Deputy Sheriff Trainee / Deputy Sheriff

Salary : $87,161.38 - $134,076.60 Annually

Location : throughout Ventura County, CA

Job Type : Full-Time

Job Number : 0995SHF-26AA (MK)

Department : Sheriff

Opening Date : 01 / 01 / 2026

Closing Date : Continuous

Description

Mission

We, the members of the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, are committed to safeguarding the lives and property of residents of Ventura County and respond to public concerns in a manner which is fair, unbiased, lawful and promotes neighborhoods free from crime.

The Ventura County Sheriff's Office is looking to hire honest, dependable and diverse problem solvers. Our approach empowers each employee to have a voice in a collaborative, adaptive work environment. We think creatively and strategically together as a team. If you are committed to excellence, high quality service, leadership development and a great place to work, you belong at Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

The Position

Under immediate supervision, support and instruction, the Deputy Sheriff Trainee undergoes Academy training in preparation for appointment as a Deputy Sheriff.

About The Ventura County Criminal Justice Training Center (Academy) :

Attendance is paid time and is a non-residential academy which means you go home at the end of each day. A pre-academy orientation is provided to ensure you can maximize your experiences. Support and training is provided during the Academy in areas including, but not limited to, leadership, professionalism and ethics, criminal law, laws of evidence, vehicle operations, arrest and control, firearms, patrol procedures, traffic enforcement / investigation, criminal investigation, custody operations, community policing and problem solving, cultural diversity, oral / written communications, first aid and physical fitness.

Upon successful completion of the Academy, Deputy Sheriff Trainees may be promoted to Deputy Sheriff. Under general supervision, a newly appointed Deputy Sheriff will be assigned to custody and will perform a wide variety of custody and related duties including providing secure and humane detention for incarcerated individuals. After a period of time, a Deputy Sheriff will rotate to patrol and will perform a wide variety of patrol and related duties including building strong community partnerships; the prevention of crime; the protection of life and property; the enforcement of laws and ordinances; conducting investigations; assisting in the preparation of cases and testifying in court; and providing assistance to the public.

The Successful Candidate

The successful candidate demonstrates the :

• Ability to enforce laws;
• Ability to protect lives and property;
• Ability to take effective courses of action in emergencies;
• Ability to communicate with diverse community members;
• Ability to organize and work cooperatively with diverse communities;
• Ability to empathize with people of different cultures, backgrounds, experiences, and sociodemographic characteristics.

Starting Salary :

Deputy Sheriff Trainee - approximately $45.18 per hour

Upon successful academy completion, incumbent is eligible for promotion to Deputy Sheriff with a salary of approximately $47.44 per hour / $98,675.20 annually.

BENEFITS / INCENTIVES

Ventura County offers an excellent benefit package that helps support healthy peace officers and effective work-life balance.

Deputy Sheriff Trainees and Deputy Sheriffs are represented by the Ventura County Deputy Sheriff's Association (VCDSA) and are eligible for overtime compensation.

For more information about us and the application process, please visit our website :

Examples Of Duties

Duties may include, but are not limited to the following :

Deputy Sheriff Trainee :

Deputy Sheriff assigned to Custody :

Deputy Sheriff assigned to Patrol :

Typical Qualifications

These are entrance requirements to the examination process and assure neither continuance in the process nor placement on an eligible list.

EDUCATION, TRAINING, and EXPERIENCE :

To qualify for this classification an individual must possess some experience that demonstrates possession of and competency in the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Some examples of qualifying education are :

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Candidates must :

NOTE : An adult felony conviction is disqualifying. Any illegal activity including illegal drug use / possession or prescription drug abuse may be disqualifying.

Supplemental Information :

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES : Some ability to : learn the various California codes, County ordinances, and departmental rules and regulations pertaining to the specific responsibilities of a Deputy Sheriff; learn the methods used in law enforcement, the rules of evidence, laws of arrest, security, and civil procedures; understand written and oral directions; take effective courses of action in emergencies; prepare comprehensive reports and correspondence; and establish and maintain effective relations with others.

Recruitment Process

FINAL FILING DATE : This is a continuous recruitment and may close at any time; therefore, apply as soon as possible if you are interested in it. Your application must be received by County of Ventura Human Resources, 800 South Victoria Avenue, L1970, Ventura, CA 93009 by 5 : 00 p.m. on the closing date.

To apply on-line, please refer to our web site at If you prefer to fill out a paper application form, please call (805) 654-5129 for application materials and submit them to County of Ventura Human Resources, 800 South Victoria Avenue, L-1970, Ventura, CA 93009.

Note to Applicants : It is essential that you complete all sections of your application and supplemental questionnaire thoroughly and accurately to demonstrate your qualifications. A resume and / or other related documents may be attached to supplement the information in your application and supplemental questionnaire; however, it / they may not be submitted in lieu of the application.

Please thoroughly read the Recruitment Process of this job announcement. Additionally, it is important that you frequently check your email and / or applicant portal throughout this process, as this is the way we will be notifying applicants of their status and providing information regarding the next step in the recruitment and selection process.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE - qualifying : All applicants are required to complete and submit the questionnaire for this examination AT THE TIME OF FILING. The supplemental questionnaire may be used throughout the exam process to assist in determining each applicant's qualifications and acceptability for the position. Failure to complete and submit the questionnaire may result in the application being removed from consideration.

APPLICATION EVALUATION - qualifying : All applications will be reviewed to determine whether or not the stated requirements are met. Those individuals meeting the stated requirements will be invited to continue to the next step in the screening and selection process.

WRITTEN EXAMINATION - Pass / Fail : A job related, written examination will be conducted to evaluate and compare participating candidates' knowledge, skills, and abilities in relation to those factors which have been determined to be essential for successful performance of the job. Applicants must take and pass one of the following written exam testing options :

Option 1 : On-Line

The Ventura County Sheriff's Office offers proctored, on-line, internet based testing services through the National Testing Network (NTN). To register with NTN and schedule a test, go to select "Find Jobs", then select Law Enforcement Jobs and sign up for Ventura County Sheriff's Office. You may test anytime you wish after submitting a Ventura County employment application through this job announcement. You must pass all three sections in order to continue to the next step of the screening and selection process. The passing scores are Video : 60.00, Writing 70.00 and Reading 70.00.

It is highly recommended that candidates review the frequently asked questions (FAQs) located on the NTN website including the Virtual Testing FAQs before scheduling an exam to verify your computer system can support the test environment.

Option 2 :

Applicants may submit their PELLETB results that have been issued by another agency. The results must show a minimum t-score of 42.0 to be accepted and are valid for one year from the date the test was taken. Applicants must submit a copy of the letter from the testing agency on agency letterhead. Acceptance of the other agency's t-score is subject to verification with the testing agency. Please provide your documentation in a PDF to Melissa Kurtz by email to or by uploading a copy with your employment application.

PRACTICAL (PHYSICAL AGILITY) EXAMINATION - Pass / Fail : A job-related physical agility examination will be administered. The physical agility exam may include, but is not limited to, the following events : one-mile run, weight drag, obstacle course, and fence climb.

Upon passing a written and the practical (physical agility) exam, applicants will be placed on the eligible list for a period of one year and will be contacted regarding the on-line submission of a Pre-Investigative Questionnaire (PIQ).

SELECTION INTERVIEWS : Applicants submitting complete and appropriate PIQs will be invited to a selection interview for further continuation in the process.

PERSONAL HISTORY STATEMENT (PHS) REVIEW - Pass / Fail : Top applicants will be invited to meet with a Sheriff's Investigator who will conduct a PHS Review Interview.

Assuming sufficient vacancies, a selected number of applicants will be chosen to proceed in the selection process. As part of the selection process, applicants will be expected to complete the following :

MEDICAL STANDARDS : The stringent medical standards to become a Deputy Sheriff Trainee / Deputy Sheriff have been developed over many years. Some of the most common reasons individuals are unable to pass are listed below. These are minimum / maximum standards and are significantly different from the ideal or average.

a. Hearing Loss. Hearing must be within California POST standards as verified by a medical background.

b. Color Blindness. Applicants must pass a color vision test as verified by a medical background.

c. Poor Vision (in either eye). Individuals must have uncorrected visual acuity of at least 20 / 40 in each eye, correctable to 20 / 20 in better eye and 20 / 40 on weaker eye.

d. Liver Function. Use of bodybuilding diet supplements, including, but not limited to, "Creatinine" (in any form) will often affect liver function tests. Therefore, it is important that you do not take bodybuilding diet supplements within several weeks of the blood test. Abnormal test results will require investigation at the applicants' expense before approval can be granted.

e. Weight and Body Fat. Applicants must be in excellent physical condition with weight proportionate to height (body fat

UNSATISFACTORY RESULTS IN ANY ASPECT OF THE FOREGOING, INCLUDING BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION FINDINGS, MAY RESULT IN REMOVAL FROM THE ELIGIBLE LIST.

For further information about this recruitment, please contact Melissa Kurtz by email at or by telephone at (805) 654-5080.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The County of Ventura is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

YOUR BENEFITS AS A COUNTY OF VENTURA EMPLOYEE

VENTURA COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFFS' ASSOCIATION

(VCDSA)

To learn more about Benefits, Retirement, and the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), see links below.

Union Codes : DSD, DSE, DGS, DSS

01

A Deputy Sheriff Trainee / Deputy Sheriff applicant must be at least 21 years of age at the time of appointment as a Deputy Sheriff. Are you at least 20 years of age, or more, at the time you are submitting this application?

02

Do you possess a high school diploma, or have you earned the General Education Development (GED) certificate indicating high school graduation from an accredited or approved institution; or the California High School Proficiency Examination certificate; Or do you possess a two-year, four-year, or advanced degree from an accredited college or university?

03

Each peace officer must be legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law. Can you provide proof that you are legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law?

04

Have you graduated from a California POST-certified training academy in the last three (3) years and do you possess a valid California POST certificate?

05

In an attempt to focus our recruitment efforts, we are interested in finding out how you learned the the Ventura County Sheriff's Office was accepting applications for Deputy Sheriff Trainee / Deputy Sheriff

06

By entering your name in the box below, you certify that you understand that as part of the selection process for Deputy Sheriff Trainee / Deputy Sheriff you will be required to complete a detailed personal history statement and undergo a thorough background investigation. You also certify that you understand that if you receive a conditional job offer you will then undergo stringent physical and psychological examinations and may be required to submit to and pass either a polygraph or voice-stress analysis. You further understand that any falsification of information, withholding of material fact(s), or any other failure to meet the standards of the Ventura County Sheriff's Office including, but not necessarily limited to, those listed above or in the job announcement, will result in your disqualification. You finally certify that you have read and understand the announcement and the questions of this supplemental statement / questionnaire and, to the best of your ability, have truthfully answered each question.

By typing your full name, you certify that your answers are true and complete.

07

Date application submitted :

08

If you have been referred by a regular existing employee of the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, please type their first and last name. (Note : only indicate one referring employee, as award payments will not be split among multiple employees.) If not applicable, please type N / A.

Required Question