Ranger Guard Jobs in Minnesota (NOW HIRING)

Salary : $73,515.00 - $114,868.00 Annually
Location : Hastings, MN
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 61140.26.002
Department: County Sheriff
Opening Date: 08/12/2026
Closing Date: 8/26/2026 4:30 PM Central
General Description
POSTING TYPE: Open Competitive
DEPARTMENT: Sheriff
HOURS: Full-time; various shifts
PREFERRED HIRING RANGE: $73,515- $91,894/year
FULL SALARY RANGE: $73,515- $114,868/year
*Potential for an additional $7.00/hr or $14,616/annually
LOCATION: Law Enforcement Center, Hastings
UNION: Law Enforcement Labor Services
CLOSE DATE: 4:30pm on 8/26/2026
A General Duty Deputy serves the community by performing court and building security, prisoner transports, investigating crimes, apprehending criminals, enforcing laws, responding to calls for service, and performing proactive and reactive patrols within Dakota County. Due to several different shifts and rotations within our office, we allow for flexibility and stability. This is your opportunity to join our team to serve with pride and passion in a position that fits your professional interests and goals. At our Office you will have the opportunity to find a variety of specialty assignments that create excitement day in and day out while promoting career development! Some of these opportunities include Patrol, Water Patrol, Snowmobile Patrol, and ATV Patrol, School Resource Deputy, K9, Courts, Prisoner Transport, Civil Process, Crime Scene Team, Use of Force/Firearms Instructor, Investigations, Drug Task Force, US Marshals Fugitive Task Force, DEA Task Force, SWAT Team, Dive Team, Drone Operator, Social Media Team, Community Engagement/Recruitment Team, Honor Guard, and Electronic Crime Unit. We are certain that if you join our team you will find fulfillment and a healthy work/life balance.
Visit our site, Working at the Sheriff's Office:
Recruitment video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGdyN-zsb3o
Who We Are
Dakota County is Minnesota's third-largest county in Minnesota. We are located in the south metro and home to more than 415,000 residents. Our Patrol area serves thirteen townships and six small cities, covering 355 square miles. We have a close and positive relationship with those we serve which makes coming to work enjoyable.
The Dakota County Sheriff's Office is a place where you can build a career for a lifetime. We will support you and give you meaningful challenges within a culture grounded by personal growth and well-being. We believe in collaboration, growth, diversity, and stability. We hold each other accountable and expect everyone to take an active role in problem-solving and building a culture of hard work and respect. We believe in serving the members of our community by listening, engaging, and collaborating to solve problems and build solutions with dignity and respect.
Applicants for this position will be self-starters, honest, ethical, engaging and hold high moral standards. This candidate will be engaging and open to change. In addition they will seek to solve problems and strive to provide the highest level of customer service possible.
Benefits

• *POST Licensed Deputies will automatically receive an addition $4.00/hr stipend in addition to base wage.
  • In addition to the $4.00/hr POST stipend Patrol Deputies receive an additional $3.00/hr stipend.
• Take home squad for a majority of positions
• Full benefits package with employer contributions including:
  • Medical, Dental, Vision, Basic Life Insurance, Supplemental Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability, and Long-Term Disability
• Flexible Spending Accounts (Health Care and Dependent Care)
• Retirement-PERA pension
• 11 paid holidays and 1 floating holiday
• Three weeks paid parental leave
• Bilingual pay
• Carry over unused flex vacation year to year
  • Higher accrual rate for those with 10+ years of experience
• Facial hair and tattoos allowed, per policy
• Flexible scheduling
• Comprehensive Wellness Program - Peer Support Team, On-site Fitness Center, Annual Wellness Check-in, and Employee Assistance Program benefits
• Cutting edge equipment
• External/Load-Bearing vests
• Annual Uniform Allowance of $1,050
• Countless training opportunities

Minimum Qualifications

• Associate or Bachelor's Degree in Law Enforcement, Criminal Justice, or other closely related field.

AND

• P.O.S.T. Licensed OR eligible for P.O.S.T. licensing prior to starting.

AND

• Valid Driver's License

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience in a paid, licensed law enforcement position (Police Officer, Deputy Sheriff, etc.)
• Experience in non-licensed public service work (CSO, Animal Control, Park Ranger, etc.)
• Experience working as a Correctional Officer in a locked secure correctional facility
• Paid or unpaid work experience as a Reserve Officer, EMT, Firefighter, etc.
• Experience working for OR volunteering with diverse communities
• Multilingual

*Pursuant to Dakota County Policy, this position is designated as Safety Sensitive. "Safety-sensitive position" means a position, including any supervisory or management position, in which impairment caused by drug, alcohol, or cannabis use would threaten the health and safety of any person as defined in Minnesota Statutes Section 181.950, subdivision 13.
POSITION REQUIREMENTS:
Candidates must pass ALL recruitment and pre-employment requirements listed below to become a General Duty Deputy. Candidates who are unable to successfully pass the requirements below will be removed from further consideration.

1. Educational/Experience Qualifications: Upon request, candidates must be able to produce appropriate documentation regarding their current status with the P.O.S.T. Board.
2. Interviews: Candidates will be asked to complete a series of interviews; this may include phone interviews, oral board interviews, and/or interviews with the Chief Deputy & Sheriff. If you pass this interview process, a conditional offer of employment may be extended.
3. Background Check: The background check includes an electronic packet designed to speed up the process and create efficiency. Candidates who pass the background check will be asked to complete the final two steps.
4. Psychological Examination
5. Medical Examination

Once all results are finalized, a start date is set
Duties & Responsibilities
Core Duties of All General Duty Deputy Staff:

1. Represents the Sheriff's Office in a positive, professional manner.
2. Builds and maintains positive working relationships.
3. Builds effective relationships with the public by attending community meetings, giving educational presentations, etc.
4. Meets the standards of dress in accordance with policy and procedure.
5. Understands and complies with policy and procedure to include Sheriff's Office memorandums, directives, and notices.
6. Recognizes, responds, investigates, and enforces violations of criminal, civil, and traffic laws.
7. Performs proactive activities and responds promptly to calls for service.
8. Maintains radio protocol in normal and stressful situations.
9. Demonstrates knowledge of geographic locations in assigned areas.
10. Adheres to proper arrest procedures and warrant confirmations.
11. Operates vehicles in an efficient and safe manner.
12. Maintains equipment to ensure it is in good working order and immediately reports equipment failures and takes proper steps to alleviate the problem.
13. Follows security procedures while transporting inmates, civil commitments, and suspects.
14. Obtains pertinent information from suspects, witnesses, or victims by applying appropriate interviewing techniques.
15. Submits concise and accurate reports in a timely manner.
16. Utilizes and understands commonly used forms, computer programs, and applications.
17. Maintains officer safety and situational awareness.
18. Follows evidentiary procedures as required by identifying evidence and handing it appropriately to maintain evidence integrity.
19. Communicates feedback and pertinent information to supervisor.
20. Provide credible and truthful reporting and testimony as needed.
21. Other duties as assigned.

All General Duty Deputy staff must be able to perform the core duties listed above, regardless of their work unit. Unit specific duties and expectations in Transport, Court Security, Patrol, School Resource Officer, Parks, Investigations, and Civil will be reviewed with and assigned to staff upon hire or movement into the unit.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: Duties 1 - 20 are essential functions.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities and Work Environment

• Knowledge of the geography of Dakota County.
• Knowledge of Minnesota State Statutes, traffic laws, County and township ordinances.
• Considerable ability to work effectively while under stressful situations.
• Ability to effectively author reports stating complete facts while lacking opinions.
• Ability to drive in a variety of conditions both emergency and non-emergency.
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to deal with co-workers and the public in a fair and respectful manner.
• Ability with assigned handgun, rifle and self-defense techniques.
• Knowledge, understanding and ability to apply reasonable amount force when applicable.
• Ability to solve varied and diverse problems that require deductive reasoning skills.
• Ability to see, hear and remember facts, people and circumstances.
• Ability to work independently with little supervision, self-motivated.
• Ability to effectively testify in a court of Law.
• Ability to maintain a state of physical fitness to effectively be able to perform the duties of the assignment.

Candidates for employment with Dakota County Sheriff's Office must be able to comply with Minnesota Administrative Rule, 6700.0700 Minimum Selection Standards, including all candidates shall be a citizen of the United States or eligible to work in the United States under federal requirements.
All visible tattoos will be reviewed and recommend to the Sheriff if they should be allowed. Tattoos may require covering if they are determined to be unsightly, offensive or a job assignment requires it. Visible tattoos on the ears, head, face, neck or any portion of the hand area are prohibited.
WORK ENVIRONMENT: Work is performed in a number of locations based on your assignment. Those areas include, County office buildings, jail facility, transport vehicles, and in patrol vehicles. Occasional out of state and overnight travel is required for courts and prisoner transport. Lifting requirement of over 100 pounds on an occasional basis. Exposure to hazardous physical conditions may exist and could include things such as mechanical parts, electrical currents, and vibration; atmospheric conditions such as fumes, odors, dusts, gases, and poor ventilation; hazardous materials such as chemicals, body fluids; work-space restricts movement, occasional intense noise and environmentaltemperatures may occur on the job. Equipment used may include, but is not limited to, computer, printer, telephone, copy machines, squad car, radar, Alco-Sensor, DataMaster DMT-G, digital recorder, squad camera, first aid kit, defibrillator, oxygen, handgun, rifle, handcuffs, electronic control device, baton, and chemical agents. Additional physical/mental requirements that occur may not be listed above but are inherent in performing the position's essential functions.
Current Dakota County employees are eligible for a $500 referral bonus for this position. To be considered, employees must submit the referral form prior to the close date of the posting. Staff can find the online and under policy 3101.
Selection Process

• You submit an online application that includes supplemental questions
• We assign you a score based on your qualifications
• Top scoring candidates are referred to the hiring manager for interview consideration
• We conduct a background investigation, medical exam, and psychological evaluation before hiring.

The names of applicants who meet the minimum qualifications stated above and who file a properly completed application, supplemental questions, and proof of their P.O.S.T. licensure or eligibility to be licensed will be placed on the eligibility list. The top scoring candidates will be forwarded to the hiring department for further consideration.
Dakota County Human Resources
www.co.dakota.mn.us
Main Number 651.438.4435
(contact 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday)
Visit our Benefits site for more information.
01
*******Applicants for this recruitment will be rated based on their answers to the supplemental questions listed below and application materials. It is IMPERATIVE that information provided on the application and resume are detailed and clearly outline your work experience & skills. They must also support and/or match answers to the supplemental questions.Please initial the box below to CONFIRM that the information provided is accurate and true to the best of your knowledge. Falsification may result in disqualification from consideration for this and subsequent recruitments with Dakota County for up to three years.
02
Please select the highest level of education completed or Degree held. (Degree must be held by the closing date of this recruitment)

• High School Diploma or GED
• Associate's Degree
• Bachelor's Degree
• Master's Degree or higher
• None of the above

03
If you have a degree, what