First Sergeant Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Salary : $132,740.83 - $161,355.25 Annually
Location : Santa Rosa, CA
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 26/08-4157-DP
Department: Sheriff's Office (SHF)
Opening Date: 08/25/2026
Closing Date: 9/7/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
Bargaining Unit: 70
Position Information
This recruitment is promotional only. You must presently be a full or part-time regular or probationary County of Sonoma, Community Development Commission, Sonoma County Fairgrounds, or Sonoma County Water Agency employee in order to apply for this position. The Sheriff's Office has requested a department promotional certification to fill a Detention Sergeant position. Only qualified permanent and/or probationary Sheriff's Office employees on the eligible list may be eligible for referral to the department for the advertised position. This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time or part-time positions as they occur during the active status of the list. The Civil Service title for this position is Correctional Sergeant.
Detention Sergeants, working on an assigned shift or within an assigned operational function, supervise personnel responsible for Correctional and Institutional Programs and Services, including security, incarcerated persons supervision, discipline, classification, housing, administrative and physical processing, and other related operations. As the first supervisory level in the series, Detention Sergeants train and evaluate personnel, and may serve as staff support in a variety of administrative, program, operational, or service-related functions and activities.
Key Sheriff's Office Orientation and Testing Dates

• Orientation: Wednesday, August 26, 2026 - 1500 hours MADF Briefing Room
• Oral Board and Practical Testing (Tentative): Tuesday, October 6 and/or Wednesday, October 7, 2026

Incumbents in this classification are peace officers as defined by Penal Code 830.1(c). Those newly hired into the classification of Detention Sergeant must successfully complete Penal Code 832 within one year of appointment and must successfully complete the California Corrections Standards Authority Supervisor Core Course within one year of appointment. Individuals hired into the job class shall serve a probationary period of one year.
Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.
Minimum Qualifications
Education and Experience: Any combination of education and experience which would provide the listed knowledge and abilities. Normally, this would include graduation from high school or possession of an acceptable General Education Development Certificate and one year of work experience with an adult correctional institution in a position equivalent to that of a Correctional Deputy II. Training or experience supervising or training other employees is desirable.
Additional Requirements: In accordance with California Government Code, Section 1029 - 1031, and the California Corrections Standards Authority, Title 15, Article 2 - 3, Minimum Standards for Selection and Training, each employee shall meet the following minimum standards: Must be at least 18 years of age at time of appointment; United States citizenship or status as a permanent resident alien who is eligible for and has applied for citizenship (if a permanent resident alien has not obtained citizenship within three years after application for employment or is denied citizenship, he/she will be disqualified for peace officer status); have no prior felony conviction nor be under current formal probation supervision; and have successfully completed the California Corrections Standards Authority Adult Corrections Officer Core Course and achieved a passing score on the California Corrections Standards Authority Adult Corrections Officer written exam, or equivalent prior, to appointment.
Candidates certified for employment must be willing to undergo and successfully complete an in-depth background investigation, including a psychological evaluation, finger printing, criminal history check, polygraph, and a medical examination.
Candidates must be willing to work in uniform and willing to work all shifts, including days, evenings, nights, weekdays, weekends, holidays, and overtime.
License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including special endorsements, as required by the State of California, may be required depending upon assignment to perform the essential job functions of the position.
The position advertised on this announcement requires possession of a valid California Driver's License.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Considerable knowledge of: modern methods and techniques of dealing with individuals under criminal confinement; behavior of inmates in a custody setting; rules, regulations, practices and procedures in the day-to-day operation and control of the Sheriff's detention facilities.
Working Knowledge of: effective public agency supervisory and personnel practices and procedures.
Some Knowledge of: effective employee training and evaluation programs.
Ability to: plan, assign, supervise, train and evaluate the work of subordinate Correctional Deputies and support personnel; effectively control, direct and instruct inmates individually and in groups; interpret and enforce institutional rules, regulations and other policies with firmness, tact and impartiality; read, speak and write English effectively, and interpret written material; prepare reports and maintain records; promote acceptable attitudes and behavior of inmates while in confinement; work with and around a wide variety of people; make quick, effective and reasonable decisions in emergencies, and to take appropriate action to include physically restraining violent inmates use electronic information equipment and specific systems utilized within the department; enter data accurately; use word processing software to prepare clear and concise reports; work in uniform; work all shifts, including days, evenings, nights, weekdays, weekends, holidays, and overtime.
Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.
Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.
Responses to supplemental questions will be scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state, "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient and therefore may not be scored.
The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:
An Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Personally identifiable information (PII) is removed from the standard application fields and applicable attachments. This PII blind screening practice redacts a candidate's personal information that could potentially influence or bias the scoring process. Personal information includes the applicant's name, former last name, address, phone number, email, driver's license number, school name, education start and end dates, age, date of birth, gender, and race. This PII blind screening practice helps contribute to a fair and equitable examination process.
Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.

Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination which evaluates the education, training, experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, and other qualifications that you demonstrate in your application and/or response to the supplemental questionnaire. Please be aware that resumes and cover letters are not typically evaluated in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.
Key Sheriff's Office Orientation and Testing Dates

• Orientation: Wednesday, August 26, 2026 - 1500 hours MADF Briefing Room
• Oral Board and Practical Testing (Tentative): Tuesday, October 6 and/or Wednesday, October 7, 2026

Additional Information
Being part of the Sheriff's Office and being expected to keep the public safe requires a thorough background investigation process. This process includes an assessment of prior work history, verifying educational experiences, court reports, public records searches, and understanding past patterns relating to drug usage, financial patterns, etc. This entails gathering a significant amount of information from job candidates and speaking to former employers, friends, family members, etc. Polygraphs, drug tests, and medical and physical examinations are also part of this process. Candidates must be honest and forthcoming about information that may arise during the background process. Deception during any portion of this process is grounds for disqualification, even after employment. This process can take anywhere from 3-5 months. Many factors are taken into consideration and one should not assume a credit issue or prior drug use is automatically disqualifying. Candidates will be given the opportunity to present mitigating information they feel should be considered. You are encouraged to be as responsive as possible while this process is taking place to help expedite the timeline, and we encourage you to stay patient and interested in this great career opportunity while this process is taking place.
You may also review the to determine the requirements for this position.
Please read the for further information.
How to Apply
Applications are accepted online at www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org. Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job announcement must be received by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.
The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.
HR Analyst: AK
HR Technician: VH
Important Note: Benefits described herein do not apply to Extra Help positions.
County of Sonoma Benefits: *
These are some of the excellent benefits the County offers:
Paid Time Off: Competitive vacation accrual and sick leave accruals; additional management leave annually; 12 paid holidays; and may be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment.
Health Plan: Choose from nine health plans (three HMOs, three deductible HMOs, and three HSA-qualifying plans) with a generous County contribution to the premium (the contribution amount varies by bargaining unit). For more information, please see the appropriate MOU.
Retirement: Fully integrated with Social Security. For more information regarding eligibility, retirement contributions, and reciprocity with prior public service, please visit
IRS 457 Plan: Pre-tax employee contribution up to the IRS annual maximum.
Retiree Medical: County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits.
Student Loan Debt Relief: County employees may be eligible for through the U.S. Department of Education.
Plus, excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, professional development, and more.
For answers to specific questions regarding the employment process and more details about benefits or retirement, please contact Human Resources at (707) 565-2331. Additional details about benefit and compensation packages can be found in the MOUs located at For specific information about health and welfare benefits, including plan options, coverage, and premium amounts, go to or contact the Human Resources' Risk Management-Benefits Office at or (707) 565-2900.
*Important Notes: Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice.
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