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WESTCHESTER COUNTY
CIVIL SERVICE PROMOTIONAL
OPPORTUNITIES FOR CURRENT EMPLOYEES

County Service · Westchester Medical Center · Towns · Villages · School Districts

Special Districts · Cities of Peekskill & Rye

 

Last Filing Date: 7/30/18
Date Posted: 7/9/18
JBCL: S0001

Revised 7/10/18

Exam #: 73-449

Exam Date: 9/29/18

CORRECTION OFFICER – SERGEANT

 

Westchester County

 

A NON-REFUNDABLE $100.00 APPLICATION FEE IS REQUIRED FOR EACH SEPARATELY NUMBERED EXAMINATION FOR WHICH YOU APPLY.  SEE APPLICATION FILING FEE STATEMENT ON LAST SECTION OF ANNOUNCEMENT.

 

 

Westchester County is only accepting applications submitted on-line for our civil service examinations.  Paper Applications WILL NOT be accepted.

TO APPLY ON-LINE VISIT: WWW.WESTCHESTERGOV.COM/HR

 

 

Candidates may use computers available at the Westchester County One-Stop Employment Center, located at 120 Bloomingdale Road in White Plains, or at local libraries in Westchester County to Complete the on-line application. The NON-REFUNDABLE application processing fee MUST be paid on-line using a credit card. Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express and Pre-paid cards are accepted. Please call (914) 995-2388, if you have any questions.

 

SALARY

 

$100,035 - $119,170

 

QUALIFYING EXPERIENCE

 

Immediately preceding the time of examination must have 60 months continuous permanent competitive class status as Correction Officer as a Westchester County government employee.

 

Candidates must continue to meet promotional qualifications in order to maintain their standing on the list and be eligible for appointment.   If you qualify for the examination based on your status on a preferred list, your name remains active on the list as long as you are on the preferred list.

DUTIES

 

Under the direct supervision of a Correction Officer - Captain or higher administrative authority, an incumbent acts as a senior or supervisory member of a detail or sub-unit of Correction Officers having responsibility for prisoners confined within the institutions of the Department of Correction during an assigned shift. This position assists in the supervision of the inmate custodial and work detail operations inside the Penitentiary, Jail, County Court House, Hospital Ward and other on- and offsite locations. Incumbents in this class assist in the training of Correction Officers, supervise searches, arbitrate disputes among prisoners, and deal with their complaints. They may also be required to carry out specialized assignments in units such as prisoner transportation, attendance management, special investigations, staff training and emergency preparedness.  Unusual or emergency situations are most often discussed with the Correction Officer - Captain in charge of the tour of duty before final action is taken. Incumbents in this class are subject to assignment to any of the Department's units at any time, as requirements may dictate. Positions in this class have the dual role of supervisor and post officer. Supervision is exercised over a number of Correction Officers. Does related work as required.

 

VACANCIES

 

The eligible list established as a result of this examination will be used to fill appropriate vacancies as they occur in the jurisdictions listed above.

 

SUBJECT OF EXAMINATION

 

WRITTEN TEST is designed to test for knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in such areas as:

 

  1. New York State minimum standards for correctional facilities - These questions test knowledge of the Minimum Standards for state, county, and local correctional facilities that are promulgated by the New York State Commission of Correction in areas such as the admission/discharge, care, custody, movement, correctional treatment, security, supervision, and discipline of all persons confined in these systems.

 

  1. Coordinating appropriate responses to emergencies, disturbances and other unusual situations - These questions test for knowledge in such areas as: anticipating possible correctional emergency situations, responding to situations promptly and allocating staff where needed; notifying supervisors of situations when appropriate; acting within rules to alleviate problems as quickly as possible with minimum use of force; investigating the causes of incidents; submitting reports on incidents.

 

  1. Supervising inmate correctional programs, services, visitation areas and correctional staff These questions test for knowledge in such areas as: coordinating programs with civilian staff; ensuring that all employees relate well to visitors and guests and answer their questions in accordance with facility rules; organizing and supervising special programs involving outside groups (e.g., Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, etc.) and insuring full cooperation from employees. The questions may also deal with such areas as: understanding new concepts and developments in the field of Corrections, and evaluating employees' capabilities and limitations on the job.

 

  1. Preparing written material - These questions test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately, and to organize paragraphs logically and comprehensibly. For some questions, you will be given information in two or three sentences followed by four restatements of the information. You must then choose the best version. For other questions, you will be given paragraphs with their sentences out of order. You must then choose, from four suggestions, the best order for the sentences.

 

A Guide for the Written Test for First Line Correctional Supervisor is available at the New York State website: https://www.cs.ny.gov/testing/testguides.cfm. Candidates not having access to a computer or the internet may request copy of the test guide from the municipal civil service office conducting this examination using the contact information found elsewhere on this announcement.

GENERAL NOTICE TO CANDIDATES FOR ALL CIVIL SERVICE EXAMS

 

1.     Use of calculators is PROHIBITED for this exam.  Devices with typewriter keyboards, spell checkers, personal digital assistants, address books, language translators, dictionaries, or any similar devices are prohibited.  You may not bring books or other reference materials to the examination location.

2.   If you are filing for examinations offered by other agencies (New York State, another County, Cities of Yonkers, New Rochelle, White Plains, etc.) that are being given on the same date as this examination, you must make arrangements to take all examinations at one test site. You are also required to complete and return the Cross Filer Form, available at Westchester County Department of Human Resources, 148 Martine Avenue, Suite 100, White Plains, NY 10601 or download the form at www.westchestergov.com/hr, to this office no less than two (2) weeks prior to the examination date.  Failure to provide such information on time may result in disqualification from one or more examinations in this series.  There is NO reciprocity with New York City and you must make a choice between the two jurisdictions. Furthermore, if you have applied for both New York State and Westchester County examinations, you must take all examinations at the state examination center. Candidates must take admission notices for all participating examinations on that test date to the state examination center and include all examination numbers on your test materials. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE CALL 914-995-2117. DO NOT CONTACT NEW YORK STATE.

3.     Candidates who fail to receive either their admission notice or final disqualification notice by the Thursday prior to the examination are responsible for calling the Westchester County Department of Human Resources (995-2117), for instructions.

4.     ELIGIBLE LISTS - Lists may be established for a maximum of four years. The resulting eligible list will be used to fill appropriate vacancies as they occur in the agencies listed on the face of this announcement.

5.     FOR COUNTY EMPLOYMENT - In accordance with Westchester County’s comprehensive Drug-Free Workplace Policy and Procedures, and commitment to maintain a safe, alcohol and drug- free work environment, you may be required to submit to a urinalysis and/or blood test.

6.     This examination will be prepared and rated in accordance with Section 23(2) of the Civil Service Law.  The provisions of the New York State Civil Service Law, rules and regulations dealing with the preparation and rating of examinations will apply to this examination.

7.     Veterans and Veterans with Disabilities, who meet the criteria set forth in the Application for Examination, may be eligible for additional credits added to their earned scores if successful in examination. CREDITS MUST BE CLAIMED AT THE TIME OF FILING YOUR APPLICATION FOR EXAMINATION AND YOU MUST ATTACH A COPY OF YOUR DD214 SEPARATION PAPERS. If claiming credit as a Veteran with a disability, attach form 102. If these documents are not submitted within sixty days of filing your application, your claim will be denied. "Active duty members of the Armed Forces have the right to request veteran credits prior to discharge. If you are currently on active duty you should check the appropriate box on the application and attach a letter requesting the use of credits with documentation verifying your active duty status: i.e. copy of military ID, military orders, official documents indicating current service, etc." See our website section "Special Rights for Veterans" for details regarding the use of these credits. Veterans who previously used non-disabled veteran credits for appointment to a position in New York State or local government AND, after his/her appointment, was subsequently classified by the Veterans Administration as a disabled veteran, are now eligible for an award of additional veteran credits.  If you are claiming additional disabled veteran credits as a result of the Amendment to Section Six of Article Five of the New York State Constitution effective January 1, 2014, Form 102 Authorization for Disability Record and Form 102S Authorization for Verification of Non-Disabled Veterans Credits Use must be submitted. Completed forms must be received by the Westchester County Department of Human Resources before an eligible list is established in order to be granted credits on that eligible list.

 

SENIORITY:  Excluding the first year, points will be added to an eligible score as follows: 1.0 point for each 5 years or fraction thereof of permanent status in the classified service in Westchester County or Appointing Authority (as applicable) from 1 year to 26 years, calculated in years and months, not days.  (0-1 year = 0; over 1 year - 6 years = 1; over 6 years - 11 years = 2; over 11 years - 16 years = 3; over 16 years - 21 years = 4; over 21 years - 26 years = 5).

HOW TO APPLY

 

APPLICATION FILING FEE

 

A $100.00 APPLICATION FEE IS REQUIRED FOR EACH SEPARATELY NUMBERED EXAMINATION FOR WHICH YOU APPLY.  THE NON-REFUNDABLE APPLICATION PROCESSING FEE MUST BE PAID ONLINE USING A CREDIT CARD.

 

APPLICATION FEES ARE NOT REFUNDABLE.  IF YOU ARE DISQUALIFIED FROM OR FAIL TO APPEAR FOR THE EXAMINATION, YOUR FEE IS NOT REFUNDED.  THEREFORE, WE URGE YOU TO COMPARE YOUR QUALIFICATIONS CAREFULLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION AND FILE ONLY FOR THOSE EXAMINATIONS FOR WHICH YOU ARE CLEARLY QUALIFIED.

 

THE APPLICATION FILING FEE IS SUBJECT TO BEING INCREASED WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE.

 

ALTERNATE TEST DAY REQUESTS:  The Department of Human Resources periodically receives requests to reschedule candidates for civil service examinations under exceptional circumstances because individuals are unable to participate in the exams on their scheduled dates.

 

Upon presentation of appropriate documentation, the Department of Human Resources may grant an alternate test date. The granting of alternate test date is at the discretion of the Department of Human Resources. Examples such as the following may be considered as reasons for granting an alternate test date: 

 

 

Procedure:

 

Candidates who have met the criteria may be eligible for one alternate test date. A written request with appropriate documentation justifying the request must be submitted to the Examination Administration Unit.  With no exception, alternate test date requests must include documentation verifying the exceptional circumstance which precludes the candidate from appearing.  After consideration, the Examination Administration Unit will notify the candidate as to whether or not the request is granted.

 

APPLICANTS WITH DISABILITIES - If special arrangements for testing are required, please indicate this on your application.

 

Candidates are responsible for reporting in writing, all changes in name and/or address directly to the “Recruitment and Selection Unit” at the above address.  Please include examination number on all correspondence.

Admission cards may not be mailed to candidates until ten days prior to the examination date.

 

Candidates, who receive disqualification notices and wish to appeal such disqualification, must do so in writing.

 

WESTCHESTER COUNTY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.  It is the policy of Westchester County to provide for and promote the equal opportunity of employment, compensation and other terms and conditions of employment without discrimination because of age, race, creed, color, national origin, sex, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other protected status.

 

www.westchestergov.com/hr