How to Become a Deputy Sheriff in Georgia

• Cherokee County
• Cobb County
• Fulton County
• Gwinnett County
• Richmond County

Cherokee County Sheriff Department Jobs

The overall hiring process for becoming a Cherokee County Deputy Sheriff may take from four (4) to six (6) weeks.

If you are interested in pursuing a Cherokee County Sheriff Department job, follow the steps in this guide:

1. Minimum qualifications
2. Submitting application
3. Hiring process
4. Conditional job offer and further testing
5. North Central Georgia Law Enforcement Academy

Step 1. Minimum Qualifications

The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department holds its employees to high standards. Here are the minimum criteria you must meet to be considered for employment:

• At least 21 years old
• United States citizen
• Possess at least a high school diploma or GED certificate
• Possess a valid driver’s license, including no DUI convictions within the past 60 months
• If you have been in the military, have been honorably discharged
• Possess no felony or family violence convictions
• Have not used marijuana within the last 3 years/36 months or illegal drugs within the last 5 years/60 months

Step 2. Submitting Your Application

If you are interested in applying for a Cherokee County Deputy Sheriff job, you’ll start by completing this application. Applications cannot be faxed or emailed. Your application should be submitted by mail or in person to:

Cherokee County Sheriff Department
Attn. Susan Urode
498 Chattin Dr.
Canton, Ga. 30115

Qualified applicants may expect to receive a letter announcing a date and place to take two tests, one for basic skills and one for physical agility.

Step 3. The Cherokee County Hiring Process

Potential applicants must pass the following:

• Adult basic education test
• Test for physical agility
• Oral in-person interview

Applicants who pass the basic education and physical agility tests will be interviewed by a hiring board. Those recommended by the Board will then be given a conditional offer of employment, based upon the results of further testing.

Be advised that that from the time you take the initial written test, the selection process for a Cherokee County Deputy Sheriff can take anywhere from 45 to 60 days. Those who do not pass the initial written test or the physical agility test may re-apply after 30 days from the closing period for the open job for which you previously applied. If you fail a second time, you must wait an additional six months before attempting to take these tests again. For additional questions, contact Cherokee County Human Resources department at 678-493-4128.

Step 4. Conditional Job Offer and Further Testing

If you receive a conditional offer of employment, you will undergo further testing that will include:

• Polygraph examination. You may be asked questions about your work history, any past criminal activity, alcohol or drug use, or gambling activity.
• Intensive background check
• Medical examination
• Drug screening test
• Psychological examination

Step 5. Attend the North Central Georgia Law Enforcement Academy

After the additional testing and background check is deemed satisfactory, within two years of your date of hire you must attend the compulsory 10-week Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) program at the North Central Georgia Law Enforcement Academy in Austell, Georgia. The law enforcement academy training will cover Georgia law and law enforcement procedures such as firearms; search and seizure; operating an emergency vehicle; defensive tactics; and many other areas.

Typically, during your initial six (6) months of employment, you will attend Jail Certification School, a two-week training program.

Cherokee County offers additional money for those with additional education:

• Associates degree, 2.5%
•  Bachelor’s degree, 5.0%
• Master’s degree, 7.50 %

Those fluent in Spanish and who can pass a proficiency exam may be eligible for an additional 5% pay increase.

Cobb County Sheriff Department Jobs

The Cobb County Sheriff’s Office has provided law enforcement services to the citizens of Cobb County, located outside the northwest city limits of Atlanta, since 1833. Today, the Cobb County Sheriff Department serves a population upwards of 688,000.

If you are interested in pursuing a Sheriff Department job in Georgia, start here to learn how to to become a Cobb County sheriff’s deputy:

1. Minimum qualifications and selection process
2. Applying to become a Cobb County Deputy Sheriff
3. Written examination
4. Background check, medical and psychological tests
5. Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council (POST) training

Step 1. Meet the Minimum Qualifications and Review the Selection Process

The following are the minimum requirements to become a Cobb County Deputy Sheriff:

• Be a U.S. citizenship. (Cobb County Government participates in the E-Verify Program)
• Possess a high school diploma or GED.
• At least 21 years of age.
• Possess a valid driver’s license

The selection process will involve:

• Pass a written examination
• Pass an oral interview board
• Pass a physical agility test
• Pass a background investigation
• Have no felony convictions
• Pass a polygraph examination
• Pass a medical examination
• Pass a psychological examination

Step 2. Applying to Become a Cobb County Deputy Sheriff

To apply for a Cobb County Deputy Sheriff job, you must first complete an online application form available here. Cobb County does not accept faxed or mailed applications, only those completed and submitted online.

• Go to the Cobb County employment site and select “View Open Positions.”
• Scroll to find open positions.
• Select “Deputy Sheriff” and click apply.
• Create your application and submit.

An email notification will be sent to you after your application is reviewed and accepted by the Internal Affairs Unit. If there are no open positions, consider submitting a job interest card so that you will be notified when an opening for a deputy sheriff job becomes available.

After your application is reviewed, if you are selected for an interview you will be contacted by a hiring manager with further details.  Please be aware that the review process may take up to 90 days after an open position closes.

 Step 3. Written Examination

You are required to pass the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office Entry-Level Written Examination and Writing Sample. This written test that you must pass to become a Deputy Sheriff is given twice a month at the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office Work Release Facility, at 1825 County Services Parkway.  One test is given on Tuesday evenings, with registration beginning at 5:30 p.m.  and the test at 6:00 p.m. Another test is given on Wednesdays during the day, with registration starting at 8:30 a.m. and the test itself at 9:00 a.m.  Please bring photo identification and your copy of the completed pre-employment questionnaire.

You will be allowed two hours and thirty minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) to finish the test, which will consist of a series of multiple-choice questions and rating scales to test your ability to be an effective sheriff’s deputy. You will also be asked to produce a writing sample to verify your communication skills.

It is strongly recommended that you study the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office Orientation and Preparation Guide before taking the examination. If you fail the test, you must wait six months before you are eligible to re-test.

Step 4. Background Check and Medical/Psychological Tests

All applicants will undergo an intensive investigation into their background that will cover criminal, driving and credit history, and verification of past addresses. Investigators may talk to your family, neighbors and references from previous employment.

Applicants will be administered further testing in the following areas:

• Physical agility
• Polygraph examination,
• Written psychological and clinical psychological examination,
• Medical examination
• In-person interview

Step 5. Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council (POPST) Training

The final step to becoming a Cobb County Sheriff Deputy is completing the mandatory 10-week basic Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) program at the North Central Georgia Law Enforcement Academy in Austell, Georgia.

Fulton County Sheriff Department

The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office is the largest in Georgia, providing law enforcement services to the Atlanta metropolitan area, as well as the surrounding cities of Chattahoochee Hills, East Point, College Park, Fairburn, Hapeville, Milton, Alpharetta, Mountain Park, Palmetto, Roswell, Johns Creek, Sandy Springs, and Union City.

If you’re interested in a career in law enforcement as a Fulton County deputy sheriff, here is information and the steps necessary to becoming a deputy sheriff, covering:

1. Basic Qualifications
2. Written Exam
3. Interview, Polygraph and Background Check
4. Medical Exam and Psychological Test
5. Law Enforcement Training provided by Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council

Step 1. Meet the Basic Education and Experience Qualifications

Here are some of the basic qualifications needed to qualify for Fulton County deputy sheriff jobs:

• Possess a high school diploma or the GED equivalent
• Be at least 20 years old
• U.S. citizenship
• Possess or obtain a valid Georgia driver’s license
• Fulton County wants candidates with education/experience beyond high school. You must satisfy either of the following requirements, or have an adequate combination of both (a) and (b) by possessing:
  1. An associate’s degree from a community college or college
  2. Two (2) years satisfactory work experience as a certified law enforcement or peace officer, with full power to perform arrests.

If you meet the above requirements, complete the online application for employment or visit the Fulton County Government Personnel Department, 141 Pryor St, 3rd Floor, Atlanta, GA 30303. To apply online for a position, you must first create an account (registration is free).

Note: If you are currently a Fulton County detention officer, in lieu of the education requirements you may substitute four (4) years of service and evidence of successful completion of the Georgia POST certification.

Step 2. Pass Initial Written Exam

After your application is reviewed and you are considered eligible for any open Fulton County Deputy Sheriff jobs, you will be contacted and notified with testing information. You must take and pass a law enforcement academy entrance examination. If you do not successfully pass the initial test, you must wait six (6) months before you re-take the test.

Step 3. Pass Interview, Polygraph and Background Check

After successfully completing your written test, you will be notified of time and place for an in-person interview, as well as some additional testing. During your in-person interview, you will be asked questions about your background. Your ability to communicate will be assessed, as will your appearance. This is all done in an effort to determine if you will meet standards of a Fulton County Deputy Sheriff.

Completing the interview and qualifying process will involve:

• Must pass a polygraph to reveal no criminal history or history of improper conduct
• Must pass a drug test
• Must a pass criminal background check, including fingerprint check with local, state, and national fingerprint files

Step 4. Medical Exam and Psychological Test

The next step in the process is an actual physical examination to determine if you are able to ably perform a Deputy Sheriff’s duties. You must pass a physical exam administered by a Fulton County Health and Wellness Department licensed physician. In addition, a psychological profile test may be administered.

Step 5. Attend Georgia Peace Officer Training

The next step in your law enforcement career is both on the job and formal training. Here is the next set of requirements:

• You will complete ten (10) weeks of training at a Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Georgia.  Upon successfully completing the course, you will obtain Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certification. You must do this within six (6) months of initial employment. There is satellite training facilities located throughout the state, with further information available here.
• Successfully complete 90 days on the job training to be eligible for probationary status as a Sheriff Deputy.
• Complete a Jailer Certification course.

Gwinnett County Sheriff Department Jobs

The Gwinnet County Sheriff Department serves the approximately 757,104 residents of Gwinnett County, the second-largest in Georgia and one of the fastest growing counties in the United States.

Gwinnett County’s Sheriff Department employs two levels of Deputy Sheriffs:

• Level I – Deputy Sheriff/Jailer
• Level II – Deputy/P.O.S.T. certified

Here are some guidelines to provide an overview of how to become a Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Deputy:

1. Basic qualifications
2. Phase 1: Pre-employment process
3. Phase II: Interview, polygraph and background check
4. Law Enforcement Training provided by Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council

Step 1. Basic Qualifications, Including Education and Skills

Here are some of the basic qualifications and standards Gwinnett County looks for in hiring deputy sheriffs:

• Possess a high school diploma or a GED (education incentives are paid for those with Associates, Bachelor’s or Maser’s degrees)
• Be 20 years of age
• U.S. citizenship
• Possess or obtain a valid Georgia driver’s license
• Awareness of safe driving practices
• Pass a basic aptitude test (required of some applicants)
• Pass physical agility test
• Be physically fit. Applicants must be able to exert up to 50 pounds of force.
• Be able to work any shift required, including nights, weekends, and holidays

If you feel you meet these requirements and are interested in applying for a Gwinnett County Sheriff job, click here for an online application. You must have a valid email address to apply.

Step 2. Phase I: Pre-employment Process

If your application passes initial screening you will be contacted for further interviews and pre-employment testing. Applicants must successfully pass the following tests and background checks before advancing to the next phase in the employment process:

• Oral interview
• Intensive background investigation. All applicants must provide a valid copy of their birth certificate, a copy of their high school diploma or G.E.D. certificate and a valid driver’s license. The background check will cover any criminal history, controlled substance use, credit history, driving record and past employment. Applicants will be required to provide both personal and professional reverences.
• Pre-employment drug test
• Physical agility fitness assessment, which will test your aerobic capacity, flexibility, muscular endurance and strength.

Please keep in mind that the background investigation in Phase I is a thorough process that may take several months to complete. Once this process is successfully completed, you will be notified of a conditional job offer as Gwinnett County Sheriff, based upon completing the next step.

Step 3. Phase II: Conditional Employment

If you have successfully passed the first phase, you may receive an offer of employment, which is contingent upon your passing the following:

• Physical examination
• Polygraph test
• Physiological evaluation
• Pass random drug and alcohol testing

Step 4. Licensing Requirements and Attending Georgia Peace Officer Training

Within your first year on the job, you must complete your licensing requirements, which include:

• On-the-job field training
• Attend and pass basic Jail Officer’s Training Course within six months of your date of employment
• Attend law enforcement training at one of the Georgia P.O.S.T. Council Certified Academies and become officially certified as a Peace Officer according to the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council (P.O.S.T.).

After completing successfully Phase II and licensing requirements, you may receive a final job offer. Congratulations!

Gwinnett County pays a three (3) percent education incentive for officers with an Associate’s degree and six (6) percent education incentive for those possessing a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree.

Richmond County Sheriff Department Jobs

The Richmond County, Georgia Sheriff’s Department provides law enforcement services to the city of Augusta, home The Masters Tournament, which is held each spring.

Other cites covered by Richmond County deputy sheriffs include Blythe, Hephzibah and Fort Gordon, current home of the United States Army Signal Corps and Signal Center.

If you are interested in a job as a Richmond County Sheriff Deputy, be advised that applications are accepted throughout the year. Here you’ll find information about the hiring procedures for those interested in learning how to become a Richmond County sheriff’s deputy:

1. Requirements
2. Application
3. Review process
4. Employment offer and Academy training

Step 1. Requirements

The Richmond County Sheriff’s Department stipulates that a Deputy Sheriff must meet and comply with the following requirements:

• 21 years of age
• United States citizen
• Possess high school diploma or GED
• Completed at least one of the required college entrance exams, unless currently certified as a Peace Officer (PBLE).
• Free of convictions of any crime by any state or federal government or of having committed domestic violence

As an active candidate you must be prepared to:

• Be fingerprinted and undergo a background screening through local, state, and national records
• Submit to a medical examination by a licensed physician or surgeon
• Successfully complete sheriff department academy training

If you believe you meet standards to become a Richmond County Deputy Sheriff, download an application for employment. Applications must be submitted in person on Tuesday or Thursday from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. at the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office on Walton Way in Augusta.

Applications that are submitted via email, fax or mail will not be accepted. Along with your application, you must submit the following documents:

• Valid Georgia or South Carolina driver’s license
• Social Security card
• Official birth certificate
• Certified high school diploma or GED certificate
• If you were formerly in the military, a DD214 Member 4
• Printout of successful completion of one of the following college entrance exams: COMPASS, ASSET, SAT, ACT or CPE.

If you have questions, contact Libby Hackney, phone: 706-821-1095 or email lhackney@augustaga.gov.

Step 3. Review Process

Each application is carefully reviewed, and due to the high volume received, you should expect to be patient. You will be notified if you do not meet preliminary qualifications. An initial background check of criminal history and driving record will be conducted for promising candidates. If no irregularities are uncovered, you will be notified of the time and place for an oral interview with the Richmond County Applicant Screening Board.

Further screening will include a polygraph examination and a background investigation conducted by the Richmond County Internal Affairs Division.

Step 4. Employment Offer and Academy Training

If you successfully complete the screening process, you will be offered a job as a Deputy Sheriff with the Richmond County Sheriff Office. Then, you will be scheduled for a physical examination and a drug screen.

Your training will include:

• You will enroll and attend mandatory ten-week training required of Georgia Peace Officers. The majority of candidates attend training in Blythe, Georgia at the CSRA Police Academy.
• After successfully completing this training, you will attend three weeks of additional training at the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office Training Center (RCSOTC).
• For 12 weeks, you will work under the supervision of a certified Field Training Officer

The probationary period for a new Richmond County Deputy Sheriff is 12 months.

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