Parole officers in Brookings, South Dakota make it through a highly selective application process and complete specialized training to show their dedication to careers and public service. Officers are responsible for a steady number of parolees who move to Brookings through interstate compacts, are currently living in the city, or who are released into the community from the Brookings County Detention Center, a facility capable of holding at least 54 inmates.
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Education and Minimum Requirements for Brookings Parole Officer Careers
The State of South Dakota requires all of its parole officers to have either a high school diploma or GED. However this is merely the minimum requirement; having a bachelor’s degree in any field including psychology, social work, and criminal justice may increase the odds of a successful application, as can previous work experience in a relevant occupation such as corrections, law enforcement, drug treatment, or counseling.
Parole jobs in Brookings are not for everybody; officers need to have certain skills and abilities and meet some minimum requirements before they will be considered for hire. These include:
- Knowledge of:
- Chemical agents such as pepper spray and tear gas for subject restraint and control
- Psychology of interpersonal relationships and human behavior
- Counseling techniques tailored for individuals
- Ability to:
- Organize, direct, and instruct parolees in fulfilling their employment, education, monetary, and legal obligations and duties
- Interact with parolees from all walks of life, maintaining a professional and constructive working relationship
- Defend oneself from physical aggression while protecting custody of a firearm
- Have no felony, domestic violence, or sex crime convictions
- Be of good moral character
- Possess a valid driver’s license
- Be able to pass a drug test and background check
Available parole officer jobs in Brookings are posted on the State’s employment webpage as parole agents. Candidates can apply when there is an opening by first creating an online account with the State’s human resources department and then filling out a web application. One of the main reasons applications are unsuccessful is because they are incomplete or lacking required documents. Candidates should take care to answer all questions, include all papers, and mark their signatures where needed.
Post-Hire Training
All Brookings parole agents complete a training program that will prepare them for their first day on the job. Subject areas include:
- Firearms training: after their first year of employment officers will need to complete a 40-hour recertification course
- Suspect apprehension, control, and arrest
- Parolee psychology and community treatment options
- Parolee background investigations, including techniques for interviewing and report writing
- South Dakota State law, jurisdictional authority, and local laws and statutes
After the completion of their training officers can begin their new careers at the Brookings Parole Services Office.