State of Maryland

A Correctional Officer Sergeant is correctional work at the advanced or lead level in the custody, security and supervision of adult inmates confined in a correctional facility. Employees in this classification at the advanced level perform duties of an exceptional nature with fully developed expertise in one or more areas. These employees do not supervise other Correctional Officers. Employees in this classification have lead responsibility for lower-level Correctional Officers. Employees in this classification do not supervise other Correctional Officers.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from a Correctional Officer Lieutenant or other designated officer. Employees are assigned to day, evening, night or rotating shifts. Employees are subject to call-in during emergencies and staffing shortages. Work is performed primarily in a correctional facility and employees are continually exposed to inmates who may be abusive and hostile. When assigned to outside security posts employees are exposed to all types of weather conditions. Employees are required to physically subdue and restrain inmates during fights, riots and escape attempts and must wear protective clothing such as gloves, helmets and riot vests when the need arises.

Positions in this classification are evaluated using the Classification Job Evaluation Methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of a class specification.

Correctional Officer Sergeant is differentiated from Correctional Officer II in that Correctional Officer Sergeant performs advanced duties or leads the work of other Correctional Officers while the Correctional Officer II performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision within established guidelines.  Correctional Officer Sergeant is differentiated from Correctional Officer Lieutenant in that the Correctional Officer Lieutenant is responsible for supervision of lower-level Correctional Officers.

An employee at the advanced level performs one or more of the following advanced Correctional Officer duties for a major portion of the work time:

Conducts formal investigations of Correctional Officers suspected of criminal or improper activities on the job;

Conducts formal investigations of inmates and inmate relatives and acquaintances suspected of smuggling drugs or other contraband;

Contacts Maryland State and local police to exchange information;

Interviews inmates and correctional officers to obtain facts regarding suspected infractions;

Serves as a K-9 Officer using a trained dog to control inmates, search for drugs and contraband, track escapees, suppress fights and patrol outside areas.

An employee at the lead level performs the following lead correctional officer duties for a major portion of the work time:

Provides on-the-job training to less experienced Correctional Officers;

Notifies the supervisor of performance problems and infractions of rules and regulations by Correctional Officers;

Assigns officers to specific duties on a security post;

Ensures that officers are given relief for meals, breaks and report writing;

Maintains control and discipline of inmates from security stations while patrolling grounds and residential units and while escorting individuals or groups to work areas and other activities;

Submits head counts to the supervisor;

Inspects cells, dormitories, grounds, work locations and other control sites and searches inmates in order to prevent concealment of drugs, weapons and other unauthorized materials;

Enforces rules of conduct, security and labor standards by issuing admonishments for minor infractions and making reports of significant violations or irregularities to superiors;

Operates manual and electronic locking systems;

Subdues and restrains inmates during fights, riots and escape attempts;

When standing an armed post, determines the need for use firearms and uses them when necessary;

Searches for escapees and assists in their capture and return to the institution;

Observes inmate behavior and physical condition;

May be a member of inmates classification committees and attend administration hearings;

In each of the two areas, an employee performs the following duties:

Prepares reports of incidents and observations;

Attends in-service training programs;

Drives motor vehicles when transporting inmates, making outside security rounds, searching for escapees and related activities;

May search visitors for contraband;

May place inmates in handcuffs, restraining belts and leg irons;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the principles of inmate classification;

Knowledge of the security, custody and control of inmates;

Knowledge of correctional systems and standards;

Knowledge of inmate behavior;

Knowledge of basic first aid;

Skill in the use and care of firearms;

Ability to apply specialized training to advanced correctional officer work as required by the assignment or ability to lead the work of lower-level correctional officers;

Ability to follow detailed procedures contained in correctional regulations, institutional directives, and post orders;

Ability to remain calm in stressful situations and respond in an appropriate manner according to prescribed rules and procedures;

Ability to observe and remember incidents and to recall details such as identity of persons, location of items, conversations and sequence of events and actions taken during the incident;

Ability to work in an institutional setting where personal physical attack by convicted felons is a constant possibility and where the use of physical force to restrain inmates is a required part of the job;

Ability to prepare concise, accurate reports of events and incidents;

Ability to effectively communicate with inmates, other correctional officers and with other institutional staff.

Education:   High School diploma or high school equivalency certificate acceptable to the Maryland State Board of Education as described in the Correctional Training Commission regulation.

Experience: Three years of experience as a Correctional Officer involving the custody and security of adult inmates.

Notes:

1. The above educational requirement is set by the Correctional Training Commission in accordance with Correctional Services Article, Section 8-209.

2. Candidates may substitute additional education at an accredited college or university at the rate of sixty credit hours for one year of the required experience provided that a minimum of 15 credit hours are in the field of criminal justice or related social sciences.

3. Candidates may substitute equivalent State experience in other classifications within the correctional field which involve daily contact with and custody of inmates for the required experience. Qualifying experience must be in a classification where the salary is comparable to that of Correctional Officer II.

4. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience in correctional classifications or correctional specialty codes in the criminal justice field of work equivalent to a Correctional Officer II on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

1. Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator's license valid in the State of Maryland.

2. Employees in this classification may be required to operate busses for the transportation of inmates. Employees assigned such duties will be required to acquire a Class B Commercial Driver's License with passenger and air brakes endorsements valid in the State of Maryland.

1. Employees who have not already done so must meet the selection standards required and successfully complete the training prescribed by the Maryland Correctional Training Commission for a correctional officer during their probationary period, (Correctional Services Article, Section 8-209). Selection standards for correctional officer training are listed in detail in the Code of Maryland Regulations Title 12, Subtitle 10, Chapter 01 and include the following:

U.S. Citizenship or Resident Alien status
Must be at least 21 years of age
A completed background investigation
Oral interview
Physical examination.

2. Employees in this classification hired or reinstated on or after July 1, 2016 shall successfully complete the Entrance Level Firearms Training prescribed by the Maryland Correctional Training Commission (Code of Maryland 12.10.04.04 and 12.10.04.05) and demonstrate practical knowledge and proficiency in the safe use and care of firearms on a periodic basis.

3. Employees in this classification are subject to call-in 24 hours a day and, therefore, must provide the employing agency with a telephone number where they can be reached.

4. Employees in this classification are subject to substance abuse testing in accordance with Code of Maryland Regulations 17.04.09, Testing for Illegal Use of Drugs.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit H, Public Safety and Security classes.  As provided by the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

Employees in this classification are eligible to receive overtime compensation.  An employee who works more than the normal workweek is entitled to be compensated for that overtime as provided by the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305, Annotated Code of Maryland.