Parole officers in Rapid City are responsible for assessing, supervising, and assisting parolees living in the local area. The officer caseload is composed primarily of parolees from the county jail, state corrections facilities, and parolees from other states who have made Rapid City their home.
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Rapid City has the second-highest number of parole officers in South Dakota. This is because the city is home to the second largest parolee population in the state. The Rapid City Minimum Unit, a state corrections facility, is also located within the city limits, as is the Pennington County Jail, which by a recent count housed over 500 inmates. Many offenders from both these facilities will sooner or later be eligible for parole. The Rapid City Police Department reported over 3,300 major crimes committed in a recent year, resulting in the arrest and conviction of still further people, many of whom will also be on parole one day.
Getting the Right Education
Candidates for Rapid City parole officer jobs are advised to have a bachelor’s degree in any field – not limited to social work, psychology, or criminal justice. Preference may also be shown to candidates who have previous work experience in related fields such as probations, counseling, law enforcement, or community services. Applicants will not be considered unless they have a high school diploma or GED.
While determining how to become a parole officer, candidates will find they must meet these minimum qualifications to be considered for the position:
- No felony or domestic violence convictions
- Have at least a high school diploma or GED equivalency
- The ability to establish and maintain working relationships with parolees
- Legally permitted to possess a concealed weapon in South Dakota
- Ability to protect ones firearm and self in a physical confrontation
Once candidates in Rapid City confirm they meet the basic requirements, the next step is to check for position vacancies. Parole officer – also known as parole agent – jobs are based out of the Rapid City Parole Services Office located on Creek Drive. Vacancies are posted on the South Dakota employment website and in local city sources. Candidates begin the application process online by creating an account with the state bureau of human resources.
Rapid City Parole Officer Training
Once officers are hired into their new careers they will need to complete a training process that includes:
- Firearms qualification
- State Codes and local laws regarding parole, probation, and law enforcement
- Organization techniques, filing, computer software, and report compilation
- Arrest, detention, and apprehension techniques and procedures
- Self-defense, use of non-lethal force, and use of deadly force
After each additional year of employment, parole officers in Rapid City will need to complete 40 hours of firearms re-certification courses annually.