City extends deadline for open female corrections officer position at jail
Corrections officers Roessler and Jones at the front desk of the jail.
August 29, 2019
The deadline to apply for the City of Zanesville’s vacant female corrections officer position has been extended.
Applicants now have until Sept. 2 at midnight to submit their applications for the full-time job.
It’s a position that current corrections officers say comes with good benefits and the opportunity to advance in their careers. The starting pay is $15.64 an hour.
“It definitely has a chance of going somewhere upward, not just as a C.O.,” said C.O. Jones.
For C.O. Roessler, the job is a stepping stone to her goal of becoming a police officer on the road, a path several current officers for the Zanesville Police Department have taken.
“Once you get your foot in the door, you can go anywhere as long as you put your time in and your effort and show that you actually want this, the sky’s the limit,” said Roessler.
No prior experience is needed as all corrections officers are required to complete training within their first year on the job. However, applicants must be at least 21 years of age and have a high school diploma.
During the hiring process, applicants also have the chance to shadow a current corrections officer to get a better understanding for the job.
That type of mentorship continues once hired.
“There’s always someone there to help you when you need it,” said Roessler. “All you have to do is ask.”
Applicants are, however, required to be drug free at all times.
“You never know what could happen at any given moment,” said Roessler. “You have to be clear-headed.”
Not only is it for the safety of the jail’s staff, it’s also for the safety of the inmates, many of which are incarcerated for drug related crimes.
“You would be more apt to bring drugs into the facility to give to inmates,” said Jones. “You’re just enabling their habit.”
Some of the duties required of corrections officers include watching over inmates, keeping the peace, ensuring rules are enforced and contraband is left outside the facility.
It’s a job that Public Safety Director Keane Toney said often goes unnoticed, but is a crucial part of law enforcement.
“They don’t even consider what happens after the arrest. Who’s in charge of the care and the feeding and the safety? The public never thinks about that,” said Toney.
Those interested in the position can apply online here.
