Minimum requirements to become a Correctional Officer with the Virginia Department of Corrections include: 21 years old (a waiver can be obtained through the Unit Head for those 18-20 years old), a high school diploma or GED equivalent, a valid driver’s license, ability to read and understand departmental policies and procedures and write reports for documentation.
You will need to pass a background check and a drug screen. The background investigation will/may include fingerprint checks, credit checks, and employment verification.
Meet the requirements of the pre-employment Uniformed Security Positions Agility Test, consisting of push-ups, sit-ups, one-mile run, and 51-meter sprint test. Criteria for the agility test can be found at here.
Preferred qualifications are as follows: stable employment history, military or criminal justice experience, related college coursework studies, and bilingual Spanish speaking applicants.
Disqualifying factors include any felony or domestic violence convictions.
You can apply for a job as a Correctional Officer with VADOC by filling out an application online with the Recruitment Management System (RMS), operated by the Virginia Department of Human Resource Management at this link.
Training for Correctional Officers is conducted by the Virginia Department of Corrections’ Academy for Staff Development (ASD), which is accredited by the Virginia Department for Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) and the American Correctional Association (ACA).
You will receive 13 weeks of training at ASD, consisting of instruction in areas such as: substance abuse training, defensive tactics, and firearms certification.
For more information, visit the Virginia Department of Corrections website.
I want to be a correctional officer but I want to know more of the requirements, and what I should do.