Deputy Sheriff Trainee
Multiple positions available, starting salary up to $48.32/hour ($100,849/year), career advancement to Deputy Sheriff I, and a competitive total compensation package!*
Please see the Selection Procedure section of this announcement for Testing Dates.
What We Offer
When you join the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office, you become part of a strong work family that makes a difference in our community. You can also look forward to excellent benefits* including:
- An annual Staff Development/Wellness Benefit allowance up to $750 and ongoing education/training opportunities
- Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
- Significant portion of health care premiums paid by the County and access to several health plan options
- County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits
- Retirement fully integrated with Social Security
- May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment
- Eligibility for a salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
- Promotion to Deputy Sheriff I ($87,450-106,317/year), upon successful completion of the POST Basic Peace Officer Academy
Train to Become a Deputy Sheriff
During the six month probationary period, Deputy Sheriff Trainees attend a basic law enforcement academy and must successfully complete all course work including physical training, vehicle operation, and use of weapons courses. Deputy Sheriff Trainees who successful complete the California POST certified Basic Peace Officer Academy may promote to Deputy Sheriff I ($87,450-106,317/year). The Deputy Sheriff Trainee position is a non-sworn position and does not perform active law enforcement duties.
Working at the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office
In partnership with our community, Deputy Sheriff's commit to provide professional, firm, fair and compassionate public safety services with integrity and respect. The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office has been serving the community since 1850, and employs over 650 employees, in more than 30 different highly-trained and specialized units, to protect and secure the half-million residents within the 1,768 square miles of Sonoma County.
After being hired, passing the academy, and receiving appropriate training, Deputies are assigned to the Patrol Division, a part of the Law Enforcement Division. The patrol force operates out of the main office of the Sheriff's Office in Santa Rosa, two substations located in Guerneville and the Sonoma Valley, as well as two contracted police stations in the Town of Windsor (Windsor Police Department) and the City of Sonoma (Sonoma Police Department).
A variety of specialty assignments are also available in the Sheriff's Office. Assignments such as explosive ordinance detail, SWAT team, tactical response team, hostage negotiator, field training officer, dog handler, helicopter observer, internal affairs investigator, background investigator, and detective assignments within a variety of investigative units. Specialty assignments are made on a "most qualified" basis and are entitled to premium pay. To learn more about these assignments, and how we serve the community, please visit the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office website.
The probationary period of this job classification is six months. Deputy Sheriff Trainees who fail to satisfactorily complete the California POST certified Basic Peace officer academy during their probationary period will be terminated from this position.
*Salary is negotiable. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can found in the Deputy Sheriffs' Association Memorandum Of Understanding (DSA MOU). The employment list established from this recruitment may be used to fill future full-time positions as they occur during the active status of the list. Future bilingual positions require English and Spanish skills at either the basic (conversational) or fluent (reading, writing, and conversational) level, and an examination will be conducted prior to employment to confirm level of bilingual skill. The bilingual premium pay begins upon the assignment of a bilingual caseload.
APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.
Minimum Qualifications
Education: Graduation from high school or possession of an acceptable General Education Development Certificate.
Experience: None
License: Possession of a valid California Driver's License and a good driving record.
Background Requirement: Incumbents shall not have been convicted of a felony in this state or any other state or in any federal jurisdiction, or of any offense in any other state or in any federal jurisdiction, which would have been a felony if committed in this state, nor be under current formal probation supervision.
Citizenship Requirement: Permanent resident aliens who wish to be employed as peace officers must apply for citizenship prior to application for such employment. Permanent resident aliens must cooperate with the U.S. Department of immigration in meeting all requirements for U.S. citizenship, or he or she shall be disqualified for peace officer status.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Ability to: understand and follow oral and written directions, and to speak and write effectively; read, learn,, and understand various laws, policies, rules, procedures, law enforcement techniques and first aid; analyze situations and/or problems and to rationally and calmly take quick, effective action in emergency and stress situations; undergo strenuous physical training; successfully complete a structured academic training program as required to successfully complete law enforcement recruit academy.
Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying
- Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
- You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application and should be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
- You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
- Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.