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Corrections Officer and Deputy Sheriff-Officer

Be bold. Be brave. Work in corrections for the Erie County Sheriff's Office.

Erie County Jail Management Division

What are the benefits? 

  • Competitive pay, starting at more than $25 an hour.
  • Wage increases annually for the first five years.
  • Plentiful opportunities for overtime.
  • Paid holidays.
  • Generous paid sick and vacation time off allotment. 
  • Excellent health insurance, including dental.
  • Opportunities for career growth.
  • Enrollment in the New York State and Local Retirement System.

What does a corrections officer in Erie County do? 

  • Correction Officers oversee the safety, security, and supervision of incarcerated individuals at the Erie County Correctional Facility in Alden. Deputy Sheriff-Officer performs routine security and guard work, which involves providing for the custody and well-being of inmates while under detention in the Erie County Holding Center in Buffalo.
  • Correction Officers and Deputy Sheriff-Officers are responsible for understanding and knowing all applicable laws and facility rules to maintain order. 
  • Correction Officers and Deputy Sheriff-Officers receive paid training that consists of Correctional Law, Penal Law, New York State Minimum Standards and Regulations, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, automated external defibrillators, first aid, suicide prevention, weapons qualification, defensive tactics, as well as many other areas. They respond to all emergency situations in the facility and are trained in emergency response procedures. Correctional Officers are recertified in their training annually.
  • Correction Officers and Deputy Sheriff-Officers maintain discipline and enforce rules within the facility. They are responsible for the care, custody, and control of incarcerated individuals.

How many openings are there?

We anticipate hiring more than 50 individuals from the applicants eligible to be hired. 

Am I qualified? 

  • Must be 21 or older at the time of appointment. However, you can sign up for and take the civil service exam beforehand. 
  • Must have graduated from high school or earned a high school equivalency.
  • Must possess a valid New York driver's license at the time of appointment
  • Must be legal residents of Erie County for one month prior to the written exam and be legal residents during the time of appointment.
  • Must be able to pass a criminal background check.
  • Sign up today to take the test: Civil Service Exam: Correction Officer and Deputy Sheriff-Officer 85-943

How to Apply?

Corrections Officers are civil service positions, so the application process differs from other jobs you may have applied to in the private sector.

  • The current application deadline for Corrections Officers is November 1. All applicants must apply online or postmark a paper application by that date. As with all civil service exams, there is a fee to take the test. The cost to take this test is $30. Please see below to determine if you are eligible to have your exam fee waived. 
  • The Personnel Department will review your application to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position. If so, you will be eligible to take the online civil service exam. The test will be accessible from December 1 until December 31. Under no circumstances will you be able to take the test after the deadline.
  • If you pass the written test, the next step is an in-person strength and agility test.

 

APPLICATION FEE WAIVER: A waiver of the application fee will be allowed if you are unemployed and primarily responsible for the support of a household. In addition, a waiver of the application fee will be allowed if you are determined eligible for Medicaid, or receiving Supplemental Security Income payments, or Public Assistance (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families/Family Assistance or Safety Net Assistance) or are certified Job Training Partnership Act/Workforce Investment Act eligible through a State or local social service agency.