Wear Our Badge
Interested in a career where you can make a difference in people’s daily lives? Maybe you like a challenge and don’t want the same old Monday thru Friday job?
If you are passionate about keeping people in the community safe and secure by preventing crime and apprehending those responsible for creating victims, consider becoming a Deputy Sheriff with the Kern County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputy Sheriff Trainee
As a trainee, you’ll attend the Sheriff’s Academy where you’ll be instructed and tested on various subjects designed to qualify you as a Deputy Sheriff.
Once you successfully complete the academy, you must qualify for appointment as a probationary Deputy Sheriff, known as a Deputy Sheriff.
Requirements
- High School Diploma, GED, or Equivalent
- Possess a valid California Driver’s License at the time of appointment. Specialized licenses are required for some assignments.
- Pass the PELLETB Exam*
- Pass a Physical Exam
- Pass a Psychological Exam
- Pass a Polygraph Exam
- Pass a Background Investigation
- Must be 20.5 Years of Age at Final Filing Date
* Participation in the written exam is not required if you possess a PELLETB (Post Entry-Level Law Enforcement Test Battery) with a minimum score of 42 and is within the last two (2) years. If you have this, please attach to your application.
Additional Information
Incumbents in the trainee classification are temporary employees, and time in the classification does not meet the probationary requirements for Sheriff’s Deputy. Promotions to Sheriff’s Deputy are considered on a merit basis, subject to the approval of the Department Head. Incumbents are peace officers under California Penal Code Section 830.1(a).
Salary
Salary Upon Appointment to Deputy Sheriff
- $5570.50 – $6657.26 Monthly
- $32.14 – $ 38.41 POST Basic Certification
- $33.78 – $40.37 POST Intermediate Certification (5%)
- $36.22 – $43.29 POST Advanced Certification (7%)
- 7.5% Shift Differential Pay (when working between 9 pm and 7 am)
- Overtime Pay (when available)
Benefits
- 12 Paid Holidays
- 3 Paid Winter Recess Leave Days
- Up to 80 Hours of Paid Time Off Per Year
- Medical Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Deferred Compensation Plan
- $1300 Uniform Allowance
Incentives
- $15,000 Recruitment and Retention Bonus *
- $2,000 Per Month Housing Allowance **
- Personal Patrol Vehicle Program***
*Non-pensionable payable in full upon appointment, subject to the completion of a 5 year term of service as a Deputy Sheriff rank or higher.
**Offered to sworn Deputy Sheriffs, Senior Deputy Sheriffs, and Sergeants who verify housing and are assigned to Kern Valley, Mojave, Boron, Ridgecrest, Rosamond, and Frazier Park.
*** Upon assignment to Patrol.
Deputy Sheriff Lateral
This is the lateral/entry-level classification in the Deputy Sheriff job family (i.e., Senior Deputy Sheriff, Sheriff’s Sergeant, etc.). Incumbents perform the full range of sworn peace officer duties, including patrol, criminal investigations, interacting and collaborating with the public to gain compliance and solve problems, and detecting and preventing crime.
Incumbents serve a probationary period of twelve (12) months. Incumbents will be required to work any shift, weekends, and holidays; and may be required to work in outlying areas.
Requirements
- High School Diploma, GED, or Equivalent
- Successful Graduation from a California POST-Approved Academy or Must Possess a CA POST Certificate
- Be legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law.” (SB 960)
- Pass a Physical Exam
- Pass a Psychological Exam
- Pass a Polygraph Exam
- Pass a Background Investigation
- Must Be 21 Years of Age at the Final Filing Date
Salary
- $5570.50 – $6657.26 Monthly
- 7.5% Shift Differential Pay (when working between 9 pm and 7 am)
- $32.14 – $ 38.41 POST Basic Certification
- $33.78 – $40.37 POST Intermediate Certification (5%)
- $36.22 – $43.29 POST Advanced Certification (7%)
- Overtime Pay (when available)
- $1300 Annual Uniform Allowance
Benefits
- 12 Paid Holidays
- 3 Paid Winter Recess Leave Days
- Up to 80 Hours of Paid Time Off Per Year
- Medical Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Deferred Compensation Plan
- Retirement Benefits
- Access to Voluntary Benefits
- $1300 Uniform Allowance
Incentives
- $25,000 Lateral Bonus * or
- $15,000 Recruitment and Retention Bonus **
- Up to $5,000 Relocation Reimbursement ***
- Personal Patrol Vehicle Program
- After Two Years of Patrol Experience, Eligible to Apply for Collateral Assignment to Specialized Units
* Non-pensionable payable in full upon appointment to Deputy Sheriff, subject to the completion of a 5 year term of service . Must possess a Basic POST certificate and have law enforcement experience.
** If no law enforcement experience, non-pensionable payable in full upon appointment, subject to the completion of a 5 year term of service as a Deputy Sheriff rank or higher.
*** Paid only for those relocating more than 50 miles.
Special Duties & Assignments
- Academy and Training
- Air Support Unit
- Bomb Squad
- Coroner Section
- Court Services
- Crisis Negotiations Unit
- DEA Taskforce
- Detectives
- Detentions
- FBI Gang Task Force
- JTTF FBI Task Force
- Narcotics Unit, H.I.D.T.A. and CAL-MMET
- Off-Highway Vehicle Unit
- Rural Crimes Investigations Unit
- S.W.A.T.
- Work Release/ Parole Unit/ Electronic Monitoring Program
Detentions Deputy Trainee
Detentions Deputy Trainees will attend the Standards and Training for Correction (STC) certified Corrections Officer CORE Course, PC 832 Training, as well as training in firearms and arrest, search and seizure, force options for detentions training, and introduction and indoctrination training.
After the training, trainees must qualify to be appointed as probationary Sheriff’s Detentions Deputies.
Requirements
- High School Diploma, GED, or Equivalent
- Possess a valid California Driver’s License at the time of appointment. Specialized licenses are required for some assignments.
- Pass a Written Exam
- Pass a Physical Exam
- Pass a Psychological Exam
- Pass a Polygraph Exam
- Pass a Background Investigation
- Must Be 18 Years of Age at the Final Filing Date
Additional Information
Incumbents in the trainee classification are temporary employees and time in the classification does not meet the probationary requirements for Sheriff’s Detentions Deputy. Promotions to Sheriff’s Detentions Deputy are considered on a merit basis subject to recommendation by the Department head and with the approval of the Director of Personnel. Incumbents are peace officers with limited powers under California Penal Code Section 830.1(c).
Salary
- $3663.01 Monthly
- Shift Differential Pay *
Salary Upon Appointment to Detentions Deputy
- $5478 – $6548 Monthly
*7.5% Shift Differential Pay (when working between 9 pm and 7 am)
Benefits
- 12 Paid Holidays
- 3 Paid Winter Recess Leave Days
- Up to 80 Hours of Paid Time Off Per Year
- Medical Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Deferred Compensation Plan
- $1300 Uniform Allowance
Incentives
- $15,000 Recruitment and Retention Bonus **
Longevity Pay (Upon Appointment to Detentions Deputy)
- 10 years of service – 2% Longevity Pay on base wages
- 15 years of service – 2% additional Longevity Pay (Total 4%)
- 20 years of service – 2% additional Longevity Pay (Total 6%)
- 25 years of service – 2% additional Longevity Pay (Total 8%)
- 30+ years of service – 2% additional Longevity Pay (Total 10%)
** Non-pensionable over seven years if no law enforcement experience.
Detentions Deputy Lateral
Detentions Deputy Laterals will be assigned to the Sheriff’s correctional facilities and other custody-related assignments. Detentions Deputies are responsible for inmate security and supervision both inside and outside of facilities.
Deputies must have the ability to perform work assignments effectively. Situations involving independent judgment are usually defined by departmental policy and procedures. Incumbents are peace officers with limited powers under California Penal Code Section 830.1(c).
Requirements
- High School Diploma, GED, or Equivalent
- Possession of a Standards and Training for Corrections (STC) certified Corrections Officer CORE course certificate having been issued in the past three years, or
- Possession of an STC-certified CORE course certificate and continuous employment under either PC Section 831.5 or PC Section 830.1(c) in the State of California since completion of the training.
- Must obtain PC 832 Arrest and PC 832 Firearms certificates within twelve months of initial employment. Failure to obtain PC 832 Arrest and PC 832 Firearms certificates will result in termination.
- Possess a valid California Driver’s License at the time of appointment. Specialized licenses are required for some assignments.
- Pass a Written Exam
- Pass a Physical Exam
- Pass a Psychological Exam
- Pass a Polygraph Exam
- Pass a Background Investigation
- Must pass evaluations of training, education, experience, interest, and personal fitness with a score of 70 on each phase of the examination process
Salary
- $5478 – $6548 Monthly
- Shift Differential Pay *
*7.5% Shift Differential Pay (when working between 9 pm and 7 am)
Benefits
- 12 Paid Holidays
- 3 Paid Winter Recess Leave Days
- Up to 80 Hours of Paid Time Off Per Year
- Medical Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Deferred Compensation Plan
- $1300 Uniform Allowance
Incentives
- $15,000 Recruitment and Retention Bonus **
** Non-pensionable over seven years if no law enforcement experience.
Special Duties or Assignments
- Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team (SERT) (Detentions)
- Detentions Training Officer
- Classification Unit
- Professional Standards Unit