Entry Level Bachelors Psychology Jobs in Decatur, GA

Salary: $26.48 - $35.31 Hourly
Location : Sheriff's Office Marietta, GA
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 04323
Department: Sheriff's Office
Opening Date: 08/01/2025
Closing Date: Continuous
Grade Code: PO2
Position Information
The Cobb County Sheriff's Office is mandated by the Constitution of the State of Georgia and executes a broad range of services which include, but are not limited to: Jail Operations, Court Security, Criminal Warrant Execution, Civil Process Service, Mental Health Transports, Forgery/Fraud Investigation, and Fugitive Investigation and Apprehension.
REQUIRED TESTING:
Physical Agility Test (PAT), Polygraph, Psychological and Medical evaluations are required.
A Physical Agility Test (PAT) will be administered after you apply.
The Physical Agility Test (PAT) consists of the following:
1 3/4 laps around the outside of the course and then enters, following the pattern shown on a map. Candidate must jump two small hurdles, climb a flight of stairs, descend the flight of stairs, go around a cone and continue back up and down the stairs again. The candidate jumps over two more hurdles and must go under a bar that is 2 ½ feet high. If they fail to negotiate the low crawl correctly, there is a two-second time penalty. More running and a leap across a simulated 6-foot gap representing a large ditch. If either foot hits the tape, there is another two second time penalty. The candidate can opt to skip the jump and take the two second time penalty as well. Running back across the floor, the candidate must negotiate a 4-foot-high chain link fence panel, round the cone and run back across the floor. Now the candidate must climb through a standard sized window, which is four feet high, and, once safely through it, drag a 150-pound dummy a distance of 20 feet until the dummy is across the designated line. Finally, one more lap around the outside of the course and they are finished. This must be completed in 2 minutes, six seconds or less.
If PAT is completed, applicants will attend a face-to-face interview with a Recruiter. If selected, the applicant will also need to complete and pass Polygraph, Psychological and Medical evaluations to be recommended for the Command Staff Interview. If selected the applicant will be given a start date.
COMPENSATION
BASE PAY
Entry Level Deputy Sheriff: $54,000 per year (18-month working test period)
Lateral Officer Pay: Lateral entry applicants will be given credit for years of service and placed accordingly in the Step in Grade pay scale.
SHIFT DIFFERENTIAL

• Evening shift deputies receive an additional $0.50/hour
• Overnight shift deputies receive an additional $1.00/hour
• Detention center eligible deputies receive an additional $1.30/hour

EDUCATION INCENTIVE PAY

• Associates Degree: $1,000 ($250 per quarter)
• Bachelor's Degree: $2,000 ($500 per quarter)
• Master's Degree: $3,000 ($750 per quarter)

OTHER COMPENSATION

• Take Home Vehicle Program
• Hazardous Duty Pay - where applicable
• On-Call for Court Pay
• Paid Overtime

Annual Peace Officers' Annuity and Benefits (POAB) fees paid by employer. This is a $300 per year savings and goes to your retirement.
Employees assigned to the Detention Center also receive free lunch while on duty and free parking.
EMPLOYER-SPONSORED BENEFITS

• Health
• Dental
• Life
• Long Term Disability

FREE WELLNESS CLINIC
A free health clinic is available for all Cobb County Employees and their dependents who have insurance with Cobb County. The clinic offers sick and well checks and many prescription medications at no cost to the employee.
TUITION REIMBURSEMENT
Tuition Reimbursement is available for you while you complete a college degree or certification. Reimbursable amounts are dependent upon available funding and will be proportionately distributed to all pre-approved applicants on a quarterly basis.
UNIFORMS AND EQUIPMENT
All uniforms and job related equipment are provided by the Cobb County Sheriff's Office at no cost to you.
FITNESS CENTERS
Multiple fitness centers with both strength and aerobic training equipment available at no-cost to employees.
PAID VACATION LEAVE

• 13 days per year / 1 year of service
• 15 days per year / 5 years of service
• 20 days per year / 10 years of service
• 22 days per year / 15 years of service
• 25 days per year / 20 years of service

HOLIDAYS
12 paid holidays per year
PAID SICK LEAVE
Accumulates at 4.0 hours per biweekly
PAID MILITARY LEAVE
Up to 18 days per year
BEREAVEMENT LEAVE POLICY
Full-time employees will receive up to 3 days of bereavement leave with pay for up to 24 hours.
PARENTAL LEAVE POLICY
Eligible full-time employees will receive six weeks paid time off to care for and bond with their newborn or newly adopted child.
This posting will be used to fill entry-level and lateral Deputy Sheriff positions.
For further information, please contact Internal Affairs/Recruiting at 770-499-4739 or SORecruiting@Cobbcounty.org.
Essential Functions
Enforces all local and state codes, ordinances, laws and regulations, both traffic and criminal, in order to protect life and property, to promote security, and to maintain law and order.
Provides courtroom security: maintains a security presence in County courtrooms to ensure safety of court personnel, to identify/prevent disturbances of court proceedings, and to identify/prevent potential violence or use of weapons; and assists with courtroom proceedings and documentation process as required.
Manages courtroom activities: maintains law and order during courtroom proceedings; announces judge's entry; swears in witnesses; enforces courtroom rules; answers questions from the public and judge; maintains contact with counsel during deliberations; and manages jury.
Conducts security checks of courthouse offices, judges' chambers, parking lots, or other areas of courthouse; performs electronic and visual security screening of jurors, spectators, or other individuals: and safeguards judges and other judicial personnel.
Manages prisoners; maintains continual visual surveillance of inmates: monitors and controls all inmate activities regarding movement; subdues unruly and resisting inmates; manages interpersonal conflicts to maintain order; and performs searches of inmates.
Transports inmates to/from assigned locations such as courts, jails, detention center, correctional institutions, prisons, medical facilities, regional youth detention centers, or elsewhere as directed: and provides safety and security of inmates during transport.
Serves felony and misdemeanor warrants and civil papers: arrests individuals named in warrants; conducts investigations to determine location/locate individuals named in criminal and civil papers; performs extradition of alleged criminals from other jurisdictions to satisfy open warrants; and executes lunacy or juvenile pickup orders.
Patrols designated areas to detect and deter criminal activity and traffic violations: prevents/discovers commission of crime and traffic violations; responds to calls relayed by dispatchers; apprehends, arrests, and processes criminals, fugitives and offenders; and writes citations. Responds to calls relayed by dispatchers: responds to alarms, domestic disputes, assaults, burglaries, traffic accidents, lost or missing persons searches, rescue operations, public service duties, welfare checks, stranded motorists, or other calls for assistance; conducts preliminary investigations; interviews victims, complainants and witnesses and takes statements; gathers information and evidence; seizes contraband and weapons; preserves evidence until the case is disposed of in a court of law; preserves and secures crime scenes; and takes photographs and prepares crime scene sketches.
Processes incoming detainees, e.g., conducting searches to detect concealed weapons and contraband; processing fingerprinting and identifications cards. Performs security patrol operations, providing monitoring of both inmates and security/fire systems; controls all movement within monitored area and ensures that inmates are safely and securely maintained. Performs other related duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications
High School Diploma or GED and ability to graduate from the POST academy within 18 months required; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job. Must be a U.S. Citizen, have a valid driver license, must be 21 years of age, must pass a background investigation, must have no felony convictions, must pass a polygraph examination, must pass a physical examination, must pass a psychological examination and must pass an oral interview board.
Licenses and Certifications
Must possess and maintain a valid Driver's License; maintain Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certification. May be required to obtain and maintain additional certifications depending on area of assignment.
Physical Abilities
Tasks require the ability to exert heavy physical effort in heavy work, with greater emphasis on climbing and balancing, but typically also involving some combination of stooping, kneeling, crouching, and crawling, and the lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling of moderately heavy objects and materials (20-50 pounds); may occasionally involve heavier objects and materials (up to 100 pounds).
Sensory Requirements
Some tasks require the ability to perceive and discriminate colors or shades of colors, sounds, taste, odor, depth, texture, and visual cues or signals. Some tasks require the ability to communicate orally.
Environmental Factors
Performance of essential functions may require exposure to adverse environmental conditions, such as wetness, humidity, rain, fumes, smoke, temperature and noise extremes, hazardous materials, fire, unsafe structures, heights, confined spaces, traffic hazards, bright/dim lights, animal/human bites, explosives, firearms, violence, disease, or pathogenic substances.
EEO Statement
Cobb County is an equal opportunity employer. Cobb County Government does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age or disability in employment or the provision of services.
Visit Cobb County's Employee Benefits page to learn more.
01
Important instructions: Being truthful is the most important part of your pre-hiring process. The public expects public safety employees to be of good integrity, not innocent, but truthful about their past. In addition, honesty is important as public safety employees are often required to testify in court. Please remember this throughout your process. Absolute truthfulness is a must. Cobb County recognizes that drug experimentation is not uncommon. Prior drug usage is not an automatic disqualifier for public safety positions, however, dishonesty is. Remember: There will be no second chance if you lie on your application. You will be barred from employment if you are untruthful in your statements (written or verbal). You must answer every question. Do you understand these requirements?

• Yes
• No

02
Have you ever been employed in a prison, jail, lockup, community confinement facility, juvenile facility, or other institution and if so where (name of institution, city and state)? Enter N/A if not applicable.
03
Have you ever engaged in or were accused of sexual abuse in a prison, jail, lockup, community confinement facility, juvenile facility, or other institution?

• Yes
• No

04
I understand the Cobb County Sheriff's Office will conduct a complete investigation into my background; including traffic violations, credit and criminal history. Any inconsistencies in information provided may exclude me from consideration for hire by the Sheriff's Office.

• Yes
• No

05
Do you understand that you must complete this application yourself and failure to do so will result in your removal from the process?

• Yes
• No

06
Have you ever used a different name other than the one you listed on this application? If yes, list each name. Enter N/A if not applicable.
07
Do you have a High School Diploma or GED?

• High School Diploma
• GED
• I DO NOT have a high school diploma or GED.

08
This position requires you to be 21 years of age prior to being hired into the position, which may be approximately 6 months from the date of application. Will you be able to meet this age requirement at the time of hire?

• Yes, I am currently 21 years of age or older.
• Yes, I am currently 20 1/2 years of age.
• No

09
If "no", what month and year do you turn 21? Enter N/A if not applicable.
10
Are you a US Citizen or Naturalized?

• Yes
• No

11
Do you have a current and valid driver's license?

• Yes
• No

12
If "yes", provide state and license number.
13
Have you ever had your driver's license suspended?

• Yes
• No

14
If "yes", give a brief explanation. Enter N/A if not applicable.
15
Have you ever been involved in an accident while operating a motor vehicle?

• Yes
• No

16
If "yes", briefly explain and list the number of accidents. Enter N/A if not applicable.
17
Have you ever struck a person/v