THOUSANDS OF OPENINGS FOR CORRECTION OFFICER

Starting Salary $35G, Maximum $68,475; Must File by Nov. 15; Daily Tests Until Oct. 31; Must Meet Residency, Education Standards

The city is seeking to hire thousands of qualified candidates for Correction Officer jobs at a time when starting pay has risen to $35,000.

Applicants may take a walk-in computerized test that will be given daily in Manhattan through Oct. 31, or take the next written exam on Feb. 7, for which applications must be received by Nov. 15. There is a $30 filing fee and applicants must live in the city or any of six suburban counties.

Top Pay $68,475

The starting salary for Correction Officer increased to $35,000 on Sept. 1, but it will not rise after six months on the job, as under prior contracts. Maximum pay for Correction Officers, reached after five years' service, is $68,475.

Appointees must be U.S. citizens and residents of New York City or Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Orange, Rockland, or Putnam counties. They must be at least 17-1/2 years old by the last day of filing and at least 21 to be hired. They need a valid state driver's license (moving violations, license suspensions or an accident record may be cause for disqualification), which must be maintained for the duration of employment.

Candidates must pass a character and background check. Felony convictions, convictions for offenses that indicate lack of moral character, a propensity for violence or disrespect for the law, or a dishonorable discharge from the armed forces are cause for disqualification.

Applicants will undergo medical, psychological and physical evaluations and drug-and-alcohol screening. These tests may be repeated at random during the length of employment. There is a $75 fee for fingerprint screening and the background investigation.

Education Requirements

To be appointed, candidates must have 60 college credits by the end of academy training, 21 of which may be satisfied by successfully completing that training; or a high-school diploma/GED and two years of honorable full-time U.S. military service. Individuals with a high-school diploma/GED who have two years of experience as a city, state, or Federal law-enforcement officer may also qualify.

In addition, applicants must score at least 70 percent on a written multiple-choice exam. Scores will determine applicants' positions on the eligible list. Questions will measure the following skills: reading comprehension; written expression; memorization; problem sensitivity; problem-solving; deductive reasoning; inductive reasoning; spatial orientation and visualization, and basic mathematics.

Appointees will have probationary status for 24 months and must complete a training course. Officers must pass an annual firearms test and must remain authorized to carry firearms under Federal and state laws. Officers are required to work weekends and holidays, change tours and work overtime.

Further information about both exams is available on-line at www.nyc.gov/dcas, by writing to the DCAS Application Center, 18 Washington St., New York, N.Y., 10004, or by calling 1-877-NY1-BOLD.