Deputy Sheriff LE Lateral Entry

Font Size: + -

Feedback Print

County of San Diego, CA
Regular - Full time - $70,609.50 - $117,174.20 Annually
Category: Public Safety / Law Enforcement
Department: Sheriff

The County of San Diego is currently accepting applications from persons with proven law enforcement experience for the position of Deputy Sheriff Lateral.

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Lateral Program welcomes California POST Certificate Law Enforcement Officers. Although assignments are based on the needs of the department, the department greatly considers a candidate’s training and experience.

Newly hired Lateral Deputy Sheriffs are assigned to the Law Enforcement Services Bureau, Detentions Services Bureau, or Court Services Bureau based on the needs of the department and on the applicant's training and experience. If you have less than 24 months of law enforcement experience, you may be required to be assigned to a jail or courthouse to meet the minimum 24 months requirement.

Additional pay incentives and premiums are available for those who are eligible.

Intermediate POST - 5%
Advanced POST - 9.5%
New Hire Lateral pay incentive of up to $20,000
Specialized Positions, most come with 5% - 12.5% premium
42.5 Hours of vacation time granted for eligible lateral hires
Up to $15,000 relocation allowance for out-of-county applicants

***Effective September 9, 2022, this hard-to-recruit position qualifies for the Employee Referral Reward Program. If a current County of San Diego employee referred you to apply for this position, please indicate the employee’s name on your job application in the space provided. ***

How to Apply

Complete and submit an online application for either the Deputy Sheriff Lateral classification or the Deputy Sheriff Lateral Detentions/Court Services classification. You may submit applications for both classifications. Attach one of the following qualifying items of documentation with your submission:

California Commission of Police Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) Certificate, Or
California P.O.S.T. Waiver, Or
California P.O.S.T. Re-Certification Course Letter with original California P.O.S.T. Certificate, Or
California P.O.S.T. Basic Law Enforcement Academy Certificate of Completion, Or
Open Enrollee (not sponsored by a law enforcement agency) must provide enrolled start date, institution name, academy number, and estimated graduation date.

If you meet the minimum qualifications for either the Deputy Sheriff Lateral or Deputy Sheriff Lateral Detentions/Courts Services classification, the Department of Human Resources will contact you via e-mail or letter notification. The Department of Human Resources will give you directions on how to use the online self-scheduling feature to schedule yourself for an upcoming qualification shoot examination.

Once scheduled, you will NOT receive a reminder to appear at your qualification shoot. Please record the date and time of your exam when you schedule yourself. This is your responsibility.

Unscheduled candidates will not be admitted.
If you do not meet the minimum qualifications for Deputy Sheriff-Lateral, as determined by the application screening, the Department of Human Resources will notify you via e-mail. If you receive this e-mail you will not be eligible to take the Firearms Qualifications Shoot examination.

Hiring Steps

STEP 1. Firearms Qualification Shoot, Pre-screen Orientation, and Law Enforcement Physical Agility Test

STEP 2. Personal History Statement (PHS) Interview

STEP 3. Comprehensive Background Investigation

STEP 4. Truth Verification (CVSA) Exam and Employment Interview

STEP 5. Psychological Evaluation

STEP 6. Medical Examination

STEP 7. Department of Justice (DOJ) Peace Officer Firearms Eligibility Notification

STEP 8. Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) certification status - proof of eligibility

STEP 9. Conditional Job Offer

NOTE: Steps may be completed out of order.

Minimum Requirements

21 years of age (there is no maximum age limit).
Must be a United States citizen or a Permanent Resident.
Must be eligible to carry, possess, receive, and own a firearm, pursuant to Penal Code section 832.15, subdivision (a).
Must possess a U.S. high school diploma or G.E.D. certificate, or a degree from an accredited U.S. college or university.
No felony convictions. Not on Probation. Misdemeanors may be disqualifying depending on the number, type of violation, and date of the violation (regardless of whether it has been expunged or sealed).
Must be in good physical condition and free from any medical conditions that would interfere with the responsibilities of any Deputy Sheriff classification.
Vision correctable to at least 20/30, glasses/hard lenses minimum 20/100 uncorrected - No minimum uncorrected visual acuity for soft lenses (subject to State of California P.O.S.T. requirements).
Valid California Driver's License. Valid photo ID to take the written exam.
Effective oral and written communications in English.

In addition, lateral applicants must meet at least one of the following requirements regarding California POST:

Successfully completed a California P.O.S.T. Basic Law Enforcement Academy and possess a Certificate of Completion. You must have graduated within the last three years, OR
Have successfully completed, at any time, a California P.O.S.T. Basic Law Enforcement Academy. You must be currently employed as a California Peace Officer or have less than three (3) years break in service.
Successfully completed a California P.O.S.T. Re-Certification Course, within the last three years and possess valid a California P.O.S.T. Certificate, OR
Out of state candidates must successfully complete a California Basic P.O.S.T. Waiver Exam, with documentation from P.O.S.T., within the last three years, OR
Successfully completed Levels 1, 2 and 3 or the four-part reserve format training modules A, B, C, & D, for the regular Basic Course, within the last three years, OR
Open Enrollee (not sponsored by a law enforcement agency) must provide enrolled start date, institution name, academy number, and estimated graduation date.

NOTE: Out-of-state applicants with a P.O.S.T. waiver may be required to attend the San Diego Regional Law Enforcement Regional Academy.

For all applicants currently employed as a California peace officer, your P.O.S.T. certification will remain current. If not employed as a California peace officer, the P.O.S.T. certification will expire three years from:

the date of graduation from a P.O.S.T. Academy, or
the date of separation from employment as a California peace officer position, or
the date of completion of a P.O.S.T. Waiver Program, or
the date of completion of a P.O.S.T. Re-Certification Course

NOTICE: Out of state applicants must contact the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards & Training (P.O.S.T.) to see if their training qualifies them for a California POST Certification waiver.

California Commission on Peace Officer Standards & Training
1601 Alhambra Boulevard
Sacramento, CA 95816-7083
Phone: (916) 227-3909
Fax: (916) 227-3895
E-mail: peaceofficervoe@post.ca.gov