After successfully completing the first 3 phases, you will be assigned to a Background Investigator and the background investigation process will take approximately 90 days to complete. If you are successful in the background investigation process you are given a conditional job offer. The condition is that you pass the medical exam, vision test and the psychological written and oral evaluations. Once you have successfully completed all phases, you will be placed on an eligibility list awaiting an academy date. If you have not yet left service, CDCR will keep you on the eligibility list for up to 2 years.
There is a wealth of information including a practice written test, videos of the PFT, the PHS and Frequently Asked Questions on our website www.joinCDCR.com. Additionally, there is a toll-free recruitment hotline which you can call and speak to a recruiter if you did not find your answer on the website. 866-232-JOBS (5627) Monday – Friday from 8 am to 5 pm excluding Holidays. Thank you for your service! I look forward to working with you.
Now I failed to mention that if you are a veteran you may apply for Veteran’s Preference which gives you a formidable advantage. A passing score on the written test is 70% but if you have applied for and been awarded Veteran’s Preference and pass the written test, you will be placed in the first rank for hiring. That gives you priority in scheduling your testing phases and academy date. But wait there’s more! The Basic Correctional Officer’s Academy (BCOA) located in Galt, California is a paid 13-week academy followed by a 2-year apprenticeship program. The Academy and apprenticeship programs are an approved, accredited Post 911 GI Bill Program, which means if you qualify, you can be collecting benefits while attending the academy and for the first two years as a Correctional Officer. Depending on the institution you are assigned to and the cost of living in that county, you could be receiving up to an additional $2,900 a month via your Post 911 GI Benefits on top of your base salary. WOW! That’s as much as $7,300 a month from the get-go (salary example for assignment at San Quentin State Prison in the high-cost San Francisco Bay Area). The normal promotional pattern within CDCR’s institutions are Officer, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Associate Warden, Chief Deputy Warden and Warden. You can further your career into the executive management positions in Sacramento like Associate Director, Deputy Director and Director. Additionally, there are many opportunities for advancement throughout the State outside of the Division of Adult Institutions. There are career advancement opportunities within the Division of Juvenile Justice (Youth Facilities), Division of Adult Parole Operations (Parole Agents), Office of Internal Affairs (Special Agents) and the Office of Correctional Safety-Special Services Units and Fugitive Apprehension Teams which are regionalized throughout the State. If you are considering a law enforcement career, I urge you to look into CDCR and all it has to offer veterans and active duty military. CDCR strongly supports our military men and women and will accommodate you if you continue your military service in the Reserves or National Guard.
About the author: Special Agent Ray Baez has worked for CDCR for approximately 23 years and is currently assigned to the Office of Internal Affairs – Southern Region (OIA-S). He began his career as an officer with CDCR in 1996 at the California Men’s Colony State Prison in San Luis Obispo, CA where he served in the Investigation Services Unit (ISU) as a Drug Interdiction Officer and Evidence Officer. He promoted to Sergeant in 2008 assigned to a Program Sergeant position before returning to supervise the ISU unit in 2009. Baez promoted to Lieutenant in 2013 with the Office of Peace Officer Selections where he served as a Recruitment Coordinator and Senior Background Investigator. In 2016, Baez promoted to the rank of Special Agent with OIA-S. Special Agent Baez is a US Army Veteran & Father of a United States Marine. Special Agent Ray Baez California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation Office of Internal Affairs – Southern Region US Army Veteran & Father of a United States Marine
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