How to Become a Deputy Sheriff in Illinois

Cook County Sheriff Department Jobs

The Cook County Sheriff’s Police Department is responsible for providing law enforcement services throughout Cook County’s unincorporated areas to serve and protect the area’s 109,000 residents.

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This guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to become a Cook County Sheriff Deputy and achieve Cook County Sheriff Jobs:

  1. Meet minimum requirements for Cook County Deputy Sheriff Jobs
  2. Submit an application for employment
  3. Take the written exam and physical ability test
  4. Undergo background investigation and oral interview
  5. Achieve state certification through the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board

Step 1. Meet Minimum Requirements for Cook County Deputy Sheriff Jobs

Before applying for Cook County Sheriff Jobs you must first determine if you meet all minimum employment requirements as set forth by the Sheriff’s Merit Board. In particular, you must:

  • Be between 21 and 39 years old
  • Be a United States citizen
  • Possess a high school diploma or GED at minimum
  • Possess a valid driver’s license
  • Possess a minimum of 60 credits from an accredited college or university

You may NOT qualify for Cook County Sheriff Jobs if you have:

  • Been charged with or committed a felony
  • Committed any employment-related crimes
  • Purchased or used illegal drugs
  • Extensive debt or extreme financial negligence

Step 2. Submit an Application for Employment

Once you have determined you meet all minimum requirements for employment you can complete and submit a Cook County Sheriff’s Officer Application for Cook County Sheriff Department jobs.

Return the application, along with a filing fee of $25 (payable by money order or certified check to Cook County Collector) to:

Sheriff’s Merit Board
69 West Washington, Suite 1100
Chicago, Illinois 60602

You can also drop off the application and filing fee in person Monday through Friday, 8:00AM to 4:00PM.

Step 3. Take the Written Exam and Physical Ability Test

All candidates who meet minimum requirements for employment will be contacted to take the written exam.

All candidates who pass the written examination are notified by mail. Along with notification of a passing exam, you will receive a date on which you will take the Physical Ability test. The Physical Ability test, which was developed and certified by Eastern Illinois University, is conducted under the direction of the Sheriff’s Physical Training Unit.

The Physical Ability test includes four exercises:

  • Queens College Step Test
  • Hand Grip Strength Test
  • LSU Agility Test
  • Pushup Test

Step 4. Undergo Background Investigation and Oral Interview

Only those candidates who have successfully passed both the written exam and the Physical Ability test are invited to undergo an oral interview with the Board and undergo a background investigation by the Cook County Sheriff’s Department of Personnel. All candidates are then placed on an eligibility list for employment.

Step 5. Achieve State Certification Through the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board

All police officers in the State of Illinois must possess an Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board certification. The Cook County Sheriff’s Police Department will submit an application upon your hire. You will then complete basic police recruit academy training through the Cook County Sheriff’s Department Training Institute to receive state certification.

DuPage County Sheriff Department Jobs

The DuPage County Sheriff Department serves as the chief law enforcement for all unincorporated areas of DuPage County, which includes about 104,000 residents. DuPage County is divided into nine townships, with the Patrol Division of the DuPage County Sheriff’s Department responsible for responding to all primary calls within those townships. In addition, the DuPage County Sheriff Department is responsible for providing assistance to the municipal jurisdictions within the townships.

If you’re interested in available DuPage County Deputy Sheriff’s jobs and want to learn how to become a DuPage County Sheriff ‘s Deputy you must meet all minimum requirements and complete the hiring process as described below:

  1. Meet all minimum requirements for DuPage County Deputy Sheriff Jobs
  2. Submit an application for employment
  3. Register to take the Deputy Sheriff exam
  4. Be placed on the eligibility list
  5. Complete screenings and testing as required by the Merit Commission
  6. Achieve State Certification

Step 1. Verify you Meet Requirements for DuPage County Deputy Sheriff Jobs

Before you apply for employment with the DuPage County Sheriff’s Department you must first determine you meet all minimum requirements for employment as set forth by the Sheriff’s Merit Commission. In particular, if you want to pursue DuPage County Deputy Sheriff Jobs, you must:

  • Be at least 21 when applying for a job
  • Be a United States citizen
  • Be a resident of Illinois
  • Be a resident within the County within one year of being appointed
  • Possess a valid Illinois driver’s license
  • Have no domestic violence criminal convictions
  • Have no dishonorable discharge from the U.S. military
  • Possess an associate’s degree or higher OR have completed at least 60 semester hours at an accredited university, college or junior college OR have United States military service OR served for at least 4 years as a full-time peace officer with a U.S. police department or sheriff’s office
  • Possess a high school diploma or GED

Step 2. Submit an Application for Employment

Employment applications for DuPage County Sheriff Department are not available on the DuPage County Sheriff Department’s website. Instead, if you want to apply for DuPage County Deputy Sheriff Jobs you must contact the Sheriff’s Merit Commission at 630-407-6252 or at [email protected] and ask about Deputy Sheriff’s positions.

You may also visit the Merit Commission Office in person (Monday through Friday, 8:00AM to 4:00PM).

Step 3. Register to Take the Deputy Sheriff Exam

During employment periods, the DuPage County Sheriff’s Department website will post application and employment information regarding DuPage County Deputy Sheriff Jobs. All candidates must register to take the exam and pay a $30 fee for registration.

During a typical open application period, the Department limits the number of qualified candidates who can take the exam (usually 250), so it is important to apply for employment as soon as a position is posted.

Preliminary registration during employment periods is also available at the Department’s administrative building in Wheaton.

All qualified candidates, upon registration, are scheduled to take the written examination, which is also held at the JTK Administration Building.

Step 4. Be Placed on the Eligibility List

All candidates who successfully pass the written exam and meet all minimum requirements are then placed on an eligibility list. Select candidates are then chosen to complete the pre-employment process.

Step 5. Complete Screenings and Testing as Required by the Merit Commission

Candidates who are chosen from the eligibility list are required by the Merit Commission to successfully complete: a personal interview, background investigation, and any other screenings deemed necessary by the Commission.

Step 6. Achieve State Certification

All police officers in the State of Illinois must possess an Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board certification.  You must receive your training through one of the Basic Law Enforcement Officers Training Academies in Illinois and become certified within one year of your date of hire with the DuPage County Sheriff’s Department.

Kane County Sheriff Department

The Kane County Deputy Sheriff ‘s Department (630-232-6840) is responsible for enforcing traffic; responding to calls from the County’s Communication Center; patrolling unincorporated areas within Kane County; serving court documents; and transporting prisoners to the County Correction Center.

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If you want to learn how to become Kane County Sheriff Deputy you must complete a set of required steps. This guide is designed to provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to become a Kane County Sheriff Deputy:

  1. Meet all minimum employment requirements
  2. Apply for employment
  3. Attend an orientation
  4. Complete a physical fitness test and the written test
  5. Undergo a background investigation, psychological examination, and polygraph examination
  6. Undergo a thorough medical examination
  7. Attend Basic Police Recruit Academy Training

Step 1. Meet Employment Requirements

Before applying for Kane County Deputy Sheriff Jobs you must first ensure you meet all minimum requirements for employment as set forth by the Kane County Sheriff’s Office Merit Commission. In particular, you must:

  • No less than 21 years old
  • Be a United States citizen
  • Possess a high school diploma or equivalent
  • Possess a valid driver’s license
  • Reside in Kane, Will, DeKalb, Kendall, DuPage, or McHenry Counties
  • Have 20/20 eyesight (corrected or uncorrected) and no color blindness

Step 2. Apply for Employment

All Sheriff Deputies in Kane County are under the jurisdiction of the Kane County Sheriff’s Office Merit Commission. Employment applications are not available on the Kane County Sheriff’s Department’s website. Instead, you must contact the Merit Commission at 630-232-3558 to request an application for Kane County Deputy Sheriff jobs.

You may also contact a Recruiter at [email protected] to receive more information about employment opportunities through Kane County Sheriff’s Department.

The Kane County Sheriff’s Department posts open application dates on its website. When accepting employment applications for Kane County Deputy Sheriff jobs, specific dates and times are also posted. Candidates may pick up employment applications at the Kane County Government Center in Geneva.

All applications for Kane County Sheriff Department Jobs must be accompanied with a $25 non-refundable application fee.

Step 3. Attend an Orientation

All qualified candidates are selected for an orientation before the pre-employment process begins. Physical fitness tests are scheduled during this time.

Step 4.  Complete the Physical Fitness and Written Tests

Only those candidates who successfully complete the physical fitness test are eligible to move on with the pre-employment process.

Only those candidates who pass the written test are invited to move on with the pre-employment process.

Step 5. Undergo a Background Investigation, Psychological Examination, and Polygraph Examination

Only those candidates who pass the background, psychological and polygraph examination will receive a conditional offer of employment.

Step 6. Undergo a Thorough Medical Examination

All candidates that receive a conditional offer of employment and pass the medical exam are placed on the eligibility list for Deputy Sheriff positions.

Step 7. Attend Basic Police Recruit Academy Training

All police officers in the State of Illinois must possess an Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board certification.

You must complete basic police recruit academy training through one of the Basic Law Enforcement Officers Training Academies in Illinois and become certified within one year of your date of hire.

Lake County Sheriff Department Jobs

The Lake County Deputy Sheriff’s Office (847-337-4000) is responsible for providing first responder police services, investigating criminal activity, and maintaining order to the more than 125,000 residents living in the unincorporated areas of Lake County and the 35,000 residents of municipalities that do not have their own dedicated police departments.

The Lake County Deputy Sheriff’s Office’s Operations Branch includes: the Highway Patrol; Criminal Investigations; Evidence/Photography Lab; 911 Communications; Major Crimes Task Force; the Marine Unit; and Emergency Management.

If you want to learn how to become a Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy so as to be eligible for Lake County Sheriff Department jobs, follow this step-by-step guide:

  1. Meet all minimum employment requirements
  2. Submit an employment application
  3. Take the written test
  4. Take the Physical Agility test
  5. Successfully complete all remaining testing
  6. Receive a conditional offer of employment and pass physical examination
  7. Become state certified

Step 1. Meet all Minimum Employment Requirements

Before you apply for Lake County Deputy Sheriff jobs you must ensure you meet the minimum requirements for employment as set forth by the Lake County Sheriff Merit Commission. In particular, you must:

  • Be at least 21 years of age
  • Be a United States citizen
  • Have at least 60 hours of college credit or an associate’s degree OR have served at least two years of active duty and honorable discharge from the U.S. military
  • Possess a valid driver’s license

Step 2. Submit an Employment Application

Download and complete a Lake County Sheriff’s Office Merit Commission application. The Merit Commission contacts all eligible candidates at the time of the next application process. If you want to transfer to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, you must complete the Deputy Sheriff Transfer application.

Copies of your college transcripts (when applicable) must accompany your completed application. All applications must be sent to:

Lake County Sheriff’s Office Merit Commission
20 South County Street, 2nd floor
Waukegan, IL 60085-5534

You may also contact the Merit Commission at 847-377-2459 with any questions.

Step 3. Take the Written Test

All candidates contacted by the Merit Commission are required to pass a written test given by the Merit Commission. Only those individuals who pass the written test are allowed to take the Physical Agility test.

*The written test may be waived for certified officers or for those with at least two years of experience.

Step 4. Take the Physical Agility Test

Candidates who pass the Physical Agility test are asked to sit for an oral interview.

*The physical agility test may be waived for certified officers or for those with at least two years of experience.

Step 5. Successfully Complete all Remaining Testing

Candidates who successfully complete the Physical Agility Test are then eligible to complete all remaining testing, which includes a background investigation, a polygraph examination, a psychological examination, and an oral interview.

Step 6. Receive a Conditional Offer of Employment and Pass Physical Examination

Upon successfully completing all remaining testing by the Merit Office you may receive a conditional offer of employment, at which time you must undergo a thorough physical examination.

Step 7. Become State Certified

Upon being chosen for a Deputy Sheriff position with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office you must earn an Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board certification (or reciprocation certification if you are currently certified as an officer in another state).

You’ll then need to successfully complete training through one of the Basic Law Enforcement Officers Training Academies in Illinois within a year of being hired.

Will County Sheriff Department Jobs

The Will County Sheriff’s Office (815-727-8575) is responsible for providing law enforcement services to the unincorporated areas of Will County, one of the fastest growing counties in not only Illinois, but the nation, as well. The Will County Sheriff’s Office provides enforcement/patrol services to the county and has a newly expanded detention facility that is capable of holding 1,000 inmates.

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This guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to become a Will County Sheriff Deputy:

  1. Verify you meet all employment criteria
  2. Submit an application for employment
  3. Written Exam
  4. Physical Agility test
  5. Meet with an investigator
  6. Undergo a personality evaluation
  7. Undergo a polygraph examination
  8. Undergo a background check, oral interview and medical exam
  9. Complete basic academy training for state certification

Step 1. Meet Requirements for Will County Sheriff Department Jobs

Before you apply for employment with the Will County Sheriff’s Office you should first determine if you meet all minimum requirements for employment, which include:

  • You must be a U.S. citizen.
  • You must be at least 21 years old.
  • You must have a valid driver’s license.
  • You must possess an associate’s degree or a minimum of 60 semester hours from a college or university that has received regional accreditation.
  • You must have no felony convictions (or certain misdemeanor convictions).
  • You must be a Will County Resident or become one within two years of being hired.

Step 2. Submit an Application for Employment

You can download, print and complete an Application for Position of Deputy Sheriff and return it, along with a $25 non-refundable processing fee.

Step 3. Take the Written Test

Candidates who meet the minimum requirements for eligibility for Will County Deputy Sheriff jobs are contacted (at times of employment) to take the written test. The written test is designed to assess a candidate’s:

  • Basic math skills
  • Reading comprehension skills
  • Basic grammar skills
  • Incident report writing skills

Candidates must receive a grade of at least 70 percent to continue with the testing process.

Step 4. Take the Physical Agility Test

Candidates for Will County Sheriff Department jobs who complete the written test are then scheduled to complete a Physical Agility test, which includes speed and distance running; climbing over obstacles; lifting; and arresting resisting individuals.

You should wear long sweat pants and athletic shoes on the date of the examination.

Step 5. Meet with an Investigator

Upon the successful completion the Physical Agility test candidates are given a 32-page application, along with an appointment time to meet with an investigator. You must complete the application, have it notarized, and bring it to the appointment with the investigator. At this time you will also be photographed, fingerprinted, and required to fill out additional information sheets.

You will also be required to turn in copies of your birth certificate, Social Security card, driver’s license, and DD214 military discharge paper (if applicable).

Step 6. Undergo a Personality Evaluation

Once you have successfully finished the interview with the investigator and have turned in all necessary paperwork and documentation you will be scheduled to complete a personality evaluation. The personality evaluation is a recommended/not recommended (pass/fail) evaluation, and all candidates must be recommended to continue the process.

Step 7. Undergo a Polygraph Examination

Upon successfully passing the personality evaluation you will be scheduled for a polygraph exam. You must pass the polygraph exam to continue the employment process.

Step 8. Undergo a Background Examination, Oral Interview and Medical Exam

You will be notified once the background examination is completed and then scheduled for an oral interview with the Merit Board. Candidates who pass the oral interview are placed on a two-year certified list of applicants.

The medical examination includes a drug screen, and all candidates must pass the medical examination to be hired by the Will County Sheriff’s Office.

Step 9. Complete Basic Academy Training for State Certification

As a law enforcement professional in Illinois, you’ll need to earn the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board certification (if you are a certified officer in another state, this would be a reciprocal certificate).

Completing training through one of the Basic Law Enforcement Officers Training Academies in Illinois within the first year of being hired is also a requirement.

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