Position InformationJoin Our Law Enforcement Team Protecting Our Community! Become a Correctional Deputy with the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office!No Experience Required & Multiple Positions Available. STARTING SALARY UP TO $46.36/HOUR ($ 96,758.88 /YEAR)* PLUS a $25,000 Signing Bonus^ 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:- Promotion to Correctional Deputy II ( $99,910.43 - $121,428.64 /year), upon successful completion of one year as a Correctional Deputy I
- County paid 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
- An annual Staff Development/Wellness Benefit allowance up to $850
- Premium pay of $1.15/hour for basic bilingual and $1.50/hour for fluent bilingual, in addition to the hourly pay rate, for bilingual assignments
- Premium pay for specialty assignments, ranging from 2.5% to 10.0%
- Differential pay for evening and night shifts
- Onsite workout facilities
- Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals and 12 paid holidays
- May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment
- County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits
- Retirement is fully integrated with Social Security
^Hiring Incentives The Sheriff's Office is currently offering a $25,000 signing bonus paid over three installments during the first three years of service.
Other incentives which may be offered, if applicable, include:
- Advanced paid vacation and/or sick leave (up to 24 hours per leave type)
- Relocation reimbursement up to $5,000
Note: If you are an experienced Correctional Deputy, please apply to our separate Correctional Deputy II recruitment, which also offers a $25,000 signing bonus.
Start Your Corrections Law Enforcement Career as a Correctional Deputy I The Sheriff's Office New Generation/Direct Supervision Detention Facility has evolved from an era of linear incarceration, to incorporating advanced technologies and officer skills development. As a result, the Sheriff's Office is eager to recruit and develop professional correctional staff who have exceptional interpersonal skills, and the ability to exercise a solid management-style approach to working with inmates.
The most successful and qualified Correctional Deputy candidates are those who demonstrate excellent communication skills and can maintain patience and professionalism in maintaining the custody of incarcerated individuals. As a Correctional Deputy I, you will receive thorough training, close oversight, and the mentorship of experienced Deputies. The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office training program provides exposure to a variety of correctional functions, including:
- Inmate booking
- General population security
- Protective custody
- Medical withdrawal and mental health units
To excel in these training areas, you must have the ability to exercise quick and sound judgment, patience, and be able to work effectively in sometimes stressful situations.
The challenges you face as a Correctional Deputy will provide you with a rewarding sense of purpose and fulfillment. The supervision of inmates is a 24/7 responsibility. Work shifts are 8, 10, or 12 hours, include weekends and holidays, and new Deputies must have the flexibility to work all shifts (days, swings, graves). Overtime is a requirement for Correctional Deputies. With experience and seniority, opportunities to select different work shifts and/or specialty assignments become available. There are a variety of specialty assignments available, which are assigned on a "most qualified" basis, and may be entitled to premium pay.
About the Sheriff's Office The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office employs over 650 staff to protect and secure the half-million residents within the 1,768 square miles of Sonoma County. The Detention Division's staff of over 300 are committed to serving the County of Sonoma and the State of California by providing a secure, safe, and humane environment for both employees and inmates. With more than 15 different highly trained and specialized units, you can be confident that a career with the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office will keep you learning and growing.
We Want to Hear from You!Would you like to learn more about joining the Sheriff's Office? Visit our Personnel Bureau website or contact us and speak to the Sheriff's recruiting team at
707.565.2779 or email
Sheriff-Recruitment@sonoma-county.org .
Effective 5/22/23, individuals who possess United States citizenship or status as a permanent resident alien, OR have the legal authorization to work in the United States under federal law, will be considered to meet the citizenship minimum standards for this position.
*Salary is negotiable. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can found in the Sonoma County Law Enforcement Association's Memorandum Of Understanding (SCLEA MOU) and our Employee Benefits Directory . Bilingual positions require English and Spanish skills at either the basic (conversational) or fluent (reading, writing, and conversational) level. A bilingual examination will be conducted prior to employment to confirm level of skill. The bilingual premium pay begins upon the assignment of a bilingual caseload.
APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.Minimum QualificationsEducation: Graduation from high school or possession of an acceptable General Education Development Certificate.
Experience: None.
Additional Requirements: In accordance with California Government Code, Section 1029-1031, and the California Corrections Standards Authority, Title 15, Section 131, Minimum Standards for Selection, each employee shall meet the following minimum standards: Must be at least 18 years of age at time of appointment; United States citizenship or status as a permanent resident alien who is eligible for and has applied for citizenship (if a permanent resident alien has not obtained citizenship within three years after application for employment or is denied citizenship, he/she will be disqualified for peace officer status); have no prior felony conviction nor be under current formal probation supervision; and achieved a passing score on the California Corrections Standards Authority Adult Corrections Officer written exam, or equivalent, prior to appointment.
Candidates certified for employment must be willing to undergo and successfully complete an in-depth background investigation, including a psychological evaluation, finger printing, criminal history check, polygraph, and a medical examination.
Candidates must be willing to work in uniform and willing to work all shifts, including day, evenings, nights, weekdays, weekends, holidays, and overtime.
License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including special endorsements, as required by the State of California, may be required depending upon assignment to perform the essential job functions of the position.
Knowledge, Skills, and AbilitiesSome knowledge of: modern methods and techniques of dealing with individuals in criminal confinement; criminal attitudes and behavior patterns, and the social factors underlying criminal behavior; behavior of people in a custody setting.
Ability to: effectively control, direct and instruct inmates individually and in groups; interpret and enforce institutional rules, regulations and other policies with firmness, tact and impartiality; make simple arithmetic calculations; read, speak and write English effectively, and interpret written material; accurately follow oral and written directions; read and speak Spanish may be required for certain assignments; use electronic information equipment and specific systems utilized within the department; enter data accurately; use word processing software to prepare clear and concise reports; promote acceptable attitudes and behavior of inmates while in confinement; work with and around a wide variety of people; and make quick, effective and reasonable decisions in emergencies, and take appropriate action to include physically restraining violent inmates; work in uniform; work all shifts, including days, evenings, nights, weekdays, weekends, holidays, and overtime.
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. 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.
APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.Responses to supplemental questions will be scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient and therefore may not be scored.The selection procedure will consist of the following examinations:
1. An
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 the 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.
To aid you in preparing for the written examination, please review the CA POST Applicant Preparation Guide and 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. The County of Sonoma will not accept the BSCC "Selection Examination for the Adult Corrections Officer, Juvenile Corrections Officer, and Probation Officer Classifications for Local Corrections" in lieu of the POST PELLETB for this recruitment.
Written examinations will be conducted monthly, with the below testing dates currently scheduled:- Tuesday, 11/14/23
- Wednesday, 11/29/23
- Thursday, 12/21/23
- Thursday, 1/18/24
- Wednesday, 2/21/24
- Thursday, 3/21/24
- Wednesday, 4/10/24
- Wednesday, 6/5/24
- Wednesday, 7/31/24
- Wednesday, 9/4/24
Qualified candidates will be emailed an invitation to the next available exam session, based on application date.(Dates and locations of exams may change)
If you have taken the CA POST PELLETB no more than twelve (12) months prior to the date of the exam session you are invited to attend, 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 email a PDF to eder.villavalencia@sonoma-county.org or mail a paper copy of your "T score letter" to:
County of Sonoma Human Resources Department
Attention: Eder Villa Valencia
575 Administration Drive 116B
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
The letter must be on the testing agencies letterhead, including electronic/digital versions, 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 Eder Villa Valencia at 707-565-1751.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 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, psychological, 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 Drug Standards for Sheriff's Office for further information.
You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.
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. Continuous recruitments may close without notice at any time that a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received. 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: AK
HR Technician: EV
IMPORTANT NOTE: Benefits described herein do not apply to Extra Help positions.
COUNTY OF SONOMA BENEFITS: GENERAL*These are some of the excellent benefits the County offers:
Paid Time Off :Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and may be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment.
Health Plan :Choose from nine health plans (three HMOs, three deductible HMOs, and three HSA-qualifying plans) with a generousCounty contribution to the premium (the contribution amount varies by bargaining unit). For more information, please see the appropriate MOU.
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.
Student Loan Debt Relief :County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education.
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.
Closing Date/Time: Continuous
