, and conviction of offenders 
against the law.

Attends a twelve (12) week in-residence training program and 
an additional two (2) weeks on-the-job training at an assigned 
correctional facility; is responsible for learning the various rules, 
regulations, policies, procedures, operational processes, and 
methods related to a correctional institution.

Assists in performing assigned duties in accordance with established 
policies, regulations, and procedures to encourage and assist persons 
deprived of their liberty toward complete social rehabilitation.

Learns the proper usage, security, integrity, and care for carrying 
firearms and the responsibility of maintaining firearms and other 
restraints and defense equipment while performing assigned duties.

Assists in patrolling assigned areas of the buildings and grounds 
and makes required reports by telephone, punch clock, or other 
means; makes periodic counts of inmates and reports the 
whereabouts of absent inmates.

Assists in controlling the general conduct and behavior of inmates 
according to established institution procedures and prevents 
disturbances and escape attempts.

Reports violations of prison rules to supervisory officials.

Exercises caution and good judgment in handling circumstances 
to restore order, avoid personal injury, or to prevent endangerment 
to the general public and/or serious property damage. 

Assists in the maintenance of discipline in the prison cells, recreation 
yards, schools, hospitals, theaters, churches, mess halls, shops, 
farms, and other places where inmates are gathered in groups.

Assists in ensuring that contraband articles are not concealed on 
the bodies of the inmates or in any part of the institution, and that 
institution property and equipment is kept in a clean, safe, and 
orderly condition.

Assists in making periodic inspections of the locks, window bars, 
grills, doors, gates, and other places of possible egress from the 
institution.

Escorts the inmates to and from their quarters.

Notes suspicious persons and conditions and takes appropriate 
measures in reporting significant actions, occurrences, and 
conditions in the buildings and on the grounds; reports conditions 
constituting dangers and hazards and takes the necessary steps 
to ensure safe and orderly conditions.

Attends demonstrations of the proper methods of utilizing available 
institution equipment and accessories.

Assists in escorting inmates when their presence is required in 
a court of law.

When assigned to medical facilities, ensures the safety and 
security of departmental and non-departmental personnel in 
the performance of their duties.

When assigned to sentry duty, observes everything significant 
that takes place within sight and hearing of the post, reports 
unusual events to supervisory personnel, and prevents disorders 
and escapes.  

When assigned to farming work, is responsible for the custody 
of inmates involved in the various types of farm work.

When assigned to institutional camps or any other outside detail 
or as assigned, is responsible for the safe care and custody of all 
assigned inmates.

Learns procedures on how to convey information to inmates, clients, 
and their relatives who do not speak English as their first language. 

Learns to prepare and compose correspondence, memorandums, 
and other communications.  

Receives training in the preparation of reports and maintenance of 
essential records.

Assists in performing investigations and prepares detailed, cohesive 
reports.

Ensures inmate rights are not violated.

May be required to appear as a witness in courts of law.

Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or 
manual recording and computerized information system used by the 
agency, office, or related units.

REQUIREMENTS:

EDUCATION:

Possession of a High School Diploma or its equivalent.

AGE:

Minimum of eighteen (18) years of age.

CITIZENSHIP:

Must be a United States citizen at the time of appointment.

NOTE:  At time of appointment, eligible candidates for this position 
must submit acceptable proof of meeting the indicated requirements.

NOTE:  Appointees will be required to satisfactorily complete a 
twelve (12) week in-residence training program as well as a 
two (2) week on-the-job training program.  Appointees will be 
required to successfully complete a twelve (12) month correctional 
police officer working test period.  Such training includes successful 
attainment of a level of proficiency in the use of firearms.

NOTE:  Candidates certified from the eligible list for this title will 
be required to undergo medical and psychological examinations 
administered by the Appointing Authority.

LICENSE:

Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in 
New Jersey.

NOTE:  The responsibility for ensuring that employees possess the 
required motor vehicle license, commensurate with the class and 
type of vehicles they operate, rests with the Appointing Authority.


KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:

Knowledge of the problems likely to be encountered in work involving 
the social rehabilitation, care, and custody of persons deprived of their 
liberty, after a period of training.

Knowledge of the principles of criminal justice and their applications 
to inmate custody and correction, after a period of training.

Knowledge of the methods likely to be useful in working in an effective 
manner with persons of varied types, abilities, and personalities, after
 a period of training.

Knowledge of the problems, procedures, and methods involved in 
taking suitable action concerning suspicious persons and conditions, 
and in reporting significant occurrences and conditions, after a period 
of training.

Ability to exercise full police powers and act as a peace officer at 
all times for the detection, apprehension, arrest, and conviction of 
offenders against the law.

Ability to understand the problems involved in assimilating factual 
matters of a technical nature and in comprehending and utilizing 
essential facts presented by lectures and/or demonstrations, and 
of applying technical and factual data in a useful manner in everyday 
work in an institution.

Ability to understand what types of difficulties may be encountered in 
closely following prescribed rules and regulations.

Ability to carry a weapon while on duty.

Ability to understand, remember, and carry out oral and written 
directions, and to learn quickly from oral and written explanations 
and demonstrations.

Ability to analyze custodial problems, organize assigned custodial 
work, and develop effective work methods.

Ability to recognize significant conditions and to take proper action 
according to established procedures.

Ability to understand the emotional adjustment and other problems 
of inmates deprived of their liberty.

Ability to deal firmly and effectively with varied types of persons 
according to established policy and procedures.

Ability to perform repetitive work without loss of equanimity, patience, 
or courtesy, to remain calm and decisive in emergency situations, and 
to retain emotional stability.

Ability to assimilate information and profit from department training 
programs.

Ability to give clear, accurate, and explicit directions, and to follow 
prescribed procedures.

Ability to prepare clear, sound, accurate, and informative reports of 
significant conditions and actions taken.

Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual 
recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or 
related units.

Ability to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in English 
sufficiently to perform the duties of this position.  American Sign 
Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of 
communication.

Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as 
they can perform the essential functions of the job with or without 
reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made 
because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons 
may not be eligible.

ADVANCEMENT:

Upon the successful completion of the twelve (12) month Correctional 
Police Officer working test period, appointees will be advanced to the 
title of Senior Correctional Police Officer.  The inability of an employee 
to satisfactorily complete the working test period will be cause for 
separation.


This job specification is applicable to the following title code:
Job
Spec
Code
Variant
State,
Local or
Common
Class of
Service
Work
Week
State
Class
Code
Local
Class
Code
Salary
Range
Note
55628
S
C
40
99
N/A
L99
-

This job specification is for state government use only.
Salary range is only applicable to state government.
Local salaries are established by individual local jurisdictions.

 5/12/2018