anyone a custody officer?

[whentheraincame]

I've been looking to get out of office work, drudgery, non-people facing work. I want something hands on with little admin and more practical work involving people.

basically a career change.

Jobs that come are custody officer, and they seem interesting. I know they're risky etc. and know about the prison system and what people can be like etc.

I'm wondering about opportunities for progression more than anything, and to hear about the way custody officers can input into the system and try to improve it. (does say as much in the description)

And I'm thinking of doing an application. I did 20 years ago but at the time was put off by the post-interview talk which is basically designed to put off the cautious, which I was as a young woman, but now as I'm older I'm thinking about it again. the pay isn't an issue. The shifts could be, child in school, but it's nearby and I have family who can do pick up and work around my shifts if needed.

So I'm looking for experiences of the job, enjoyment, and more than anything progression opportunities because I would love to work somewhere I could make a real impact.

thanks in advance.

I’m a police officer, never worked in custody but spent a lot of time in the custody office.

The role of the CDO in my force doesn’t seem that interesting to me - but that’s my outside perspective, and lots of them do the job for years, so they must enjoy it. They get a lot of abuse (fairly standard in the police), I’ve known a couple seriously injured. Less risky than a police officer but the risk is definitely there. Duties include photographs and fingerprints, updating the custody records (these must be meticulous), liaising with investigating officers, solicitors etc. Welfare checks on the detainees.

not sure about progression within the custody role, I think in my force they are all on the same grade (could be wrong). However if you are working directly for the force, there are hundreds of other internal roles that you could then apply for, I know loads of staff (ie not police officers) who have done loads of different roles within the police. However if it’s a force that buys in the detention officer role from G4S or similar, I’m not sure how that works (no experience of it).

Everyone I know who did it left to come and sit in a cushy little office job. (IE mine). I don't think there is much you can do to 'break the cycle' TBH. This seems to be the main reason why people I know became disillusioned with the job.

If you work for a private security firm rather than a prison, then you also risk being moved to other sites nearby run by the same company if needed.

I'm not custody officer but I work in the police and spend a lot of time in custody with them.
The main thing you need a good communication skills. The ability to calm people down. You need to be compassionate and understand that your job is to look after their welfare without judging... the bloke who has never been arrested before but now feeling suicidal because he been arrested for paedophile or sexual assault offences... you need to look after this persons welfare etc.
you also need to be assertive and not afraid to get hands on. People frequently become violent while in custody and it's your job to manage that.
There is an admin element, almost every interaction with a prisoner has to be recorded on the detention log.
In our force there is no career progression for custody officers as the supervisor position are police officer positions, so the only way to be promoted is to be a police officer.

Having said all this, it's varied, it's challenging, it'll open your eyes in a big way to how so many people live. It's a rewarding job.

Agree with everything and @Coldilox post.

Is it only the people element of custody that appeals? There are so many nasty people that come through those doors. Lots will abuse you, swear at you, spit at you. Could you remain professional when faced with a murderer or a paedophile?

The environment in a custody center is often starved of natural light. Would you mind working in that sort of environment?

I think you might be overestimating the impact you could have too. There aren’t many opportunities to help people.

OP you say custody officer but then talk about prisons? Custody officer is a police role based in police stations, do you mean this or prison officer? I work in the CJ system in a niche area now, I would definitely consider policing, you couldn't get me to work as a prison officer for all the tea in China.
Have you also considered probation service officer roles (you need a specific on the job degree to be an actual probation officer). Lots of different roles within the service and clear progression routes included a funded degree of you apply successfully. I used to work in probation and it looked me to the role I have now (lead a multidisciplinary specialist team).

Thanks for your input. I definitely do not want to be a police officer.

But in terms of progression I didn't just mean promotion but I meant using the experience to apply for other things. I guess I'm asking you to imagine what those could be, if you were willing.

Maybe something in the prison service, but not prison officer.

So you don’t actually mean you want to work in custody? Custody is where the police take people when they have been arrested to process them and interview them. Quite different to a prison officer?

There are private companies who employ staff to work in custody, which is what everyone on the thread thinks you mean.

I want something that is not admin which I've done all my life, in various roles so gained a lot of experience. I got up to some decent sounding roles but there was still so much admin and I'm more of a practical person than a record keeping person if you get what I mean?

I am a SAHM right now but want a job but simply cannot go and be an admin assistant, it does not suit me.

So I just went online to look what jobs were going and this is the one I'm asking about. Like I said I know what it entails, I got through the interview in the past.

From the advert:

Be that person who makes a difference every day, the chance to do an extraordinary job

The philosophy of our prisons is to rehabilitate prisoners and equip them to re-integrate into mainstream society on release.

You will act as a role model to prisoners and provide them with opportunities to rehabilitate and make positive changes to their lives. You will provide prisoners with a structured regime, including access to work, education, exercise and offending behaviour courses. You will be expected to supervise and account for prisoners, ensuring the security of the establishment is maintained at all times.
During your career, there will be opportunities to progress to management and undertake additional training to either undertake additional duties or specialise in areas such as:
Incident negotiator
Prison Offender Managers
Enhanced Gate Security
Substance Misuse
Induction
Safer Custody
Staff also have the opportunity to become instructors, these staff deliver staff training in areas such as:-
Control & Restraint
First Aid
Fire Safety
Mental Health Awareness

So the question is answered for me that there IS progression but I came here for real life experience which kind of counters this which is a bit strange.

Still considering it. The answer to whether I can remain calm in the face of those people is a resounding yes. I have experience from my person and working life with these people but can't say more before I start being picked apart or outed.

Delivering training, informing on the system from my experience - this is what I want. Not sat in an office which I've done for 20 years.

It's around a job advert for a custody officer at a prison.

No, I do not want to be a prison officer.

It's a Prison Custody Officer with G4S based in a prison.

Nope I would never be a police officer but this job interested me. It's a prison custody officer. It is based literally in a prison and it's shift work and it's offering progression.

Seems the job is evolving?

A prison custody officer IS a prison officer. What do you think the difference is?

A Prison Custody Officer is just the term for a Prison Officer at a private prison. It is EXACTLY the same job. You lock doors, you unlock doors. You deal with difficult, angry, frightened people every day. You wear a uniform and you work shifts.

I have worked in prison for ten years, I wouldn't work for G4S for any money, sorry. In my view, private prisons are morally wrong.

I could tell you in some detail what it's like to be a prison officer but you then say you don't want to be one. There are plenty of other roles in prison that are not officers, but inevitably a lot of them are admin-based.

Hi, I’ve worked for G4s as a prison custody officer in the cells at the magistrates court adjoining the police custody suite ( bridewell).
loved the job, loved the people, loved the experience it gave me and the insights into other peoples lives. This WAS over 20 years again though so things will have changed.
the thing with working in a prison is that you’ve to be 100% on it 100% of the time, or they will find your weakness or a chink in your armour and they’re in. They’ve nothing else to do 24 hours a day but try to find out ways to get to you, or fellow prisoners and it’s relentless. HOWEVER, you’re trained well, and if you’ve got the right outlook and personality you can become a very important person in a prisoners life, giving them chances and opportunities no one else ever has before.
id go back to the job in a heartbeat.

Thanks, I didn't realise that, thought it was the job I went for years ago. Disappointing. Have to look for something else, any ideas welcome but I will be back on the site now.

Nothing now you've highlighted that. I just assumed it was a custody officer and things had changed. Silly me. thank you.

Would you consider being an OSG (Operational Support Grade)? Its a uniformed role, based in prisons, but with virtually no prisoner contact. The OSGs run the Visits, man the gate and the Control Room, search staff and visitors in and out of the prison, monitor phone calls, check incoming and outgoing post...its very varied and it can be very interesting work. There is definitely the chance to work your way up, as well.

See I don't have to get a job at all so I'm looking for something rewarding and worth my time with progression. Something interesting, just ideas. But I didn't come and ask 'give me ideas' as I would get 'go look online' So I looked online and came for thoughts around one role.

Thank you! For the interesting suggestion, I will have a look into that.

I love working in the prison environment (I am weird), I enjoy talking to prisoners and trying to get them back on their feet, or help them come to terms with facing the future behind bars. Sometimes its awful - people screaming in your face or self-harming while looking you in the eye can really shake you. However, you always have a good team around you, everyone is encouraged not to bottle up their feelings, and we do look after each other.

I am nosey as well as weird, and good at spotting patterns, so I like the security aspect of my work as well. There is a website called Justice Jobs, where you can see all the vacancies in HM Prison Service, you might find something there that really appeals to you.

Sorry, by custody officer I assumed you meant within police custody.

I thought it was the same job. I though prison officers were advertised as prison officer but they're calling them prison custody officer which made me think it was a custody officer and they were for some reason now doing that in prisons.

Have a look for custody staff in your local police force ?
They are sometimes civilians so may not be directly employed by the force.

I second looking on justice jobs, you will get prison and probation vacancies there.
Alternatively look at police civilian roles.