Education · 1 of 4
The path
Almost nobody starts as the sheriff. You start as a deputy, and the hiring process is the hard part.
- 1
High school diploma or equivalent
Grade 12
The legal minimum nearly everywhere. Keep your record clean from now on: the background investigation covers drugs, driving, debt, employment and social media.
- 2
Reach the minimum age
0 to 3 years
Most offices hire sworn deputies at 21. Some hire jail staff or dispatchers at 18, which is a common way to fill the gap and get inside the building.
- 3
Apply and survive the screening
6 to 12 months
Written test, fitness test, oral board, deep background investigation, a polygraph in some states, then medical and psychological screening. Most applicants do not finish it.
- 4
Academy and field training
About 1 year
A state-certified academy of roughly six months, then several months riding with a training officer who grades you every shift.
- 5
The badge on the door, much later
10 years or more
Becoming the sheriff means winning a county election, usually for a four-year term, normally after many years as a deputy, sergeant or chief deputy.