Deputy Sheriff Trainee - Open and Promotional



Deputy Sheriff Trainee - Open and Promotional

Salary

$85,237.98 - $103,583.77 Annually

Location

Santa Rosa, CA

Job Type

Full-Time

Job Number

21/11-4076-DP

Department

Sheriff's Office (SHF)

Opening Date

11/22/2021

Closing Date

12/6/2021 11:59 PM Pacific

Bargaining Unit

46

Position Information

Be an active part of safety and engagement in our community.
Become a Deputy Sheriff Trainee at the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office!

Priority referral and interview for qualified current Sonoma County Sheriff's Office employees.



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.
 
Deputy Sheriff Trainee is not intended for individuals who have already completed the California POST certified Basic Peace Officer Academy within the last three years. 

If you are a seasoned law enforcement officer, please apply to our Deputy Sheriff II recruitment today!

*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.
Please visit Getting-a-Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

  1. Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (pass/not pass) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's combination of educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge and abilities, which relate to this position to ensure satisfaction of the minimum qualifications for this position.
     
  2. The POST Entry-level Law Enforcement Test Battery (PELLETB) multiple-choice, written examination (weight 100%) will be conducted to further evaluate each candidate's qualifications as they relate to the position. The written examination will measure the core knowledge, skills and abilities for this position such as:
  • WRITING ABILITY
  • READING ABILITY
  • REASONING ABILITY
Applicants must attain a minimum passing score of at least 70% on the written examination to be placed on the employment list. The minimum passing score may be an adjusted score based on such factors as difficulty of the examination for this group of candidates, natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates, number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, and past practice.
 
Written examinations are tentatively scheduled for:
Thursday December 16th, and Friday December 17th, 2021

To aid you in preparing for the written examination, the CA POST Applicant Preparation Guide and FAQ's are located at: 
https://post.ca.gov/LE-Entry-Level-Test-Battery-Applicant-FAQs

If you took the CA POST PELLETB within the past 30 calendar days from the dates of our exam sessions, you may submit your T-score in lieu of re-taking the test. Per POST's FAQs, if you retest within 30 days your test results will be invalidated. You MUST wait at least 30 calendar days prior to retaking the test.

If you took the CA POST PELLETB within the last 6 months, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office will allow candidates to submit their T-score in lieu of re-taking the test. If you wish to use a previously obtained score, please send a copy of your "T-Score letter" to:

County of Sonoma Human Resources Department
Attention: Michael Nielsen
575 Administration Drive 116B
Santa Rosa, CA 95403

The letter must be on the testing agencies letter head and include the:
  • Name of the exam
  • Date the exam was taken
  • T-Score
  • Name of the agency that administered the exam
Should you have any questions, please direct them to Rosie Rocha at 707-565-8870.
 
BACKGROUND PROCESS

Being part of the Sheriff's Office and being expected to keep the public safe requires a thorough background investigation process. This process includes an assessment of prior work history, verifying educational experiences, court reports, public records searches, understanding past patterns relating to drug usage, financial patterns, etc. This entails gathering a significant amount of information from job candidates and speaking to former employers, friends, family members, etc. Polygraphs, drug tests, and medical, and physical examinations are also part of this process. Candidates must be honest and forthcoming about information that may arise during the background process. Deception during any portion of this process is grounds for disqualification, even after employment. This process can take anywhere from 3-5 months. Many factors are taken into consideration and one should not assume a credit issue or prior drug use is automatically disqualifying. Candidates will be given the opportunity to present mitigating information they feel should be considered. You are encouraged to be as responsive as possible while this process is taking place to help expedite the timeline, and we encourage you to stay patient and interested in this great career opportunity while this process is taking place.
 
Please read the Sheriff's Office Pre-Employment Drug Use Guidelines for further information.

You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Beginning in the Spring Term, 2022, Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) will require proof of full vaccination for anyone attending in person classes. Per the SRJC, there will be no option to submit to testing in lieu of proof of full vaccination. Possible exemptions to this requirement will be reviewed by SRJC, based solely on approved medical and religious reasons. New Deputy Sheriff Trainees will be expected to participate in the SRJC P.O.S.T. Basic Academy in person and must meet all attendance requirements, including providing proof of vaccination.  The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office is requiring applicants considered for the background investigation process have their vaccination by the point of conditional job offer.  

HOW TO APPLY

Applications are accepted on-line at: www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org. Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job bulletin must be RECEIVED by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.
 
The County of Sonoma prioritizes and is committed to continuously providing a workplace where equal employment opportunity is afforded to all people. Please view the County's Equal Employment Opportunity Policy for further information.
 
HR Analyst: MN
HR Technician: RR

IMPORTANT NOTE: Benefits described herein do not apply to Extra Help positions.

These are some of the excellent benefits the County offers:

Paid Time Off: Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals; 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year; and may be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment.

Health Plan: Choice of five health plans (a PPO, EPO, HMO, and two deductible HMOs) with a County contribution towards the premium (the contribution amount varies by bargaining unit. For specific details, please refer to the applicable Memorandum of Understanding MOU). A County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement is available for some bargaining units.

Retirement: Fully integrated with Social Security. For more information regarding eligibility, retirement contributions, and reciprocity with prior public service, please visit https://scretire.org/active-/-deferred/when-you-are-hired.

IRS 457 Plan: Pre-tax employee contribution up to the IRS annual maximum.

Retiree Medical: County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits.

Plus excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, professional development, and more.

For answers to specific questions regarding the employment process and more details about benefits or retirement, please contact Human Resources at (707) 565-2331. Additional details about benefit and compensation packages can be found in the MOUs located at https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/human-resources/divisions-and-units/employee-relations/labor-agreements-and-salary-resolution. For specific information about health and welfare benefits including plan options, coverage, and premium amounts go to https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/human-resources or, contact the Human Resources' Risk Management-Benefits Office at benefits@sonoma-county.org or (707) 565-2900.

*IMPORTANT NOTES: Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice.

01
California Legislation AB 89, effective January 1st, 2022, raises the age requirement for peace officers to minimally be age 21 at the time of appointment to a sworn position. The next available and anticipated start date for this recruitment's POST Basic Peace Officer Academy is July 25th, 2022, with graduation set for December 9, 2022. For these academy participants, appointments are anticipated to begin on December 10, 2022. In compliance with AB 89, will you be at least age 21 by December 10, 2022?
  • Yes
  • No
02
Beginning in the Spring Term, 2022, Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) will require proof of full vaccination for anyone attending in person classes. Per the SRJC, there will be no option to submit to testing in lieu of proof of full vaccination. Possible exemptions to this requirement will be reviewed by SRJC, based solely on approved medical and religious reasons. New Deputy Sheriff Trainees will be expected to participate in the SRJC P.O.S.T. Basic Academy in person and must meet all attendance requirements, including providing proof of vaccination. The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office is requiring applicants considered for the background investigation process have their vaccination by the point of conditional job offer.

I have read and understand the conditions stated above:
  • Yes
  • No
03
As an adult, have you been convicted of a felony?
  • Yes
  • No
04
Are you currently on any Court ordered probation?
  • Yes
  • No
05
Did you graduate from high school or do you have a General Development Certificate (GED)?
  • Yes
  • No
06
Are you willing to work any shift assignments, including swing, nights, weekends, and holidays?
  • Yes
  • No
07
Are you willing to undergo a thorough background investigation that will include a review of criminal, employment, educational, driving, credit records, and an inquiry into your personal and social history, including any use of drugs and alcohol?
  • Yes
  • No
08
Are you a U.S. citizen? Or, if you are a resident alien, have you applied for citizenship prior to the date of your application for Deputy Sheriff Trainee?
  • Yes
  • No
09
If a conditional offer is made to you, are you willing to undergo polygraph, psychological, physical abilities, and medical examinations?
  • Yes
  • No
10
How did you first learn about this opportunity?
  • Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG)
  • CalJobs
  • Careers in Government
  • College or University
  • Craigslist
  • DiversityJobs
  • Employee of Sonoma County
  • Facebook
  • Glassdoor
  • GovernmentJobs.com
  • Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Sonoma County
  • Indeed
  • La Voz
  • Latino Service Providers
  • LinkedIn
  • Los Cien
  • Minority Organization or Group
  • POST
  • Press Democrat
  • sonoma-county.org/www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org
  • Sonoma County Human Resources Office
  • StartHere!
  • Twitter
  • Veterans Services Office
  • Women's Organization or Group
  • Workplace Diversity
  • Other Internet Site
  • Other Publication

Required Question

Agency
County of Sonoma (CA)
Address
575 Administration Drive, Suite 116B

Santa Rosa, California, 95403
Phone
(707) 565-2331