What does a custodial officer do?
A custodial officer is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of facilities or buildings. They clean areas daily, conduct regular maintenance inspections, replace fixtures, perform basic repairs, rearrange furniture as necessary, and prepare facilities for public or private use. Although their responsibilities vary depending on the organization they work for, they are usually responsible for monitoring supply inventories, purchasing supplies, and reporting to managers. Additionally, they must maintain an open and transparent communication line with staff for an efficient workflow.
Custodial officer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real custodial officer resumes:
- Watch CCTV cameras and control security doors.
- Conduct rounds, answer phones and monitor the CCTV.
- Maintain booking and release records, Huber accounts, and property records.
- Assist officers in the booking of suspects; searching, fingerprinting, transporting.
- Patrol assign areas for evidence of unauthorize activities, infractions of rules, unsatisfactory attitudes or unsatisfactory adjustment of inmates.
- Administer basic emergency first aid and cardio pulmonary resuscitation as needed.
Custodial officer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 23% of Custodial Officers are proficient in Emergency Calls, Security Checks, and Law Enforcement. They’re also known for soft skills such as Detail oriented, Interpersonal skills, and Physical strength.
We break down the percentage of Custodial Officers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Emergency Calls, 23%
Respond to emergency calls, entering patient areas to restrain patients, control fights and riots or assault on staff.
- Security Checks, 16%
Conducted security checks and inspections of working environment.
- Law Enforcement, 12%
Worked closely with local law enforcement and secret service on multiple sensitive initiatives.
- Communication Systems, 10%
Communicate effectively and coherently with other officers and inmates using existing communication systems.5.
- Booking, 7%
Assisted officers in the booking of suspects; searching, fingerprinting, transporting.
- Public Safety, 7%
Supervised offenders in a way that assured their needs are met and the public safety is assured.
Most custodial officers use their skills in "emergency calls," "security checks," and "law enforcement" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential custodial officer responsibilities here:
Detail oriented. One of the key soft skills for a custodial officer to have is detail oriented. You can see how this relates to what custodial officers do because "correctional officers and bailiffs follow and enforce procedures in correctional facilities and courts to ensure safety." Additionally, a custodial officer resume shows how custodial officers use detail oriented: "escorted security prisoners and trustees to medical appointments, work details, and to and from the base jail. "
Interpersonal skills. Many custodial officer duties rely on interpersonal skills. "correctional officers and bailiffs must be able to interact and communicate effectively with people in custody, visitors, and other officers of penal institutions and the court to maintain order.," so a custodial officer will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways custodial officer responsibilities rely on interpersonal skills: "completed texas state mandated courses in: interpersonal skills,: fire safety,: defensive tactics,: and cpr/aed. "
Physical strength. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of custodial officers is physical strength. This skill is critical to many everyday custodial officer duties, as "correctional officers and bailiffs must be able to physically subdue people as necessary, including those in or visiting penal institutions and those attending court proceedings." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "implemented defensive tactics and physical restraints to maintain safety of personnel and the general public. "
The three companies that hire the most custodial officers are:
- TPI66 custodial officers jobs
- Wellpath15 custodial officers jobs
- McDonald's14 custodial officers jobs
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Compare different custodial officers
Custodial officer vs. Detention deputy
A corrections deputy assists senior officers in overseeing the daily activities in jail or prisons and keeps order by enforcing strict rules and regulations. They must observe the inmates' behavior and progress in different programs, monitor any suspicious behavior, conduct routine inspections on cells, and coordinate with co-workers to maintain security. They may also participate in booking new inmates, conducting interviews, and obtaining fingerprints and photographs. They must report to senior officers regularly.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a custodial officer are more likely to require skills like "emergency calls," "facility policy," "safety standards," and "law enforcement." On the other hand, a job as a detention deputy requires skills like "transport inmates," "patrol," "detention facility," and "safety regulations." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Detention deputies really shine in the government industry with an average salary of $48,567. Comparatively, custodial officers tend to make the most money in the government industry with an average salary of $45,993.The education levels that detention deputies earn slightly differ from custodial officers. In particular, detention deputies are 2.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a custodial officer. Additionally, they're 0.6% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Custodial officer vs. Corrections deputy
Each career also uses different skills, according to real custodial officer resumes. While custodial officer responsibilities can utilize skills like "emergency calls," "facility policy," "safety standards," and "law enforcement," corrections deputies use skills like "patrol," "security procedures," "emergency first aid," and "firearms."
Corrections deputies earn a higher average salary than custodial officers. But corrections deputies earn the highest pay in the government industry, with an average salary of $45,862. Additionally, custodial officers earn the highest salaries in the government with average pay of $45,993 annually.In general, corrections deputies achieve similar levels of education than custodial officers. They're 0.1% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.6% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Custodial officer vs. Matron
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from custodial officer resumes include skills like "facility policy," "safety standards," "communication systems," and "surveillance systems," whereas a matron is more likely to list skills in "customer service," "clean bathrooms," "seat belts," and "female inmates. "
When it comes to education, matrons tend to earn similar degree levels compared to custodial officers. In fact, they're 1.9% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.9% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Custodial officer vs. Corrections specialist
Types of custodial officer
Updated January 8, 2025
