BOP Correctional Officer

[nyguy87]

I just applied for a CO position in Danbury CT (close to home) with the Bureau of Prisons. I'm curious as to how, if at all, they differ from state Correctional Officers. I'm looking to get my foot in the door with regards to Law Enforcement, and this seems like it could be a viable option.

[Iowa #1603]

http://prisonofficer.org/

Lots of good information there...............lots of BOP guys/gals on the forum

[TheKansan]

I just applied for a CO position in Danbury CT (close to home) with the Bureau of Prisons. I'm curious as to how, if at all, they differ from state Correctional Officers. I'm looking to get my foot in the door with regards to Law Enforcement, and this seems like it could be a viable option.

It is different from state corrections. The feds have their own way of doing things. Keeping that in mind, it is a good job. It doesn't pay as well as NYS corrections, but the pay is decent. It is a good way into law enforcement and specifically federal law enforcement. Good luck with Danbury. Personally I would avoid womens prisons.

[nyguy87]

Thanks guys for the info. A women's prison wouldn't be my first choice, but it is the only prison that I could commute to. Does the hiring process typically take about as long as a Police Department's? (6-9 mos)

[TheKansan]

Thanks guys for the info. A women's prison wouldn't be my first choice, but it is the only prison that I could commute to. Does the hiring process typically take about as long as a Police Department's? (6-9 mos)

It could be longer or shorter depending on the needs of that facility and when they pull a hiring list. I know Danbury is one of the facilities that is in urgent need of COs, so it could be much quicker. It took me 11 months to be hired after I applied, but I applied at a facility that rarely hires.

[LEO2010]

how long does take a correction officer in bop to go from gs6 to gs7??? how does the pay steps go???

[nyguy87]

It could be longer or shorter depending on the needs of that facility and when they pull a hiring list. I know Danbury is one of the facilities that is in urgent need of COs, so it could be much quicker. It took me 11 months to be hired after I applied, but I applied at a facility that rarely hires.

Can I send you a PM with some more questions I have please?

[TheKansan]

how long does take a correction officer in bop to go from gs6 to gs7??? how does the pay steps go???

One year.

Of course don't count on being hired at GL-6 just because you qualify for it. I qualified for a GL-6 as well with prior correctional experience, however, I was hired as a GL-5 because that is what I was offered. I gladly accepted. I just completed my probationary year and will receive a grade and step increase making me a GL-6 step 2 soon. A year from now, I will become a GL-7 step 3.

[GoldBadge]

I'm going to jump in here and add that because Danbury is a prison for female offenders, some male staff get caught up in relationships that are taboo. Sexual relationships land staff in jail.

Most of these guys go in to the job with no intentions of screwing around with female prisoners, but those women have nothing to do but to slowly and sometimes effectively find a CO's loneliness or vulnerabilities and take advantage of them. If you get the job, be aware of that and no matter how dolled up these gals get for you, look at them as if they are some ugly hairy male convict with AIDS.

Good luck.

[speedyPL]

You actually make more with BOP then with NYS corrections. NYS starts at $36,420 while BOP starts at $43,545 at a GL5 level in that area. Even when you add the locality pay for Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland or Westchester Counties at $3,210 for NYS, you still end up with more at BOP. When you make it to a GL7 with in 2 years you will be at $52,488 with BOP. The NY state will give you a lot better training.

[TheKansan]

I'm going to jump in here and add that because Danbury is a prison for female offenders, some male staff get caught up in relationships that are taboo. Sexual relationships land staff in jail.

Most of these guys go in to the job with no intentions of screwing around with female prisoners, but those women have nothing to do but to slowly and sometimes effectively find a CO's loneliness or vulnerabilities and take advantage of them. If you get the job, be aware of that and no matter how dolled up these gals get for you, look at them as if they are some ugly hairy male convict with AIDS.

Good luck.

Very good points. Also I just wanted to mention that even if you are honest and straightforward, there are many times when male correctional officers at women's prisons will have false allegations and charges thrown against them. Often times this is in retaliation, or it is a way for some women to get attention, or they just want to get their way. I'm not saying that it won't happen at a male prison too, but these kind of allegations can ruin a person's reputation, their relationships, and get them in serious legal trouble, regardless of if they are true or not.

Just another thing to think about if going to work in any prison. Follow the rules/regulations, document everything, and NEVER trust an inmate.

You actually make more with BOP then with NYS corrections. NYS starts at $36,420 while BOP starts at $43,545 at a GL5 level in that area. Even when you add the locality pay for Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland or Westchester Counties at $3,210 for NYS, you still end up with more at BOP. When you make it to a GL7 with in 2 years you will be at $52,488 with BOP. The NY state will give you a lot better training.

Starting pay at the BOP might be higher, however top pay is very similar and it will take you longer to reach it at the BOP. Also consider that we work 5-8 hour shifts a week. You won't have the ability to work a compressed work schedule as a CO at the BOP. NYS has far better training than we do as well.

Retirement at the BOP/feds might or might not be better than NYS, I have no clue how NYS does it.

[GoldBadge]

One year.

Of course don't count on being hired at GL-6 just because you qualify for it. I qualified for a GL-6 as well with prior correctional experience, however, I was hired as a GL-5 because that is what I was offered. I gladly accepted. I just completed my probationary year and will receive a grade and step increase making me a GL-6 step 2 soon. A year from now, I will become a GL-7 step 3.

I think you're going to go to a GL-6 step 1, not a step 2.

If you are promoted to the next higher grade, you receive an increase of at least as much as two steps at your current grade. For example, if you are a GL-5 step 5 on the general schedule and you are promoted to GL-6, your new salary on the GL-6 scale must meet or exceed the pay of a GL-5 step 7 on the general schedule. So let's say if GL-6 step 4 was at least as much as a 2 step increase for you, that's where you would promote to.

[rocknroll]

Hey guys, I applied for the NYC and Brooklyn BOP facilities. How long does it take them to hire? and also does this qualify as federal law enforcement experience? Like when you are applying for another federal LE job and you get priority? Thanks

[LEO2010]

speedy in nycdoc 5 years in serive you make 73,500 in bop with that same amount of years on the job u will be making about 55,000. very big diference. bop u have to pay for medial nycdoc u dont with 20 years of service u will be makeing about 90,000 to 100,000 in bop less then 65,000. imagine retirement with 50% of 65,000. chump change cost of living is getting higher every year i also heard that bop doesn't have that much overtime as doc and they dont have a union fighting for benefits like ny unions bop will probably be a good places to start with you mind in something better getting a better federal job........

You actually make more with BOP then with NYS corrections. NYS starts at $36,420 while BOP starts at $43,545 at a GL5 level in that area. Even when you add the locality pay for Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland or Westchester Counties at $3,210 for NYS, you still end up with more at BOP. When you make it to a GL7 with in 2 years you will be at $52,488 with BOP. The NY state will give you a lot better training.

[TheKansan]

I think you're going to go to a GL-6 step 1, not a step 2.

That is incorrect. We are given a step and grade increase at the same time. I don't know why the BOP does it that way, and I notice that other agencies don't do it like that. It might have to do with our journeyman grade being only GL-7, or it may be something that the union helped negotiate. All I know is that it will be a welcome boost to my pay. Those who say that us feds get paid a lot would hate to see my paltry pay checks.

[TheKansan]

Hey guys, I applied for the NYC and Brooklyn BOP facilities. How long does it take them to hire? and also does this qualify as federal law enforcement experience? Like when you are applying for another federal LE job and you get priority? Thanks

That is a good question and there really is no telling. My suggestion is to try and find a phone number for HR at one of the facilities and ask them if they are pulling a hiring list soon.

Yes we are considered federal law enforcement officers (extremely low level ones ) however don't think that if you apply for another federal job you get any sort of priority. You still have to compete just like everyone else. The only people who get priority are vets. Being a federal employee, you will be able to apply to status announcements. Those are job announcements open only to current federal employees.

speedy in nycdoc 5 years in serive you make 73,500 in bop with that same amount of years on the job u will be making about 55,000. very big diference. bop u have to pay for medial nycdoc u dont with 20 years of service u will be makeing about 90,000 to 100,000 in bop less then 65,000. imagine retirement with 50% of 65,000. chump change cost of living is getting higher every year i also heard that bop doesn't have that much overtime as doc and they dont have a union fighting for benefits like ny unions bop will probably be a good places to start with you mind in something better getting a better federal job........

Now with the BOP, depending on the facility, there can be a ton of overtime, or there can be very little. I have heard that the MDC's (Brooklyn) have tons of overtime available. I work at an FCI and am very low in seniority, and I could easily get at least one shift (8 hours) a week if I wanted it. Some of the guys with more seniority work 70-80 hours every week.

We also are represented by a union, AFGE (American Federation of Government Employees) and at least where I work, the union fights strongly for us and is quite powerful. Our pay is no where near as high as NYS, but it is higher than what the overwhelming majority of states pay their officers. Just as an example, I was a state CO here in Kansas and my base pay was $26,990/year.

[speedyPL]

speedy in nycdoc 5 years in serive you make 73,500 in bop with that same amount of years on the job u will be making about 55,000. very big diference. bop u have to pay for medial nycdoc u dont with 20 years of service u will be makeing about 90,000 to 100,000 in bop less then 65,000. imagine retirement with 50% of 65,000. chump change cost of living is getting higher every year i also heard that bop doesn't have that much overtime as doc and they dont have a union fighting for benefits like ny unions bop will probably be a good places to start with you mind in something better getting a better federal job........

Yes with NY City DOC that would be correct but with the NY state DOC the pay is different and the retirement. I was doing the comparing BOP with the state

[GoldBadge]

That is incorrect. We are given a step and grade increase at the same time. I don't know why the BOP does it that way, and I notice that other agencies don't do it like that. It might have to do with our journeyman grade being only GL-7, or it may be something that the union helped negotiate.

This is the first I've ever heard of something like that. I know years ago, BOP had "accelerated promotions" from GS-6 to GS-7 (6 months waiting time rather one year), but that has long ended.

Unions, even one as powerful as AFGE Council of Prison Locals, can negotiate a lot of issues, but pay rates and increases are not one of them. Is your source for this information reliable?

[GoldBadge]

speedy in nycdoc 5 years in serive you make 73,500 in bop with that same amount of years on the job u will be making about 55,000. very big diference. bop u have to pay for medial nycdoc u dont with 20 years of service u will be makeing about 90,000 to 100,000 in bop less then 65,000. imagine retirement with 50% of 65,000. chump change cost of living is getting higher every year i also heard that bop doesn't have that much overtime as doc and they dont have a union fighting for benefits like ny unions bop will probably be a good places to start with you mind in something better getting a better federal job........

1. With NYC DOC, you're stuck in NYC (i.e., Rikers). At least with the BOP, you can move to other areas around the US. If you're on the ball and willing to move, you can promoted quickly within the BOP. I've seen it. I work with wardens and asociate wardens who started as officers or even secretaries.

2. To have a $65k pension with DOC, you would have had to make $130k the last year. I don't know of many DOC CO's making anywhere near that much.

3. Federal employees have a 401k type reirement too (in addition to the pension) and the gov't provides some matching contributions.

4. Federal retirees get COLAs almost every year. DOC retirees do not.

5. BOP employees, especially in the facilities at MDC Brooklyn and MCC New York can get TONS of OT.

I'm not saying that one agency is better than the other, but they each have their good and bad.

[LEO2010]

for everybody that applied to BOP tommarow the list that are in the headquarters will be iliminated. So after tommarow applicants have to keep on checking to see other openings lets keep this link alive to hear from others that are going threw the process,Good luck to all...........

[nyguy87]

I'm not trying to sound rude, but I didn't quite understand what you were saying in that last post. The list will be eliminated? I submitted my application less than a week ago, are you saying that I need to re-apply? I still have not heard anything besides the confirmation email that my application had been submitted. If you wouldn't mind clarifying what you were saying it would be much appreciated.

[HapkidoKa]

Dear Applicant:

The purpose of this notice is to inform you the current nationwide announcement for the position of Correctional Officer, GL-0007-05/06 will close on Friday, October 22, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

The Consolidated Staffing Unit will post individual vacancy announcements for the position of Correctional Officer, GL-0007 at the GL-05 or 06 as requested by each location. If you wish to be considered for any of these individual announcements, you must apply directly to that vacancy announcement and follow all the application instructions. We strongly encourage you to establish a search agent in your USAJOBS account, if you wish to receive future vacancy announcements for the position of Correctional Officer.

If you have any questions, please contact the Consolidated Staffing Unit/BOP-HIRES at 972-352-4200 or via email at www.GRA-HRM/BOP-HIRES@BOP.GOV.

Thank you for interest in employment with the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

[HapkidoKa]

Yes for now beginning on the 22nd they will be eliminating the "national" announcement and each facility will put their openings on USAJobs and you will have to apply directly to it. I'm not sure how that will affect those who already applied but I'd call ASAP to find out. That email went out last week to the account you have on your USAJobs resume so if you didn't get it you should update your resume and USAJobs profile.

[TheKansan]

Yes for now beginning on the 22nd they will be eliminating the "national" announcement and each facility will put their openings on USAJobs and you will have to apply directly to it. I'm not sure how that will affect those who already applied but I'd call ASAP to find out. That email went out last week to the account you have on your USAJobs resume so if you didn't get it you should update your resume and USAJobs profile.

Wow, that is certainly different, but it should help potential applicants. I can't tell you how many private messages I have received with questions on how to figure out when or if a specific facility is hiring. With the nationwide open continuous announcement, there was no way of telling.

[LEO2010]

I called both prisons in newyork and also the headcourters the list will be eliminated tonight that it what i was told in all three places(all applicants will be erased for the system). After tonight applicants have to keep looking for new jobs opening in the prison that interest you.In manhatten only 4 will be called instrucions of the warden and in brooklyn they pulled a list of 20. If theres any dought call the offices and they will let you know. Good luck to those who get called....

I'm not trying to sound rude, but I didn't quite understand what you were saying in that last post. The list will be eliminated? I submitted my application less than a week ago, are you saying that I need to re-apply? I still have not heard anything besides the confirmation email that my application had been submitted. If you wouldn't mind clarifying what you were saying it would be much appreciated.