The Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff is seeking men and women interested in an exciting and challenging career in law enforcement. Prior law enforcement experience is not required. Individuals who are appointed as Deputy Sheriff–Recruit will attend a Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) approved police academy, which involves 26 weeks of intensive academic instruction combined with rigorous physical fitness training. Upon successful completion of the Academy, recruits will graduate and be sworn in as Peace Officers and promoted to Deputy Sheriff.
Academy graduates may initially be assigned to the Patrol Division or Custody Services Bureau.
Upon successful completion of the Academy, the Deputy Sheriff's pay range is outlined below:
Deputy Sheriff's Pay Range
$107,773.63- $137,549.50 (2024-2025)
20% pay increase over
4-year period effective 07/01/2023
Who We Are:
The Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff enjoys an outstanding reputation as one of the most professional, progressive agencies in the United States. In addition to operating the most innovative detention facilities in the country, the Office of the Sheriff provides patrol services throughout the county including four contract cities for which it provides total police services. Many other specialized assignments are also available. As a department of over 1,100 employees, with some 700 who are sworn, the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff continues to grow and progress, providing excellent opportunities in career development for its deputies.
To read the complete job description, please visit the website; www.cccounty.us/hr
Specialized Assignments:
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Administration
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Civil
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Classification
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Contract Cities
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Coroner
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County Patrol
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Court Services
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Crime Prevention
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Custody Alternative
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FTO
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Helicopter Patrol
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Hi-Tech Crimes
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Investigations
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J-Team
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K-9 Deputy
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Marine Patrol
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Mutual Aid Mobile Field Force
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Narcotics Unit
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S.E.R.T.
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S.W.A.T.
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School Resource Officer
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Sexual Assault Unit
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Transportation
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Unmanned Aircraft Operator
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Violence Suppression Unit
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Safe Streets Task Force (FBI)
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And many more...
If you are interested in law enforcement and feel you can meet the challenge, you are encouraged to apply!
For more information visit https://www.joincocosheriff.org/deputy-sheriff-recruit
This is a continuous recruitment process; eligible candidates may remain on the eligible list for six months.
License Required: Possession of a valid California Motor Vehicle Operator’s License. Out of State valid motor vehicle operator’s license will be accepted during the application process.
Education: Possession of a United States high school diploma, G.E.D. Equivalency, California high school proficiency certificate, or have attained a two-year, four-year or advanced degree from an accredited college or university.
The high school shall be a United States public school, an accredited United States Department of Defense high school, or an accredited or approved public or nonpublic high school.
Citizenship: Must be legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law.
Age Requirement: Must be 21 years of age at the time of appointment.
Physical Requirement: Ability to meet such health standards as may be prescribed by the County Medical Consultant.
Vision: 20/20 uncorrected each eye; corrected to 20/30 each eye.
Hearing: Must not have suffered a hearing loss of over 25 decibels in the 500, 1000 or 2000 frequency ranges.
Background: A thorough background investigation including a polygraph examination, a medical examination, and psychological testing shall be conducted according to the specifications of the State of California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.
Lateral Applicants/Academy Graduates
Current California peace officers and academy graduates are encouraged to apply as lateral candidates. Lateral applicants may be hired at a higher step and receive bonuses depending on experience. Lateral applicants do not have to take the written test but otherwise will need to complete the same process as entry level applicants. To apply as a lateral candidate, please visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/contracosta/jobs/2828267/deputy-sheriff-lateral?keywords=lateral&pagetype=jobOpportunitiesJobs
1. Application Filing: All applicants must apply on-line at: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/contracosta/jobs/2828178/deputy-sheriff-recruit?keywords=deputy%20sheriff&pagetype=jobOpportunitiesJobs
2. Written Examination: Candidates that possess the minimum qualifications will advance in the recruitment process for Deputy Sheriff Recruit. For the written examination, candidates have two options for testing – (a) participate in the POST PELLETB with Contra Costa County or submit a valid, passing, PELLETB score dated within the last 12 months prior to the date of application, or (b) demonstrate that you have participated in NTN Frontline Law Enforcement Written Examination dated within the last 12 months prior to the date of application. Please see below for more information.
a) P.O.S.T. Entry-Level Law Enforcement Test Battery (PELLETB): Candidates that possess the minimum qualifications, and do not possess a qualifying score from either test option, will be invited to participate in the PELLETB. The PELLETB is a multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank written examination designed to measure reading and writing ability. The Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff administers this examination monthly with no charge. Candidates MAY NOT retake the PELLETB within 30 days of previously taking the examination.
Applicants are given 1 hour and 45 minutes to complete the PELLETB, which contains four sections: Spelling (applicants select the correct spelling of a word from a list of options); Vocabulary (applicants select the correct meaning of a word from a list of options); Clarity (applicants select the sentence that is most clearly written from a pair of options); and Reading Comprehension (applicants read a passage and answer questions about the passage's content). For a preparation guide please visit: https://post.ca.gov/portals/0/post_docs/publications/poWrittenPracticeTest.pdf. (Download PDF reader) (Download PDF reader)
If you have previously taken the PELLETB with Contra Costa County, or another agency, within the last 12 months AND achieved a T-Score of 44 or higher, you may submit your T-Score in lieu of taking the exam again. Candidates must submit a copy of their examination results AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION).
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b) National Testing Network (NTN) Frontline Law Enforcement Written Examination: Passing scores accepted for this exam are Video-65% or higher; Reading-70% or higher; and Writing-70% or higher. Applicants must complete the Public Safety Job Suitability Assessment (PSSA) component of the NTN examination battery at the time of the Frontline Law Enforcement Written examination. This examination is administered directly by the National Testing Network and the candidates pay a fee to take this examination. The test may be taken virtually or in person at testing sites throughout the country. To schedule a test, visit the National Testing Network Website at:https://www.nationaltestingnetwork.com/publicsafetyjobs
Select the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff and the Deputy Sheriff Recruit position. NTN will submit the scores directly to the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff for review.
3. Physical Agility Examination: Designed to measure an applicant's knowledge, skills, and abilities to complete exercises that replicate some aspect of the job. The examination is timed and includes the following physical examinations:
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25 sit ups (1:00 Minute)
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25 push-ups (2:00 Minutes)
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50 air squats (2:00 Minutes)
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500-yard run (2:00 Minutes)
Physical Agility Examination Waiver: Applicants who have participated in the
POST Work Sample Test Battery (WSTB) at an agency within the State of California within
6 months of the application may waive the physical agility examination portion of the examination process. Applicants must submit the official verification letter of test results AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION by uploading the document online during the application process. The
minimum passing score required is
320.
4. Oral Interview: Upon successful completion of the written and physical agility assessments, applicants will be scheduled for an oral interview. This interview is designed to evaluate such job-related factors, such as motivation, interpersonal skills, problem-solving ability, use of sound judgement and oral communication skills. The interview is conducted by a Qualifications Appraisal Board who will evaluate candidates in job-related areas. This interview is typically scheduled within two weeks of the written and physical agility test dates.
(Weighted 100%).
Final Testing and Final Appointment
Applicants who pass the written, physical, and oral test will be placed on the continuous Deputy Sheriff-Recruit eligibility list for twelve months. Rank on the list is determined by the oral board test score and any veteran’s credit for which individual competitors may qualify. Applicants’ scores are grouped into Certification Bands. Scores between 83 to 100 are placed in Band A, scores between 77 to 82.99 are placed in Band B, and scores between 70-76.99 are placed in Band C. Candidates are moved on into the background process from the list. Typically, the Sheriff's Office administers three Basic Academies per year.
Veteran’s Preference Credits
Veterans who have received an honorable discharge and disabled veterans may be allowed an additional 5% of their total earned score (providing the exam is otherwise successfully completed). To obtain this credit, veterans MUST provide a DD214 that indicates the applicant received an honorable discharge or proof of disability
ATTACHED TO THEIR APPLICATION AT THE TIME OF FILING.
The Human Resources Department may change the examination steps noted above in accordance with the Personnel Management Regulations and accepted selection practices.
CONVICTION HISTORY
During the background process, you will be fingerprinted, and your fingerprints will be sent to the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The resulting report of your conviction history (if any) will be used to determine whether the nature of your conviction conflicts with the specific duties and responsibilities of the position. If a conflict exists, you will be asked to present any evidence of rehabilitation that may mitigate the conflict, except when federal or state regulations bar employment in specific circumstances. Having a conviction history does not automatically preclude you from a job with Contra Costa County.
DISQUALIFYING FACTORS
In addition to the definition of disqualifying criminal acts as defined by
Cal. Gov. Code § 1029, applicants who have had their POST certification suspended, revoked, or voluntarily surrendered it, due to having engaged in “Serious Misconduct” as defined by
Cal. Pen. Code § 13510.8 are ineligible to be employed as a peace officer in the State of California.
The hiring process takes approximately two to three months to complete depending on each applicant's individual background.
DISASTER SERVICE WORKER
All Contra Costa County employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law. Employment with the County requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect. Employees are required to complete all Disaster Service Worker-related training as assigned, and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
It is the policy of Contra Costa County to consider all applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identify, gender expression, marital status, ancestry, medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status, or other protected category under the law.
