Confinement Officer Requirements, Standards, and Benefits

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Requirements and Disqualifiers

• Be at least 18 years of age at the time of hire.
• Possess a valid driver’s license or be able to obtain an Indiana driver’s license prior to employment.
• No felony convictions.
• High school diploma or GED
• No convictions* for hate crimes.
• No convictions* for domestic violence.
• No dishonorable discharges from any branch of military service.
• Applicants who have tattoos on the exposed areas of the neck, face/head, or hands (excludes wedding bands) shall be a disqualifier for employment. It is also understood that certain tattoos which may be related to hate speech, gang activity, or subversive groups are prohibited.
• It shall always be the policy of the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office (VCSO) that any conduct or affiliations that would otherwise disqualify a person from employment or continued employment shall remain in full force and effect.
• No more than five (5) traffic violations in the past five (5) years (does not include parking tickets).
• No active use of marijuana within the past six (6) months. No illegal/unlawful use of other drugs within the past two (2) years.
• Permanently disqualified from employment if ever engaged in the sale, dealing, or manufacture of controlled substances.
• May not have a conviction* for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in the past two (2) years and no more than one (1) conviction* in a lifetime.
• Must provide proof of registration for selective service (applicable under Federal law to males under the age of 26 years of age).
• Pass a post-offer of employment medical examination (including vision and hearing exams), drug screen, and psychological interview.
• Pass a post-offer of an employment background investigation, which includes: fingerprinting; photographing; criminal records checks; interviews with family, references, neighbors, and past and present employers; a credit history check, and a lie detector examination.
• Meet and successfully pass all academic, practical, physical training, and retention requirements of the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office and the Indiana Law Enforcement Training Board.
• Possess the skills, knowledge, and abilities required of the position for which you applied, which includes, but is not limited to, a positive attitude, good communication skills, respect for the law, respect for your fellow citizens, and respect for your colleagues.
• Understand that if I am hired by the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office that I must agree to refrain from using tobacco products while in uniform and in the performance of all law enforcement-related duties.
• Understand and accept that if the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office hires me that I must abide by all rules, policies, and regulations of this office and I understand that my application does not guarantee my employment nor is it in any other way a contract of employment.
• Understand that the employer provides a seven-day per week and twenty-four-hour per day service, and therefore if employed, I may be required to work evening shifts or night shifts, including weekends.
• Understand that it may be necessary for me to approve and sign waivers necessary in order for the employer to obtain information from my current and former employers and other sources.
• Understand and accept that if any information required in this application is found to be false or intentionally excluded, my application may be disqualified from further consideration. I further understand that, if the employer employs me, I may be subject to disciplinary action, including termination, if any information required by this application has been falsified or intentionally excluded. 

NOTE: Where indicated with an “*”, the term “conviction” shall include the amendment of a criminal charge to a lesser offense resulting from a negotiated plea. Compliance with the above-listed disqualifiers and requirements will be verified through a background investigation, which includes a lie-detector exam, for those applicants that advance to the conditional offer stage of the selection process.

NOTE: Compliance with the above-listed disqualifiers and requirements will be verified through a background investigation, which includes a lie-detector exam, for those applicants that advance to the conditional offer stage of the selection process.

Benefit Package

The benefits provided to employees include, but are not limited to:

• Opportunity to serve in a professional, career-oriented organization with advancement opportunities
• 2024 salary of $51,497.
• Longevity pay will increase every 5 years of service up to 20 years of service
• Annual clothing allowance of $1000
• Shift differential of 3.5% of gross pay for second and third shifts
• Paid leave including vacation days, personal days, and sick days.
• Teamster provided health care including medical, dental, and vision insurance at no cost
• Paid life insurance
• P.E.R.F. (Public Employees Retirement Fund)
• Option to participate in a deferred compensation savings program
• Access to a fully equipped agency-owned fitness center
• Collective bargaining by Teamsters Local 215