How to Become a Deputy Sheriff in Oklahoma

Cleveland County Sheriff Department Jobs

Cleveland County Deputy Sheriff jobs may involve working in a variety of situations within the Cleveland County Sheriff Department as needed. Deputy Sheriffs in Cleveland County may work long hours and all shifts including weekends and holidays. Those wanting to know how to become a Cleveland County Sheriff Deputy must first understand that the process is long and time-consuming, as the job of Deputy Sheriff is not just a job but also a calling. Only the most dedicated and hard-working individuals will be chosen for Cleveland County Deputy Sheriff jobs.

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The steps below describe how to become a Cleveland County Sheriff’s Deputy:

  1. Confirm that you meet the basic qualifications
  2. Pass a written examination
  3. Pass a background check and polygraph test
  4. Pass medical and drug screening
  5. Attend Basic Peace Officer Certification Training

Step 1.  Meet the Basic Qualifications for Cleveland County Deputy Sheriff Candidacy

There are certain qualifications you must meet before applying for Cleveland County Deputy Sheriff Candidacy. They include:

  • Age 21 or older
  • U.S. citizen
  • High school diploma or GED
  • Valid Oklahoma driver’s license and insurable driving record
  • No felony convictions
  • No history of domestic violence
  • Willing to work all hours, days and shifts needed

If you feel that you qualify, submit an Application for Employment and Personal History Statement to Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office, 128 South Peters, Norman, OK 73069. Along with these documents, submit:

  • Copy of your driver’s license
  • Copy of your social security card
  • Copy of your high school diploma/GED certificate
  • Copy of your birth certificate
  • Any official college transcripts you may have
  • Any CLEET certification records you may have
  • Any military records you may have
  • Any court records applicable to you

Step 2. Pass a Written Examination

Your application and personal history statement will be reviewed, and you may be contacted to take a written examination. This will test your abilities in basic math, reading, writing and comprehension. If you pass the test, your name will be placed on a list of eligible applicants for Deputy Sheriff positions in Cleveland County. This does not mean that you will necessarily be contacted to complete the next phase of the application process.

Step 3. Pass a Background Investigation and Polygraph Test

If you are contacted to continue the process after the written exam, you will undergo a thorough background investigation. This investigation will delve into every facet of your history. Any felony or serious misdemeanor convictions will disqualify you from continuing with the rest of the hiring process.

You will also be asked to take and pass a polygraph test. If you successfully complete these steps, you will be given a tentative job offer, contingent on the results of Step 4 below.

Step 4. Pass a Medical Exam and Drug Screening Test

You will undergo a thorough medical examination. At this time, your height to weight ratio will be investigated, as will your physical ability to carry out the duties of a Deputy Sheriff in Cleveland County. Your vision and hearing will also be screened. You will need to take a drug test as well, and disclose any prescription or non-prescription legal and/or illegal drugs that you have been taking.

Step 5. Attend Cleveland County Deputy Sheriff Training

Congratulations! You are now a Cleveland County Deputy Sheriff in training! You must next attend the Basic Peace Officer Certification Academy in Ada to begin your training process. Functional areas in which you will be trained during the 15 weeks of rigorous academic and physical training and testing include:

  • Firearms
  • First aid
  • Legal matters
  • Custody control and arrest
  • Radar
  • Ethics
  • DWI Detection and Standard Field Sobriety Testing
  • Criminal investigation
  • Patrol
  • Traffic
  • Community relations
  • Law enforcement driver training

At the conclusion of this training, you will be placed into a division within the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office that needs Deputy Sheriffs. You are considered to be on probation for the first year of your employment.

Oklahoma County Sheriff Department Jobs

Oklahoma County Deputy Sheriff’s jobs involve protecting the public and upholding county, Maryland-state and federal laws. The application process to become an Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Deputy may take from six months to one year to complete successfully.

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This guide provides instructions on how to become an Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Deputy in five steps:

  1. Verify you fulfill the basic prerequisites
  2. Pass a written examination
  3. Pass a physical examination
  4. Pass a background investigation and psychological testing
  5. Complete Oklahoma County Deputy Sheriff Training

Step 1.  Meet the Basic Prerequisites for Oklahoma County Deputy Sheriff Candidacy

Oklahoma County does not require that its Deputy Sheriffs have a college degree, but possessing one, or even college credits, cannot hurt. The prerequisites that you must fulfill in order to become an Oklahoma County Sheriff Deputy include:

If you meet these prerequisites, submit an Application for Employment and completed, signed Authorization for Release of Information to the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office, 201 N. Shartel, Oklahoma City, OK 73102.

Step 2. Pass a Written Examination

The Human Resources Department of the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office will evaluate your application, and you may be contacted to take the Oklahoma POSSE (Peace Officer Screening and Selection Examination). This evaluation will assess your skills in reading, comprehension, writing and basic math. It takes 80 minutes to complete. The POSSE costs $25 to take and is a computer-based exam administered at technology centers across Oklahoma. You must get a score of 70 to pass the exam. If you pass, you may be asked to participate in the next phase of the hiring process.

If you fail the written examination, you may apply again within six months of the exam date.

Step 3. Pass a Physical Evaluation

The next step in the hiring process is to pass a Physical Assessment test. This test consists of:

  • Completing a 300 meter run in the shortest time possible
  • Completing a 1.5 mile run in the shortest time possible
  • Completing as many sit-ups as you can in one minute
  • Completing as many push-ups as you can in one minute

You must score 70 or better to pass this exam and move on to the next step in the application process for Deputy Sheriff.

Step 4. Pass a Background Investigation and Psychological Tests

If you make it to Step 4 in the hiring process, you will be subjected to a thorough background check performed by the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office. This will check your criminal, credit, personal, financial, employment, driving and educational history fully.

You must next pass a phase of psychological testing, including the MMPI (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory) and CPI (California Psychological Inventory) Psychological Exam. Passing these examinations will earn you an offer of employment as an Oklahoma County Sheriff Deputy.

Step 5. Attend Oklahoma County Deputy Sheriff Training

Congratulations! You have made it to the training phase in the Oklahoma County Deputy Sheriff hiring process.  You must now complete CLEET Basic Peace Officer Certification Training, held at the Basic Academy in Ada, Oklahoma. This para-military training will last 14 ½ weeks and will include classes in:

  • Firearms
  • Driving
  • Defensive tactics
  • Criminal investigation
  • Domestic violence, sexual assault
  • Patrol tactics
  • Computers

After you pass the CLEET training, you will be certified to work as a Basic Peace Officer in Oklahoma. You must re-qualify periodically to maintain certification.

Tulsa County Sheriff Department Jobs

Tulsa County Deputy Sheriff jobs may be located within various division of the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office. If you wish to become a Tulsa County Sheriff Deputy, you should know that the hiring process might take from three to six months to complete. Many Tulsa County Deputy Sheriff jobs start out in the Detention Division, but after working for a year or more, you may be eligible for other Tulsa County Sheriff’s Department jobs.

Follow these five steps to learn how to become a Tulsa County Sheriff’s Deputy:

  1. Confirm that you meet the fundamental requirements
  2. Pass a written examination and physical agility test
  3. Pass a background investigation and oral interview
  4. Pass medical, drug and psychological testing
  5. Complete Tulsa County Deputy Sheriff Training

Step 1.  Meet the Fundamental Requirements for Tulsa County Deputy Sheriff Candidacy

There are some fundamental requirements that you must first meet before applying to become a Tulsa County Deputy Sheriff. They are:

  • You must be at least 21 years old
  • You must be a U.S. citizen or legally authorized to work in the U.S.
  • You must have a high school diploma or GED
  • You must have completed at least 60 college credits
  • You must have a valid, current Oklahoma driver’s license and current, valid liability insurance
  • If you speak more than one language, you will receive preference over other candidates

Do you meet these qualifications? If so, complete the Professional Law Enforcement Employment Application and return it to Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, Human Resources, 303 West First, Tulsa, OK 74103. Make sure to attach a copy of your college transcript, social security card and driver’s license.

Step 2. Pass a Written Examination and Physical Agility Test

The Human Resources Division of the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office may review your application and decide to contact you to schedule a written examination for Deputy Sheriff. If you fail the written test, you may repeat the application process after three months. If you fail the written test for a second time, you must wait one year before starting the application process again. If you pass the written examination, you will be notified in writing and placed on a list of eligible hires. This does not mean that you will necessarily be contacted for the next phase of hiring.

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You may next be asked to take a Physical Agility Test. It will judge your abilities in the following areas:

  • Crawling, jumping, climbing, balancing, walking and running
  • An Endurance Test will measure how your heart, lungs, joints and muscles work together. You will work on a treadmill starting at a 10-degree incline at 1.7 miles per hour and gradually increase over 12 minutes to jogging up a hill with a 16-degree incline
  • Lifting and dragging a weight
  • Core strength and flexibility
  • Dexterity, hand and arm strength

If you pass the Physical Agility Test, you may be contacted to begin the next phase of hiring.

Step 3. Pass a Background Investigation and Oral Interview

You will next participate in an oral screening interview with members of the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office. If you fail this interview, you may repeat the application after three months. If you fail the interview a second time, you must wait one year before beginning the application process again.

A thorough background investigation will then be conducted. All of your history – employment, educational, personal, financial, military, credit, criminal and driving – will be thoroughly checked. If you fail this investigation, you may not repeat the application process. If you pass, you will be given a tentative offer of employment with the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office.

Step 4. Pass a Medical Exam, Drug Screening Test and MMPI Test

If you received a tentative offer of employment as a Deputy Sheriff in Tulsa County, you have arrived at Step 4. You must now pass a medical exam, drug screening test and MMPI test. Your vision must be correctable to 20/20 in each eye. You must submit samples of your blood and urine during this exam. They will be screened for drugs. Other things that will be assessed at the medical exam include:

  • Depth perception
  • Color vision
  • Whether any medications you take affect your thinking or judgment
  • Hearing and speaking
  • Sense of smell

After the test, a doctor will review your results. If you fail the medical exam, your job with the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office will be deferred. You may be given 30 days to re-take the parts of the exam that you failed. If you do not complete the exam within this time, your job offer may be rescinded.

A psychological exam, the MMPI, will also be performed before you are given a firm offer of employment to become a Tulsa County Deputy Sheriff.

Step 5. Complete Tulsa County Deputy Sheriff Training

Congratulations! You have passed all of the necessary tests and are now a Tulsa County Deputy Sheriff candidate! If you do not currently live in Tulsa County, you must move there within the first 60 days of your employment. You will likely be assigned to the Detention Division at first, and work there while completing Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office training.

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