How to hire a deputy sheriff

How to hire a deputy sheriff, step by step

Here's a step-by-step deputy sheriff hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a deputy sheriff job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new deputy sheriff
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a deputy sheriff do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your deputy sheriff job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a deputy sheriff for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A deputy sheriff's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, deputy sheriffs from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of deputy sheriffs and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Deputy Sheriff	Description	Hourly rate
   Deputy Sheriff	Police officers protect lives and property. Detectives and criminal investigators, who are sometimes called agents or special agents, gather facts and collect evidence of possible crimes.	$16-33
   Law Enforcement Officer	The duties of a law enforcement officer depend on their line of work or agency of employment. In general, they are responsible for enforcing laws and regulations, prioritizing the safety of citizens and the protection of the city... Show more	$14-24
   Police Officer	Police officers are responsible for keeping peace and security in a community. They uphold and enforce the law... Show more	$18-34

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patrol
   • Public Safety
   • Transport Inmates
   • Law Enforcement Agencies
   • Emergency Situations
   • Field Training
   • CPR
   • Firearms
   • Subpoenas
   • Local Laws
   • Motor Vehicle
   • Emergency Calls
   • Traffic Control
   • Sheriffs

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Hire and manage credit officers responsible for Citigroup's new commodity derivatives business in Houston.
   • Act as a supervisor and FTO.
   • Monitor access control systems including CCTV systems.
   • Act as first responder for medical emergencies and criminal acts.
   • Observe inmate and staff activity in person and on CCTV monitors.
   • Work as a jail deputy, patrol deputy, patrol supervisor, k-9 handler

   More deputy sheriff duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your deputy sheriff job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A deputy sheriff salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a deputy sheriff in Indiana may be lower than in California, and an entry-level deputy sheriff usually earns less than a senior-level deputy sheriff. Additionally, a deputy sheriff with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average deputy sheriff salary

   $50,143yearly

   $24.11 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level deputy sheriff salary

   $35,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 19, 2026

   Average deputy sheriff salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$64,971	$31
   2	Oregon	$59,315	$29
   3	Minnesota	$55,039	$26
   4	Colorado	$53,262	$26
   5	Wisconsin	$49,043	$24
   6	Iowa	$48,928	$24
   7	Maryland	$48,614	$23
   8	Texas	$46,068	$22
   9	Arizona	$44,882	$22
   10	Virginia	$41,268	$20
   11	Florida	$40,796	$20
   12	Utah	$40,606	$20
   13	Idaho	$40,580	$20
   14	Missouri	$38,638	$19
   15	Georgia	$36,401	$18

   Average deputy sheriff salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Moody's	$90,311	$43.42
   2	Jefferson County Sheriffs Dept	$62,128	$29.87	3
   3	Stanford University	$61,605	$29.62	6
   4	Department of Public Social Services	$61,495	$29.56
   5	San Bernardino County	$61,029	$29.34
   6	City Of Alexandria	$59,381	$28.55	4
   7	Ventura County Community Foundation	$58,527	$28.14
   8	Santa Clara County	$58,393	$28.07
   9	Weber County Library System	$56,734	$27.28	1
   10	Forsyth County	$56,445	$27.14	3
   11	Linn County	$56,189	$27.01
   12	Stearns County MN	$56,095	$26.97
   13	Minnesota Limited	$56,087	$26.96
   14	Deschutes County	$55,692	$26.77	1
   15	Loudoun County Social Svc	$55,590	$26.73	4
   16	Lane County Engineer	$55,509	$26.69
   17	Lake County	$55,349	$26.61	5
   18	York County	$55,183	$26.53	3
   19	Albany International	$55,178	$26.53	6
   20	Wake County	$55,173	$26.53	2

4. Writing a deputy sheriff job description

   A job description for a deputy sheriff role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a deputy sheriff job description:

   Deputy sheriff job description example

   The Portsmouth Sheriff’s Office seeks Virginia DCJS-Certified Law Enforcement officers to serve primarily as School Resource Officers (SRO).
   Mandatory: Law Enforcement experience and prior graduation from Law Enforcement Academy
   What We Offer: Benefits: Health Insurance Dental Insurance Vision Insurance Life Insurance (VRS Virginia Retirement System *Group & Optional*) Annual /Sick/ Birthday Leave Flexible Spending Account Tuition Assistance Employee Assistance Program Legal Resources Short Term Disability Fitness Memberships Wellness Programs
   What We Value: The Portsmouth Sheriff’s Office is committed to serving our citizens with compassion and integrity. Dedicated to the well-being of our community, we will build trust, foster goodwill, promote civic pride, and as a department, strive to reflect the diverse populations we serve. Honor Service Integrity
   The School Resource Officer (SRO) position is responsible for the prevention, detection, investigation, and prosecution of criminal violations that happen on Portsmouth Public City School property or events. The SRO position works on a fixed schedule. The SRO position also requires work outside the normal schedule to complete the mission. This includes but is not limited to dances, athletic events, and shift extensions.
   Duties:
   As sworn law enforcement officers, the SRO will assume a leadership role in law enforcement and public safety matters in schools. The law enforcement role can be effective when the officer is assigned to a school:
   
   Assumes primary responsibility for handling all calls for service from the school and coordinates the response of other police resources to the school.
   Serves as a liaison between the school and the police and provides information to students and school personnel about law enforcement matters.
   Is advised of all situations where other units within the law enforcement agency have provided services to the school.
   Provides information to the appropriate investigative units of crimes or leads that come to the attention of the officer.
   Is kept advised of all investigations by other units that involve students from his/her assigned school.
   Ensures school administrator safety by being present during incidents that may involve weapons, controlled dangerous substances or in such cases that the student's emotional state may present a serious risk to the administrator.
   Adhere to the guidelines of the MOU with Portsmouth Public Schools.
   Preferred Skills and Abilities:
   Candidates must possess an avid interest in being a School Resource Officer and should possess the following in order to be successful:
   
   Certified as a School Resource Officer
   A demonstrated ability, interest, and skills necessary to work with youth, school personnel, and the public to solve problems.
   A desire to serve as an SRO based on a sound understanding of roles and responsibilities associated with the assignment
   Ability to work well with children and youth either as a law enforcement officer or in other substantive roles (e.g., volunteer work, coaching, church youth activities)
   Character traits known to be associated with SRO success (e.g., calm, approachable, patient, empathetic, flexible, mature, able to work with people from diverse populations)
   Evidence of dependability, sound judgement, and ability to work hard and independently
   Ability to work effectively with students, parents, teachers, and school administrators
   An understanding of the importance of diversion programs and alternatives to arrest
   Respect for youth and families of all backgrounds and cultures
   An understanding of developmentally appropriate, trauma-informed practices for interacting with youth
   Strong interpersonal communication skills
   Strong public speaking ability
   Effective law-related teaching and mentoring skills
   An interest in promoting and enriching the lives of youth
   Knowledge of the specific needs and local concerns of the community
   
   The Portsmouth Sheriff’s Office is an Equal Opportunity Employer

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find deputy sheriffs for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any deputy sheriffs they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level deputy sheriffs with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your deputy sheriff job on Zippia to find and recruit deputy sheriff candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit deputy sheriffs, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new deputy sheriff

   Once you have selected a candidate for the deputy sheriff position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a deputy sheriff?