Sheriff Trainee Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Salary : $96,033.60 - $134,076.80 Annually
Location : throughout Ventura County, CA
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 0550LT-26AA (DC)
Department: Sheriff
Opening Date: 01/01/2026
Description
BECOME A VENTURA COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFF - Your experience matters. Join the Ventura County Sheriff's Office and discover opportunities to grow, advance, and make a difference.
NOTE: If you are currently employed as a peace officer in a California law enforcement agency, have passed probation, and wish to transfer to Ventura County Sheriff's Office as a full-time/regular employee, this is the correct job announcement. If you are not currently employed as a peace officer or are considered academy complete and wish to become a peace officer, please apply for the open recruitment titled, Deputy Sheriff Trainee/Deputy Sheriff.
The Position
Under general supervision, a newly appointed Deputy Sheriff will be assigned to custody and will complete an initial multi-year assignment in custody before transitioning to patrol. Once selected for patrol, they complete a five-month Field Training Program at one of six patrol stations throughout Ventura County.
PAYROLL TITE: Deputy Sheriff
BENEFITS & INCENTIVES
Ventura County offers an excellent benefit package that helps support the health, well being, and financial security of its employees.

• Biweekly contribution towards a flexible benefits program (including medical, dental, and vision insurance options)
• Up to 2.5% matching funds in a 401(k) plan
• Annual leave (depending upon years of service)
• 13 paid holidays (including a floating holiday)
• Wellness Program (including health club discounts; free health coaching, onsite wellness, and online health education)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and peer support
• Work Life Program (including Lactation Accommodation Policy, Child Care Discounts and Coastal Housing Partnership)
• Possible educational incentive of 2.5%, 3.5%, or 5% based on the completion of Associate's, Bachelor's, or Master's degree or, if qualified, for POST certification; plus other premium/incentive/bonus payments
• Biweekly contributions towards a secure, lifetime retirement benefit ("pension")
• Possible bilingual incentive pay depending upon operational need and certification of skills, for those qualified
• Textbook and tuition program
• GI Bill on-the-job training program (for those eligible)
• For more details regarding the benefits offered by Ventura County click here:

Deputy Sheriff Trainees and Deputy Sheriffs are represented by the Ventura County Deputy Sheriff's Association (VCDSA) and are eligible for overtime compensation.
Examples Of Duties
Duties may include but are not limited to the following:
Deputy Sheriff assigned to Custody:

• Acts as a jailer for inmates committed to the jail;
• Supervises housekeeping activities of the inmates;
• Escorts and transports inmates both to and from jail, courtrooms, and state institutions;
• Books, searches and releases inmates;
• Admits and logs visitors, assuring conformance with rules and regulations governing visiting privileges;
• Maintains records and prepares reports; and
• Performs other related duties as required.

Deputy Sheriff assigned to Patrol:

• Receives and answers complaints of law violations in County areas and prepares reports as needed;
• Issues citations and makes arrests;
• Investigates crimes;
• Appears in court as a witness;
• Serves warrants and other legal documents;
• Uses intelligence-led policing strategies to address crime trends in the community;
• Facilitates community-based policing and problem-solving solutions; and
• Performs other related duties as required.

Typical Qualifications
These are entrance requirements to the examination process and assure neither continuance in the process nor placement on an eligible list.
EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:
To qualify for this classification, an individual must possess experience that demonstrates possession of, and competency in, the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Some examples of qualifying education and training are:

• Graduating from high school, OR
• Passing the General Education Development (GED) Test, OR
• Passing the California High School Proficiency Examination, OR
• Having attained a two-year, four-year, or advanced degree from an accredited college or university.

Note: Foreign education must be evaluated for U.S. equivalency in accordance with California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) guidelines and Government Code Section 1031(e).
Prior to appointment, the Deputy Sheriff Lateral Transfer must provide proof of satisfactory completion of the Sheriff's Training Academy or an equivalent California Post Certified Academy, current employment as a law enforcement officer for a California agency and successful completion of probation as a law enforcement officer for that agency.
NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Candidates must:

• be at least twenty-one (21) years of age at time of appointment as a Deputy Sheriff;
• be legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law; and
• possess and maintain a valid California driver license and POST certificate.

NOTE: An adult felony conviction is disqualifying. Any illegal activity including illegal drug use/possession or prescription drug abuse may be disqualifying.
Supplemental Information:

• Must be willing to work at any of the six (6) stations or additional Sheriff's Office locations throughout the County and must be able to work any shift including nights, weekends, and holidays.
• May be required to work under adverse conditions and must be prepared to successfully respond to unexpected and occasionally life-threatening events.
• Must have strength, endurance, and physical agility to restrain rebellious and/or violent offenders.
• Deputies with any body art (tattoo(s), brands, etc.), will be required to wear uniform clothing or skin tone patch that covers the artwork while on duty (or have it removed at the Deputy Sheriff Trainee's expense).
• Must be willing and capable of wearing specialized protective equipment, such as gas masks, bio-hazard suits, radioactive protective gear and other hazardous material protective equipment that may be developed. By wearing said gear, deputies will be subjected to future health screenings, including submission of medical information.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES: Working ability to: learn the various California codes, County ordinances, and departmental rules and regulations pertaining to the specific responsibilities of a Deputy Sheriff; learn the methods used in law enforcement, the rules of evidence, laws of arrest, security, and civil procedures; understand written and oral directions; take effective courses of action in emergencies; prepare comprehensive reports and correspondence; and establish and maintain effective relations with others.
Recruitment Process
FINAL FILING DATE: This is a continuous recruitment and may close at any time; therefore, apply as soon as possible if you are interested in it. Your application must be received by County of Ventura Human Resources in Ventura, California, no later than 5:00 p.m. on the closing date.
To apply online, please refer to our web site at www.venturacounty.gov/jobs. If you prefer to fill out a paper application form, please call (805) 654-5129 for application materials and submit them to County of Ventura Human Resources, 800 South Victoria Avenue, L-1970, Ventura, CA 93009.
Note to Applicants: It is essential that you complete all sections of your application and supplemental questionnaire thoroughly and accurately to demonstrate your qualifications. A resume and/or other related documents may be attached to supplement the information in your application and supplemental questionnaire; however, it/they may not be submitted in lieu of the application.
Please thoroughly read the Recruitment Process of this job announcement. Additionally, it is important that you frequently check your email and/or applicant portal throughout this process, as this is the way we will be notifying applicants of their status and providing information regarding the next step in the recruitment and selection process.
SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE - qualifying: All applicants are required to complete and submit the questionnaire for this examination AT THE TIME OF FILING. The supplemental questionnaire may be used throughout the exam process to assist in determining each applicant's qualifications and acceptability for the position. Failure to complete and submit the questionnaire may result in the application being removed from consideration.
APPLICATION EVALUATION - qualifying: All applications will be reviewed to determine whether or not the stated requirements are met. Those individuals meeting the stated requirements will be invited to continue to the next step in the screening and selection process.
PRACTICAL (PHYSICAL AGILITY) EXAMINATION - Pass / Fail: Lateral transfer applicants will be scheduled for a physical agility examination. The physical agility exam may include, but is not limited to, the following events: one mile run, weight drag, obstacle course, and fence climb.
SELECTION INTERVIEWS: Applicants submitting complete and appropriate PIQs will be invited to a selection interview for further continuation in the process.
PERSONAL HISTORY STATEMENT (PHS) REVIEW / SELECTION INTERVIEW - Pass/Fail: Those applicants who pass the physical agility examination will complete a PHS. Qualifying applicants will be invited to meet with a Sheriff's Investigator who will conduct a PHS Review/Selection Interview. Those who satisfactorily perform in the PHS Review/Selection Interview process may be placed on an eligible list for a period of one (1) year.
Assuming sufficient vacancies, a selected number of applicants will be chosen from the eligible list to proceed in the selection process. As part of the selection process, applicants will be expected to complete the following:
1. In-Depth Background Investigation
2. Practical Examination
3. Polygraph Examination
4. Psychological Examination
5. Medical Examination
MEDICAL STANDARDS: The stringent medical standards to become a Deputy Sheriff Trainee/Deputy Sheriff have been developed over many years. Some of the most common reasons individuals are unable to pass are listed below. These are minimum/maximum standards and are significantly different from the ideal or average.
a. Hearing Loss. Hearing must be within California POST standards as verified by a medical background.
b. Color Blindness. Applicants must pass a color vision test as verified by a medical background.
c. Poor Vision (in either eye). Individuals must have uncorrected visual acuity of at least 20/40 in each eye, correctable to 20/20 in better eye and 20/40 on weaker eye.
d. Liver Function. Use of bodybuilding diet supplements, including, but not limited to, "Creatinine" (in any form) will often affect liver function tests. Therefore, it is important that you do not take bodybuilding diet supplements within several weeks of the blood test. Abnormal test results will require investigation at the applicants' expense before approval can be granted.
e. Weight and Body Fat. Applicants must be in excellent physical condition with weight proportionate to height (body fat <20% for males and <30% for females) as determined by an agility test and an examining physician.
UNSATISFACTORY RESULTS IN ANY ASPECT OF THE FOREGOING, INCLUDING BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION FINDINGS, MAY RESULT IN REMOVAL FROM THE ELIGIBLE LIST.
Candidates successfully completing the examination process may be placed on an eligible list for a period of one (1) year. The eligible list established from this recruitment may be used to fill current and future Regular (including Temporary and Fixed-term) Intermittent and Extra Help, vacancies within the Sheriff's Office. There are currently numerous vacancies.
For further information about this recruitment, please contact Denise Carrizosa by email at or by telephone at (805) 477-1921.
Please visit our website:
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
The County of Ventura is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.
YOUR BENEFITS AS A COUNTY OF VENTURA EMPLOYEE
VENTURA COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFFS' ASSOCIATION
(VCDSA)
To learn more about Benefits, Retirement, and the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), see links below.

• or you may call (805) 654-2570.

Union Codes: DSD, DSE, DGS, DSS
01
Are you at least twenty-one (21) years old at the time of application?

• Yes
• No

02
Have you passed probation with your current law enforcement agency?

• Yes
• No

03
What is the name of the law enforcement agency that you are currently working for?
04
If you have been referred by a regular existing employee of the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, please type their first and last name. (Note: only indicate one referring employee, as award payments will not be split among multiple employees.) If not applicable, please type N/A.
Required Question