How to Become a Deputy Sheriff in South Dakota

• Minnehaha County
• Pennington County

Minnehaha County Sheriff Department Jobs

The Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for a number of law enforcement efforts in the county.  In addition to their patrol or court duties, employees of the Sheriff’s Office are also under contract to provide law enforcement services for several small towns and provide security to the South Dakota Air National Guard.

Here is a list of the steps to take to become a patrol deputy sheriff in Minnehaha County, South Dakota.

6 Steps to Become a Patrol Sheriff Deputy in Minnehaha County:

1. Meet the Basic Qualifications
2. Submit Your Application
3. Written and Physical Agility Examinations
4. Interview
5. Background Check, Medical and Psychological Examinations
6. Attend Sheriff’s Academy for Training

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

Here are the qualifications you need to become a deputy sheriff in Minnehaha County:

• You must be 21 years old at the time you are hired.
• You must have one of the following:
  • 2 years college or vocational school
  • 2 years work experience as a certified law enforcement officer
  • 2 years of full-time military active service
  • 4 years of reserve experience in the military
  • 4 years of comparable education and experience

Step 2. Submit Your Application

The first step in applying to become a deputy sheriff in Minnehaha County is to register with the county.  You can fill out a job interest card to be notified when positions are available.  This is good for a year, and you will receive a reminder e-mail after 11 months, so you can extend this notification.

Step 3. Written and Physical Agility Examinations

You will be notified of the time and date on which you will be tested for the position of a patrol deputy sheriff.  This will involve both a written test and a test of your physical abilities to ensure that you are in good enough shape to become a law enforcement officer for Minnehaha County.

Step 4. Interview

After you have passed your tests, you will be interviewed to further assess your suitability for the position.

Step 5. Background Check, Medical and Psychological Examinations

Once you have satisfied your interviewers that you are a good candidate to become a patrol deputy sheriff in Minnehaha County, you will undergo a thorough investigation into your background.

Part of this process will involve screening both your physical and mental health.  You will be examined by a physician to ensure that you do not have any medical conditions that could prevent you from being an effective deputy sheriff.  You will also be interviewed by a psychologist to ensure that you can withstand the rigors of being a law enforcement officer.

Step 6. Attend Sheriff’s Academy for Training

To function as a deputy sheriff in South Dakota, you must be certified by the state within your first year of employment.  After you have passed your background check, you will be trained at the George S. Mickelson Criminal Justice Center in Pierre if you are not already certified in the state.

This involves successfully completing the Law Enforcement Training’s Basic certification course.  Your 520 hours of training will involve both academic coursework and practical areas in which you will have to become proficient.  Topics include:

• Police procedures and practices
• Legal aspects
• Human behavior

You will have to gain proficiency in

• Defensive tactics
• Driving emergency vehicles
• Use of force
• Using firearms

Pennington County Sheriff Department Jobs

The Pennington County Sheriff’s Office provides law enforcement services to over 100,000 citizens and millions of visitors each year. The department employs 370 people to patrol the more than 2,700 square miles of this South Dakota county.

Here are the steps you’ll take in learning how to become a Sheriff’s Deputy in Pennington County:

1. Meet the Basic Qualifications
2. Aptitude and Physical Test
3. Psychological Evaluation
4. Medical Screening
5. Background Check
6. Attend Sheriff’s Academy for Training

Step 1. Meet the Basic Qualifications to Become a Sheriff Deputy in Pennington County

In order to be considered for a job as a Pennington County Sheriff’s Deputy, you must fulfill the following requirements:

• You must have a South Dakota driver’s license obtained within ninety days of having moved to the state.
• You must have at least a high school diploma or GED equivalent.

It is preferable that you have some formal education in criminal justice or human services.

Step 2. Aptitude and Physical Test

Your first step in testing will be a standardized aptitude test.  You will also be tested for your physical endurance and cardiovascular fitness.  You will have to:

• Perform sit-ups
• Perform push-ups
• Run 1.5 miles or walk 3 miles

Step 3. Psychological Evaluation

After you have passed both the aptitude test and the standards of the physical test adjusted for your age and gender, you will be assessed by a psychologist to ensure that you are compatible with the position of Deputy Sheriff in Pennington County.  You will be given several different psychological tests and be interviewed by a psychologist.

Step 4. Medical Screening

Once the psychologist has given you a favorable recommendation, you will be examined medically by a physician approved by the department.  Part of your medical screening will involve testing you for drugs in your system.

Step 5. Background Check

After the physician has found you fit for duty, your background will be comprehensively examined.  This involves:

• Check of records
• Review of credit
• Verification of credentials
• Interviews with references, both professional and personal

Step 6. Attend Sheriff’s Academy for Training

Once you have passed your background check and been chosen for a Deputy Sheriff position in Pennington County, you will be trained for 12 weeks at the George S. Mickelson Criminal Justice Center in Pierre.  If you are already certified, you will not need to undergo this training.

Your training at the academy will involve coursework on:

• Police procedures and practices
• The legal system
• Human behavior

You must become proficient in:

• Using firearms
• Operating emergency vehicles
• Using force
• Using defensive tactics

Once you have completed your academy training, you will be trained both in the classroom and for several weeks in the field with a training officer.

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