How to Become a Deputy Sheriff in Kentucky

FIND SCHOOLS
Sponsored Content


Fayette County Sheriff Department Jobs

Learning how to become a Fayette County Sheriff Deputy will make you a more organized and prepared candidate, increasing your odds for a successful application. This process follows a series of steps, which are:

  1. Application and Minimum Qualifications
  2. Physical Agility Test
  3. Interview and Background Check
  4. Polygraph Test
  5. Medical and Psychological Exams
  6. Training Academy

Step 1: Applying and Minimum Qualifications

Before you fill out an application check to see if you are eligible and meet the minimum qualifications for Fayette County deputy sheriff jobs:

  • 21 years or older
  • High school diploma or GED
  • Valid driver’s license
  • Have an upstanding driving, financial, and personal record
  • No felony or domestic violence convictions
  • Have not been fired from employment in the past year
  • Can operate and possess a firearm
  • Have not used illegal drugs or abused prescription drugs in the past two years
  • Willing and physically capable to work all shifts
  • Ability to complete a training academy

Make sure you have filled out the application completely and legibly, signing and dating all appropriate forms. You can either mail or personally deliver your completed application to the Fayette County human resources office in Lexington. Your application will be kept on file 12 months. Do not forget to include copies of the following:

  • Birth certificate
  • Driver’s license
  • High school diploma or GED
  • Other higher education transcripts or diplomas
  • Military discharge papers (DD-214), if applicable

Step 2: Physical Agility Test

When have been selected to continue the application process your next step will be to complete a physical agility test. This is to see if you have the basic physical abilities for Fayette County sheriff’s department jobs. This test is similar to one you will have to complete later on in the training academy. You will be scored on a points system based on the following categories, with the ideal performance requirements provided:

  • Bench press: Greater than 73% of your body weight
  • Sit-ups: More than 18
  • Push-ups: More than 25
  • 300-meter run: Faster than 65 seconds
  • 1.5-mile run: Faster than 16.25 minutes

Step 3: Interview and Background Check

Once you have demonstrated you have the physical stamina for sheriff deputy jobs in Fayette County, you will have an interview and receive an orientation and general summary about what the sheriff’s department is looking for in new recruits. You will be asked questions about your motivations for becoming a sheriff deputy and you will have the opportunity to ask questions of your own.

You will also be scheduled for a background investigation. This is an extensive process where an investigator will interview people who know you or have observed you regularly. You will be interviewed and asked a series of questions that may relate to:

  • Previous criminal activity for which you have never been caught or convicted
  • Previous illegal drug use or prescription drug abuse
  • Your driving history, financial record, and personal relationships
  • Instances of dishonesty in your employment and personal history

Step 4: Polygraph Test

You may additionally be required to complete a polygraph examination based on the results of your background investigation. Questions will be similar to those of your background investigation, and may also include new subject areas. Keep in mind that it is always best to be truthful and include all relevant information in your answers. If you are found to have willingly misrepresented, omitted, or lied about anything in your background investigation or polygraph test it can be grounds for instant dismissal.

Step 5: Medical and Psychological Exams

You will be required to undergo an extensive medical exam that includes lab work, a medical physical, vision, and hearing tests. You will also have a psychological exam to ensure you are able to deal with the mental stress and pressure in a job as Fayette County deputy sheriff. These exams are to confirm you are in good shape both physically and mentally, and have no pre-existing conditions that could be detrimental in the future. At this point you will be given a conditional offer of employment contingent upon successful completion of the training academy.

Step 6: Training Academy

The Fayette County training academy is certified under the Kentucky Peace Officer Professional Standards (POPS) and administered by the Department of Criminal Justice Training. Your academy training will comprise at least 768 hours of instruction throughout the course of 18 weeks. Your meals and lodging will be provided on-location, and you will be permitted to leave the training academy on weekends. Training will be provided in all the basic subject areas pertinent to your job as a Fayette County sheriff deputy, and include the fields of:

  • Driving techniques and vehicle operations
  • Law patrol
  • Legal procedures
  • Self-defense
  • Spanish language instruction
  • Collision investigation
  • Firearms
  • Criminal investigations
  • DUI patrols
  • CPR and first aid

When you graduate from the academy you will be fully certified and ready to begin your new career. Depending on your previous experience you may be placed with a training officer who will work with you during your first weeks of patrol duty.

Jefferson County Sheriff Department Jobs

Researching how to become a Jefferson County sheriff deputy will help you to be a stronger, more organized candidate. The application involves a series of tests and assessments which follows a step by step process:

  1. Complete an application
  2. Physical agility test
  3. Background investigation
  4. Psychological assessment
  5. Polygraph test
  6. Medical exam and drug test
  7. Final interview
  8. Training academy
FIND SCHOOLS
Sponsored Content

Step 1: Complete an Application

Your first order of business is to apply, making sure you meet the minimum qualifications for Jefferson County deputy sheriff jobs. These are:

  • At least 21 years of age or older
  • Be able to carry a firearm
  • U.S. citizen and a copy of your birth certificate submitted with your application
  • High school and college diploma (as applicable) submitted with application
  • Honorable discharge from the military and include DD-214 with application, if applicable
  • Valid driver’s license, including a copy submitted with your application
  • Able to obtain a Kentucky driver’s license upon hire
  • No felony convictions, misdemeanors reviewed case by case
  • No use of illegal controlled substances in the past six years, or three years for marijuana
  • You must reside within or near Jefferson County 90 days after being hired.

You must sign all forms included in the application and fill out every section completely and legibly. If you do not do this your application will be immediately disqualified. You can print the application form online, or pick one up at the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office in Louisville. You must arrange for the completed application to be delivered to the sheriff’s office or send it by mail. Faxed or emailed applications are not accepted. If your application is successful you will be scheduled for a physical agility test.

Step 2: Physical Agility Test

Jefferson County sheriff’s department jobs require prospective deputies to be in good physical shape. If you have a high body mass index or fat-to-muscle ratio you should begin training now. The physical ability test is scored on a points system according to the following rubric:

  • Bench press: 9 points for 55.3% of your body weight, 11 points for greater than 73%
  • Sit-ups: 9 points for 13, 11 points for more than 18
  • 300 meter run: 9 points for 68 seconds, 11 points for less than 65 seconds
  • Push-ups: 9 points for 14, 11 points for more than 25
  • 1.5 mile run: 9 points for completion in 17.93 minutes, 11 points for less than 16.25 minutes

Step 3: Background Investigation

Sheriff deputy jobs in Jefferson County require you to complete a background investigation upon successful completion of the physical agility test. This may follow up on information you provided in your initial application, or may cover topics such as your financial history, personal relationships, and past illegal activities in which you have participated. Your investigator may talk with your previous employers, neighbors, or check into your driving record. You will also have your fingerprints taken to compare with a national registry.

Step 4: Psychological Assessment

On average this will take about 3.5 hours to complete and will check your resilience to stress and pressure. Deputy sheriff candidates must be in good mental condition to deal with the stresses that come with such a job.

Step 5: Polygraph Test

Now you must complete a polygraph test that may ask about any areas of your personal history. Immediately prior to the beginning of the test your proctor will review a list of specific topic areas with you. These can include:

  • Any work performance that received a poor review
  • Any employee benefits you have received through deceit (sick leave, workers compensation)
  • Being paid under the table or being dishonest on a time sheet
  • Anything you have ever stolen from your employer
  • How often you have been late to your job
  • Any previous crimes you have committed for which you were never caught
  • Any illegal drug use in your past, including misuse of prescription medication
  • Making an inflated insurance claim
  • Ever having sexual relations with an animal

Although having done certain things in the past will disqualify you from employment, making any false statements or omitting important information will also disqualify you from employment. During your polygraph test and throughout your career as a Jefferson County deputy sheriff you should always be truthful.

Step 6: Medical Exam and Drug Test

Once you have reached step six your application process with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department is nearly complete. First however you will have to undergo a comprehensive medical exam that includes:

  • Lab work
  • Medical history review
  • EKG
  • X-rays
  • Vision and hearing test
  • Physical examination
  • Drug test which may be administered during or after your other medical tests

Step 7: Sheriff’s Interview

Now you will have your final interview with the sheriff and other department officials. You will get a chance to ask any questions you might have before you are scheduled to begin your training academy.

Step 8: Kentucky Law Enforcement Council Peace Officer Professional Standards (POPS)

Your academy training will last 18 weeks and consist of a minimum of 768 hours of instruction. You will live on-site at the academy and be allowed off-campus during the weekend. Upon graduation you may begin work in your new job as a Jefferson County sheriff deputy. You will cover all the basics you will need to know in your career, including:

  • Spanish language instruction
  • Homeland security
  • Collisions investigation
  • Patrol techniques
  • Legal procedures
  • Driving and maneuvers
  • Defensive tactics
  • Firearms training
  • First aid and CPR

Kenton County Sheriff Department Jobs

Kenton County, Kentucky deputy sheriff jobs are competitive. Determining how to become a Kenton County sheriff’s deputy in advance will make you a more organized candidate who can start preparing ahead of time. The application process proceeds along the following steps:

  1. Application and Basic Requirements
  2. Physical Agility Test
  3. Background Investigation
  4. Polygraph Examination
  5. Medical Exam and Psychological Evaluation
  6. Training Academy
FIND SCHOOLS
Sponsored Content

Step1. Application and Basic Requirements

All too often applications for Kenton County sheriff’s department jobs are not even considered because they are filled out incompletely or illegibly. While making sure to avoid this pitfall, it is also wise to confirm you meet the basic minimum qualifications for sheriff deputy jobs in Kenton County, which are:

  • Be at least 21 years old
  • U.S. citizen
  • Have no felony or domestic violence convictions
  • Have a mostly clean history in your criminal, financial, and driving records
  • Valid driver’s license
  • High school diploma or GED
  • Honorable discharge from the military, if applicable

Step 2. Physical Agility Test

Once your application has been selected by the Kenton County sheriff’s department you will be required to take a physical agility test that meets the qualifications set by the Kentucky Peace Officer Professional Standards. These are the same requirements you will be need to meet in your training academy’s timed physical agility test, listed here with the ideal accomplishment goals:

  • More than 18 sit-ups
  • More than 25 push-ups
  • Bench press more than 73% of your body weight
  • Run 300 meters in less than 65 seconds
  • Run 1.5 miles in less than 16.25 minutes

Step 3. Background Investigation

Upon completion of your physical agility test you will have a short interview to go over the basic operations and structure of jobs with the Kenton County sheriff’s department. You will have the opportunity to ask any questions you might have about the rest of the application process. After your orientation you will begin the process of your background investigation.

Your background check will be conducted by an investigator who examines your past employment, financial, and driving records. The investigator will talk with your personal references, family members, past employers, and neighbors to determine the quality of your character, your attributes, and faults.

Step 4. Polygraph Examination

After your background investigation you may be required to take a polygraph test that examines issues raised during the investigation, or altogether new topics. You are required to tell the full and complete truth, without intentionally omitting or embellishing any facts. Honesty and trustworthiness are two of the most important qualities in jobs as Kenton County sheriff deputies, and if you are found to have misrepresented the truth you can be subject to dismissal. Subject areas of the polygraph examination may include:

  • Delinquent taxes
  • Previous use, sale, or purchase of illegal drugs or abuse of prescription drugs
  • Frequency and amount of consumption of alcoholic beverages
  • Any previous reckless behavior, including fist-fights
  • Any instances when you were held or detained by law enforcement authorities
  • All social media websites on which you are registered

Step 5. Medical Exam and Psychological Evaluation

Once you have successfully completed your polygraph examination you will be required to undergo a series of medial exams and a psychological evaluation. Your medical exams will check for any previously undetected medical problems and involve lab work, an EKG, urinalysis, as well as a vision and hearing test. The psychological examination will measure your resilience to stress and mental pressure to determine if you are capable of handling these as a deputy sheriff. Once you have received a clean bill of mental and physical health you will be cleared to proceed with your final step at the training academy.

Step 6. Training Academy

Before you begin at the academy you will receive a conditional offer of employment from the Kenton County sheriff’s department, requisite on the successful completion of the training academy. The academy is certified under the Kentucky Peace Officer Professional Standards, and will include training in all the necessary basic skills you will need in your new jobs as a Kenton County sheriff deputy. The academy lasts a total of 18 weeks and will provide you with meals and lodging throughout its course, allowing you leave during the weekends. Subject areas covered include:

  • Legal procedures
  • Collision investigation
  • Vehicle operations and maneuvers
  • Criminal investigations
  • Self-defense and tactics
  • Spanish language instruction
  • Homeland Security topics
  • Firearms training
  • CPR and first aid

When you graduate from the training academy you will be ready to start work. Depending on your previous experience you may be paired with a training officer who will help you get accustomed to the rules and procedures involved with Kenton County deputy sheriff jobs.

Back to Top

Privacy Policy
©2024 https://www.lawenforcementedu.net All Rights Reserved.