New York State of Opportunity

Institution Safety Officer

Written Test To Be Held
March 4, 2023
You may be assigned to either Saturday or Sunday to take your test.
You cannot request or change your scheduled day.
Applications Must Be Submitted or Postmarked By
January 18, 2023

 

Exams Included on This Announcement
Exam Number Exam Title Salary Salary Grade Non−Refundable Processing Fee (Waivers available)
26-922 Institution Safety Officer $42,939 SG-9 $25

Due to the size of the candidate population for this test date, you may be assigned to either Saturday, March 4; Sunday, March 5; Saturday, March 11; or Sunday, March 12 to take your test. Your admission notice will tell you where and when you are scheduled to appear. You cannot request or change your scheduled day.

You must review important information on the New York State Department of Civil Service COVID-19 policy that applies to all candidates sitting for in-person Civil Service examinations being administered at a New York State test center. You can access our full policy on the Department of Civil Service website.

Due to current testing space limitations, candidates may need to travel to a test site to take this examination. Candidates will be notified of their test site location on their admission notice.

Appointees who work in the five boroughs of New York City or in Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland, or Westchester Counties will receive an additional $3,649 annual downstate adjustment. Appointees who work in Dutchess, Orange, or Putnam Counties will receive an additional $1,359 annual mid-Hudson adjustment.

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Minimum Qualifications

On or before March 4, 2023, you must have:

Either 1. one year of security guard experience gained while registered as a Security Guard with the New York State Department of State;*

Or 2. one year of experience as a police officer or peace officer;

Or 3. one year of active U.S. military service where you performed security duties on a United States military base or vessel and an honorable discharge or under conditions in the NYS Restoration of Honor Act. Security duties must have been performed while working as military police or as security personnel performing foot and motorized patrol, control of pedestrian and vehicular traffic, flight line security, crime prevention and/or physical security.

*Applicants must include their Security Guard registration number if qualifying under #1 above.

If verifiable, we will accept and prorate appropriate part-time and volunteer experience.

Additional Requirements for Appointment:

  1. Background Investigation: You will undergo a thorough background investigation to determine your suitability for appointment as an Institution Safety Officer. Conviction of a felony will bar appointment. Conviction of misdemeanors or violations of law may bar appointment. A person adjudicated as a youthful offender may be disqualified from appointment. Failure to meet the standards for the background investigation will result in disqualification. Fingerprinting is required and you will be responsible for paying the fee.
  2. Drug Testing: Prior to appointment, you will be required to participate in a drug-screening test. Cannabis use is not permitted for employees in this title. Cannabis use will be tested for during the pre-employment screening process and may be the basis for disqualification for employment or may be a basis for removal from employment. A complete statement of drug testing for this title is available at: http://www.cs.ny.gov/ehs/forms.cfm.
  3. Peace Officer Status: Peace officers must be qualified to hold such office in accordance with state law. To do so, they must attend New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services sanctioned peace officer training. Employment is dependent on continuous certification as a peace officer.
  4. Physical/Medical Requirements: Your physical and medical condition will be evaluated to ensure that you are able to satisfactorily perform the duties of this position with or without reasonable accommodation. The physical/medical standards include a fitness test, a medical standards evaluation, and a substance abuse screening. A complete statement of the physical and medical standards is available at: http://www.cs.ny.gov/ehs/forms.cfm. A medical examination will be required prior to appointment. Appointees to this position may be required to undergo periodic medical examinations to reassess their ability to perform the essential duties of the position.
  5. Psychological Evaluation: Prior to appointment, you will be required to participate in a psychological evaluation to determine your fitness to perform the essential duties of the position.
  6. Public Officers Status: Appointees are considered public officers under state law. You must be a resident of New York State and at least 21 years old at the time of appointment.
  7. United State Citizenship and New York State Residency: Although not required for taking the test, you must be a citizen of the United States at the time of appointment. If appointed, you must also possess and maintain New York State residency pursuant to the Public Officers Law.

The Positions: These positions exist in Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.

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Duties

As an Institution Safety Officer, you would be responsible for the safety and security at state institutions and other offices operated and/or staffed by state employees, by performing security checks on the grounds and within the buildings. Duties include, but are not limited to, the following: search and frisk visitors; perform visual inspections of visitors' property; search visitors using a walk through and/or hand held metal detector; confiscate contraband or illegal items, including drugs, weapons, or other items not permitted in or on the grounds of state owned property; ensure that parolees do not submit counterfeit samples for urinalysis, collect samples from parolees, and package samples for testing; and take digital photos of parolees to ensure that an up-to-date photo is on file. You would be required to interact with visitors and give directions in order to ensure compliance with safety protocols and provide assistance during emergency situations. Institution Safety Officers may also be required to process and/or prepare written reports, and testify at court or administrative hearings, if necessary.

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Subject of Examination

To be considered for appointment to this title, you must pass the written test. The written test evaluates your knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in the following areas:

  1. Preparing written material - These questions test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately, and to organize paragraphs logically and comprehensibly. For some questions, you will be given information in two or three sentences followed by four restatements of the information. You must then choose the best version. For other questions, you will be given paragraphs with their sentences out of order. You must then choose, from four suggestions, the best order for the sentences.
  2. Following directions (maps) - These questions test your ability to follow physical/geographic directions using street maps or building maps. You will have to read and understand a set of directions and then use them on a simple map.
  3. Applying written information in a safety and security setting - These questions evaluate your ability to read, interpret and apply rules, regulations, directives, written narratives and other related material. You will be required to read a set of information and to appropriately apply the information to situations similar to those typically experienced in a public safety and security service setting. All information needed to answer the questions is contained in the rules, regulations, etc. which are cited.

Test Guide: A Guide to the Written Test for the Safety and Security Series is available on the Department website at http://www.cs.ny.gov/testing/testguides.cfm.

Your final score must be 70 or higher in order to pass. Your final score on the eligible list will be determined after adding any wartime Veterans' and Civil Service Law Section 85-a credits.

Note: The Department of Civil Service may administer tests either online or with paper booklets and answer sheets.

Admission To The Test: If approved for a written test, you will receive an admission notice which will indicate your assigned test date and the way your test will be administered. Your test may be administered with paper and pencil or online at a state test site using a state-provided Chromebook. You cannot request to change your scheduled day or request a specific type of test administration.

Applicants are required to have a Personal NY.gov account and keep their email address up to date. The Department of Civil Service and other state agencies will communicate with you through email correspondence. This may include the notification of your test arrangements, examination results, and canvassing you for interest in appointment. It will be important for you to keep your email address, phone number, and mailing address current by logging into https://www.cs.ny.gov/home/myaccount.

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How To Apply

This announcement is for viewing purposes only.

Important: Unless waived, you must pay the non-refundable processing fee. For information on fee waivers, visit https://www.cs.ny.gov/examannouncements/types/oc/appinfo.cfm##Fee. Any past due application processing fees must be paid in full prior to submitting an application. Please email FeeUnitMail@cs.ny.gov regarding inquiries about any past due fee. It is important that you verify that you entered the correct examination number and title on your online or paper application prior to submitting. If you apply online, you should immediately review your email confirmation notice to verify that you applied for the correct examination.

Additional Information

New York State is an Equal Opportunity Employer

It is the policy of the State of New York to provide for and promote equal opportunity employment, compensation, and other terms and conditions of employment without unlawful discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, disability, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, veteran or military service member status, marital status, domestic violence victim status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, arrest and/or criminal conviction record, or any other category protected by law, unless based upon a bona fide occupational qualification or other exception.

Appointment to many positions in State government require candidates to undergo an investigative screening. This may include a thorough character investigation, a Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Record History Check, a Child Abuse Registry clearance, or other similar procedures. Candidates may be fingerprinted and may be required to pay any necessary fees for that procedure. Depending on the nature of the job, the criminal convictions discovered, or any falsified or omitted information revealed, the investigative findings may bar appointment or result in removal after appointment.

Eligibility for Employment

You must be legally eligible to work in the United States at the time of appointment and throughout your employment with New York State. If appointed, you must produce documents that establish your identity and eligibility to work in the United States, as required by the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, and the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Religious Accommodation

Most written tests are held on Saturdays. If you cannot take the test on the announced test date, due to a conflict with a religious observance or practice, check the box under “Religious Accommodation.” We will make arrangements for you to take the test on a different date (usually the following day).

Reasonable Accommodations in Testing

It is the policy of the Department of Civil Service, in accordance with the New York State Human Rights Law and the Americans with Disabilities Act, to provide qualified persons with disabilities equal employment opportunity and equal opportunity to participate in and receive the benefits, services, programs, and activities of the Department. It is the policy of the Department to provide such persons reasonable accommodations and reasonable modifications as are necessary to provide equal opportunity. Persons with disabilities who require an accommodation to participate in an examination must note this on their application. Further information is available from the Test Administration Unit of the Department of Civil Service. In the Albany area, call 518-457-2487. Outside of the Albany area, call toll free at 1-877-697-5627. For TDD services, call NY Relay at 711 (requires a fee) or 1-800-662-1220.

Admission to Examination

Notice to appear for the test may be conditional as review of applications may not be made until after the test. If you have not received your notice to appear for the written test three days before the date of the test, email us at AdmissionNotices@cs.ny.gov. Please provide your first and last name, address, and the last four digits of your social security number, and we will provide you with the information you need to attend your written test. If you have an issue other than not receiving your admission notice, please contact our office at (518) 474-6470 in the Albany area or toll free at 1-877-697-5627. Please leave a clear concise message and provide your first and last name, last four digits of your social security number and a daytime phone number.

Taking State and Local Examinations Scheduled for the Same Day

If you have applied to take a written test announced by either one or several local jurisdictions (county, town, city) scheduled to be held on the same test date as this written test, you must notify each of the local jurisdictions no later than two weeks before the test date to make arrangements for taking all tests at one test site. All tests will be held at the state examination center. For your convenience, contact information for all local civil service agencies is available on our website at: https://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/local.cfm.

Cell Phones or Electronic/Communication Devices at the Test Site

The use of cell phones, beepers, headphones, or any electronic or other communication devices at your personal testing site or in the test room, hallways, restrooms, building, grounds, or other areas, except as expressly authorized by the Department of Civil Service, could result in your disqualification.

S2/TC1 CAV-rkv
Issued: 12/20/22

This announcement is subject to amendment or cancellation without notice. Do not copy it, or post it to any other site, but link to it instead.

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