SCC Continuing Education Detention Officer Training

This course should be taken by all persons seeking employment/certification as detention officers at local confinement facilities, county jails or regional/district confinement facilities. The Detention Officer Certification Course has been developed as a means to train the student to function as an inexperienced detention officer upon successful completion of the course. This course is governed by the North Carolina Sheriffs' Education and Training Standards Commission and the North Carolina Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission. The North Carolina State Detention Officer Certification exam will be administered on the last day of each class.

The night school consists of approximately 168 hours (10 weeks) of instruction. Night classes run Monday-Thursday and start as early as 6:00 p.m. and end as late as 10:00 p.m. There will also be Saturday classes during the night school. Saturday classes usually meet 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Entry Requirements

Students employed by a Law Enforcement Agency must be given priority admission according to the North Carolina Administrative Code. All other students will be considered in the order in which initial contact with the school was made and criteria met.

To pre-register, all prospective students must submit an application and a signed Verification of Sponsorship or Employment form to the School Director PRIOR to the first day of class. Also, all completed medical forms F-1, F-2A, F-2 must have been submitted to the School Director by the physician. Satisfactory health documented by a physician is mandatory for acceptance into the program.

The following items must be submitted on the first day of class. Forms obtained fro the School Director upon pre-registration:

A copy of high school diploma/GED
A certified copy of arrest and driver history record for the past five years. (If sponsoring/employing agency has this information in their files, they must indicate on the Verification of Sponsorship or Employment form); and
All students will be required to purchase accident insurance through SCC at the cost of $2.00.

Employment Standards

To qualify for Detention Officer of Local Confinement Officer Certification in North Carolina, an applicant must:

Be a citizen of the United States.
Be at least 20 years of age and age 21 if applying as a Deputy Sheriff.
Be of good moral character as determined by a thorough background investigation.
Be fingerprinted and searched made of local, state and national files for any criminal record.
Must not have committed or been convicted in court of a felony, Class B misdemeanor, or four or more Class A misdemeanors in accordance with rules established by the North Carolina Administrative Code.
Be a high school graduate or have passed the General Educational Development Test.
Have been examined and certified by a licensed physician as fit to perform the duties of a Detention Officer.
Have produced negative results on a drug screening test administered according to specifications established by the North Carolina Criminal Justice Standards Commission.
Have successfully completed a Commission-Accredited Detention Officer Certification Course within the past twelve (12) months.
Immediately notify the Standards Division and the appointing department head in writing of all criminal offenses with which the officer is charge in accordance with rules established in the North Carolina Administrative Code.

Course Requirements

Attendance is required at all class sessions. The student must score a minimum of 70% on written test and/or practical exercises for each block of instruction and score a minimum of 70% on the final commission mandated written exam. A detailed list of rules/regulations will be covered during the orientation.

Books and Supplies

Current Detention Officers Certification Student Manual (Available in SCC bookstore)