Guilford County Sheriff Department: Qualifications for Jobs
The Guilford County Sheriff’s Office has three districts, in the Eastern, Northwest and Southwest areas of Guilford County, North Carolina. Guilford County Deputy Sheriff jobs may be available in any of these districts or divisions. Other Guilford County Sheriff Department jobs may be found in divisions such as courtroom services, legal processes, special operations and transportation.
Would you like to become a Guilford County Sheriff Deputy? Follow these steps, which are explained in detail below:
- Check to make sure that you meet the basic prerequisites
- Pass a physical fitness test, written test and interview
- Pass a comprehensive background investigation
- Pass medical, psychological and drug screening
- Complete Guilford County Deputy Sheriff training
Step 1. Meet the Basic Prerequisites for Guilford County Deputy Sheriff Candidacy
You need not possess a college degree in order to become a Guilford County Deputy Sheriff. You must possess, however:
- U.S. citizenship
- 21 years of age at the time of application
- Residency in Guilford County or a surrounding county (including Forsyth, Stokes, Davidson, Randolph, Alamance and Rockingham counties)- if not, must become a resident within the first 90 days of employment
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Valid North Carolina driver’s license
- No felony convictions
- No serious misdemeanor convictions
Additional prerequisites that you may meet that will increase your salary as a Deputy Sheriff include:
- Spanish fluency – five percent increase
- Prior military service – one percent increase yearly for ten years
- Prior law enforcement experience – one percent increase yearly for ten years
- Associate’s degree – five percent increase
- Bachelor’s degree – ten percent increase
If you meet these prerequisites, apply online for Guilford County Deputy Sheriff candidacy. You must also print and complete the Supplemental Information Questionnaire as required. This includes:
- Authorization for Release of Personal Information to Law Enforcement Agencies for Certification/Employment Purposes (signed and notarized)
- Applicant questionnaire
- Certified copy of a check of your criminal history record from the county where you have lived for the past six months
Mail this information to Guilford County Human Resources Department, P.O. Box 3427, Greensboro, NC 27402.
The Human Resources Department of the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office will review your application. A criminal record check, credit check and driving check will be performed. If you meet the criteria, you will be mailed information on how to proceed in the hiring process. If you are not chosen for employment at this time, you may re-apply one year after your date of non-selection.
Step 2. Pass a Physical Fitness Test, Written Test and Interview
Next, you must pass a physical fitness test. This test is designed to make sure that you are physically able to perform the duties of a Deputy Sheriff in Guilford County, at an expected pace and level of performance. Your weight must be proportionate to your height, according to the chart provided to you in the supplemental information with your job application.
If you pass the physical fitness exam, you may be selected to take a written exam and participate in an oral interview. Passing these tests will garner you a conditional offer of employment, based upon the results of the next steps in the hiring process.
Step 3. Pass a Comprehensive Background Investigation
Before a firm offer of employment is given to you by the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office, a thorough background check will be performed. This will include a look into the following records: credit, criminal, driving, court, police, military, previous and current employers, education, and personal. You will also be fingerprinted and photographed at this time.
Step 4. Pass a Medical Exam, Psychological Exam and Drug Screening Test
You will next participate in a medical examination, psychological examination and drug screening test. If your drug test comes back positive, you will be denied employment with the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office. You must provide documentation of drug rehabilitation in order to be considered for future employment opportunities with the Sheriff’s Office.
Your visual and hearing acuity will be tested during the medical examination.
The Guilford County Sheriff’s Office will issue you a final offer of employment if you pass all of these evaluations and examinations.
Step 5. Attend Guilford County Deputy Sheriff Training
Congratulations! You are now a Guilford County Deputy Sheriff! You must complete Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) before you can begin your job duties.
As of 2020, the median annual salary for law enforcement officers in the city of Greensboro, Guilford County’s largest city, was $39,330.*
Mecklenburg County Sheriff Department: Qualifications for Jobs
The application process to become a Deputy Sheriff in Mecklenburg County may take up to six weeks to complete. If you are interested in Mecklenburg County Deputy Sheriff jobs, the time to apply is now. Mecklenburg County Deputy Sheriffs have arrest power and are assigned to civil process sections of the county.
This guide provides instructions on how to become a Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Deputy in five steps:
- Verify that you possess the necessary credentials
- Pass a physical fitness assessment
- Complete online personal history questionnaire and interview
- Pass medical, psychological, drug and background testing
- Attend the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office Training Academy
Step 1. Possess the Necessary Credentials for Mecklenburg County Deputy Sheriff Candidature
You must first possess a few basic credentials before applying for Mecklenburg County Deputy Sheriff candidature. They are:
- Age 21 or older
- Have a high school diploma or GED certificate
- Have a current, valid driver’s license with no more than four license suspensions during your lifetime
- Have no DWI convictions in the past five years and no more than one DWI conviction in your lifetime
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Have no felony convictions
- Have no Class B Misdemeanor convictions within the past five years
- Have no Class A Misdemeanor convictions within the past three years and no more than two in your lifetime
After verifying that you meet these qualifications, apply online for Deputy Sheriff jobs in Mecklenburg County.
Step 2. Pass a Physical Fitness Assessment
Your online application will be screened, and if you are selected, you may be contacted to schedule a Physical Fitness Assessment. First, you must have your doctor certify on a Medical Release Form that you are fit enough to take this test without posing any medical danger to yourself. Once the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office has received your completed release, you will be notified of the date and time of your test.
You must pass minimum physical fitness standards in this pass/fail test. They include:
- Complete a 300 meter run in 92 seconds
- Complete a 1.5 mile run in 20 minutes and 43 seconds
- Complete 25 sit-ups in 60 seconds
- Complete 14 push-ups in 60 seconds
If you fail the physical fitness assessment, you may re-take the test up to two more times. If you fail on the third try, you will be disqualified from proceeding in the application process for six weeks.
Step 3. Complete an Online Personal History Questionnaire and Initial Interview
If you pass the physical fitness assessment, you will next be asked to complete an online personal history statement. This will ask you about past and current drug usage, as well as your employment, educational and personal history. You must answer all questions fully and truthfully. Documents that you need to submit include:
- Current credit report copy
- Birth certificate
- Driver’s license
- DMV record from every state in which you have held a driver’s license
- Copy of high school diploma or transcript or GED certificate with scores
- Criminal records checks from every county in which you have lived since age 18
- Marriage certificates and/or divorce decrees, if these apply
- Copy of social security card
- Current, color, passport-sized photo of yourself
- Naturalization certificate, if applies
- DD-214 copy, if applies
You may be selected for an initial interview with the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office. At this time, you will be informed of the career path available for Deputy Sheriffs in the county.
Step 4. Pass Background, Medical, Psychological and Drug Testing
If you succeed at Step 3, the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office will conduct a thorough background investigation on you, using the documentation that you have just provided. Checks will be made with former and current employers, the community in which you live, and on your current and past credit history.
You will then undergo psychological and medical testing. Your weight must be proportionate to your body frame and height. Your vision must be correctable to 20/20, and you may not be color blind. You must be found to have no physical or psychological impairments that would obstruct your abilities to perform the duties of a Mecklenburg County Deputy Sheriff. A drug screening will also be conducted at this time.
If you pass all of these tests, you will be offered a position as a Mecklenburg County Deputy Sheriff Cadet.
Step 5. Attend Mecklenburg County Deputy Sheriff Training
Congratulations! You have passed all of the necessary tests and are a Mecklenburg County Deputy Sheriff Cadet! Next, you must complete Mecklenburg County Deputy Sheriff Training. This paid training consists of 80 hours of classes every two weeks and is held at the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office Training Academy. You must become BLET (Basic Law Enforcement Training)- certified under North Carolina sheriff training standards before you can work as a Deputy Sheriff in Mecklenburg County.
As of 2020, the median salary for law enforcement officers in the city of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County’s biggest metro, was $51,920.*
Wake County Sheriff Department: Qualifications for Jobs
The Wake County Sheriff Department in North Carolina is the agency responsible for enforcing the law in unincorporated areas of Wake County. Wake County Deputy Sheriff jobs may be found in any of the Sheriff Department’s divisions, such as criminal investigations, administration, judicial services, patrol, detention, special operations, internal affairs, and management.
Read on to discover how to become a Wake County Sheriff Deputy, following these guidelines:
- Check to make sure you fulfill the essential requirements
- Pass a physical fitness test and reading test
- Pass a complete background investigation
- Pass medical and drug screening tests
- Attend Wake County Deputy Sheriff Training
Step 1. Fulfill the Essential Requirements to Become a Wake County Deputy Sheriff
There are a few basic requirements that you must fulfill before even considering submitting an application to become a Wake County Sheriff Deputy. They include:
- Possession of U.S. citizenship
- Attaining 21 years of age
- Having a high school diploma or GED
- Not having any felony convictions on record
- Not having any serious misdemeanor charges or convictions on record
Do you meet these fundamental qualifications? If so, apply online for Wake County Sheriff Deputy candidacy.
Step 2. Pass a Physical Fitness Test and a Reading Test
After submitting your application, you may be contacted to take a reading test and physical fitness test. The reading test challenges your:
- Vocabulary (in a 17 minute timed test)
- Comprehension (in a 37 minute timed test)
- Graded reading locator (in a 17 minute timed test)
The physical fitness assessment will require that you complete:
- A one-minute push-up test
- A one-minute sit-up test
- A 1.5 mile run
- A vertical leap test
You will be notified of your scores for both tests on the day(s) in which you take them. If you pass, you may be given a tentative offer of employment, contingent upon your success in the next steps.
Step 3. Pass a Complete Background Investigation
A thorough background investigation will be performed on all tentative Deputy Sheriff candidates. It will examine your credit, criminal, driving, and civil history. Interviews will be conducted with your neighbors, employers, and references.
At this time, you must obtain a certified county criminal history record check for each county in which you have lived during the past decade, as well as for the county from which you graduated high school.
Step 4. Pass a Medical Examination and Drug Screening Test
If you pass the background investigation, you must then pass a thorough medical examination. This will test your physical ability to perform basic job duties, including your vision and hearing. You must also pass a drug screening test. If you succeed at these tests, you will be given a firm offer to become employed as a Wake County Deputy Sheriff.
Step 5. Attend Wake County Deputy Sheriff Training
Congratulations! You are now a Wake County Deputy Sheriff! You will be considered to be on probation for the first year of your employment. The first duty you must fulfill is to complete Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) of the North Carolina Sheriffs Education & Training Standards. You will complete BLET at the Training and Staff Development Office of the Wake County Sheriff Department, at 2300 Law Enforcement Drive, Raleigh, NC 27610.
As a Deputy Sheriff in Wake County, each year, you must complete an annual in-service law enforcement training of 24 credits.
In 2020, the median salary for law enforcement professionals in Raleigh, the largest city in Wake County was $51,150.*
*2020 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers reflect state data not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed December 2021.