Gwinnett County correctional officers supervise individuals who have been arrested, convicted of a crime, and ordered by the courts to serve a prison sentence in the Gwinnett County Comprehensive Correctional Complex.

Correctional officers maintain security and offender accountability in order to prevent disturbances, assaults, and escapes. They routinely inspect locks, windows, doors, gates, and fences for signs of tampering; and report security breaches and unusual occurrences.  Officers also inspect the facility for unsanitary conditions, contraband, and fire hazards. They evaluate the quality/quantity of work performed by offenders and prepare disciplinary reports in response to offender rule violations.

Career Progression
Attitude and performance lay the foundation for career progression. Correctional officers can move up the ranks to Master Correctional Officer, Corporal, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Deputy Warden, and Warden. Education and training courses help prepare correctional officers for promotion.

Apply online.

For job recruitment, call 678.407.6010 or email at Shawntez.Williams@GwinnettCounty.com.

Salary: Gwinnett County Correctional Officers enjoy an excellent salary and benefits package designed to meet today's needs as well as provide for a secure future. Gwinnett County offers an educational incentive of 3% additional pay for an associate’s degree and 6% for a bachelor’s degree.

• Starting salary is $44,836 for a Correctional Officer I
• Starting salary is $48,423 for a Correctional Officer II
  (Must have at least 2 years of Georgia Department of Corrections experience)
• $4,300 hiring incentive for Correctional Officer and $4,700 for Sr. Correctional Officer
• 5% Shift Differential Pay Evening Shift (2:00pm – 10:30pm) and Morning Shift (10:00pm -6:30am)

Gwinnett County offers very competitive shared-cost retirement plans and health benefits plans that include vision and dental as well as HSA, HRA, and FSA accounts.

View the retirement plans.

View the health plans.

The County also has a Wellness Program  that offers:

• Health Risk Assessment

• Mammograms

• Flu Shots

• Lunch and Learn Education Programs

• Exercise Incentive Programs

• Weight Watchers at Work

• Annual Wellness Fair

In addition to this, the County also has an Employee Wellness Center that provides care for full-time, benefit-eligible Gwinnett County employees and retirees who are enrolled in one of the Gwinnett County health plans and their dependents who are age 18 and older. The Wellness Center offers services such as:

• Preventative care

• Disease management

• Dispensary

• Routine/acute care

• Wellness coaching

• Holidays: 12 holidays per year  
  
  
• Annual leave (vacation): 13 days/year at hire, ascending thereafter (adjusted according to regularly scheduled hours) 
  
  
• Sick leave: 13 days/year (adjusted according to regularly scheduled hours) 
  
  
• Compensation for required military training and jury duty
  
  
• Tuition reimbursement program  
  
  
• Employee assistance program 
  
  
• Uniforms and equipment furnished  
  
  
• Employee discount programs

Applicants for a Correctional Officer position must pass a series of tests to determine if they are suitable candidates for the job. The testing process is divided into two series, Phase I and Phase II. 

Click the links in the left navigation for more information on the selection process.

Training for entry-level correctional officers consists of a five-week Basic Correctional Officer Training program, which is taught at the Georgia Department of Corrections – Northeast Georgia Corrections Academy in Alto, Georgia. BCOT is a paramilitary-style training on the fundamentals of becoming a correctional officer. Prior to supervising offenders, officers must complete this extensive five-week training program; training includes the use of firearms, unarmed self-defense, and first aid; as well as instruction in understanding inmate behavior. 

Officers must be available to work any shift, including weekends and holidays. Regardless of assignment, officers must strictly conform to state and federal law, court rulings, policies and procedures, and standardized rules. 

Correctional officers are assigned to various security posts within the correctional complex, and their primary task is the supervision of sentenced offenders. Officers will have opportunities to advance their careers in areas such as ACA Certification, Counseling Services, Field Training Officer, become a member of our Corrections Emergency Response Team (CERT) or supervising inmate work crews working in the community with our Field Operations unit.

Officers ensure the safe, secure, and orderly operation of the prison – they must effectively respond to escapes, fights, disturbances, fires, natural disasters, and other emergencies.  In responding to these situations officers must consider the safety of the general public, the safety and welfare of any hostages, the prevention of injury or loss of life, the safety of the offender population, and the protection of government property.

Officers must be ready to work any shift, including weekends and holidays. Regardless of assignment, officers must strictly conform to state and federal law, court rulings, policies and procedures, and standardized rules.