Sheriff's Deputy Trainee

County of Santa Barbara; California (MO); On-site; USD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation: 12 to 25 days per year

Sick Leave: 12 days annually

Paid Holidays: 13 days per year

Uniform Allowance of $825 per year

Job summary

The County of Santa Barbara is looking for a Deputy Sheriff Trainee to attend a Peace Officer Standards and Training Academy. This position involves receiving critical law enforcement training while maintaining physical fitness standards. Candidates must be capable of undergoing extensive background checks.

Ideal candidates will possess honesty, integrity, and effective communication skills. They must also be at least 20 years old at the time of application and possess a valid California Driver License.

Qualifications

• Must pass a comprehensive medical examination.
• Must be at least 20 years old at application.
• Must possess a valid California Driver License.

Responsibilities

• Attend the Basic Peace Officers Academy for training.
• Study law enforcement procedures and physical fitness.
• Maintain proficiency in training areas.

Skills

Honesty and trustworthiness

Integrity

Good judgment under pressure

Effective communication skills

Education

High school graduation or equivalent

Job description

Overview

Description: To learn more about the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, please visit our website at www.SBSheriff.org. TO APPLY visit www.SBCountyjobs.com. We are accepting applications to fill vacancies in All Locations throughout the County of Santa Barbara for the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office. The list established will be used to fill current and future vacancies at All Locations; separate lists for different locations will not be established. Candidates must be willing to accept an assignment at any location throughout Santa Barbara County.

Position: Under immediate supervision, to attend a Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) Academy to receive instruction designed to qualify trainees for the class of Sheriff’s Deputy; and in a non-sworn capacity to perform other duties as required.

Distinguishing Characteristics

This is a trainee-level class, and incumbents are expected to successfully complete the Law Enforcement Recruit Academy and receive the recommendation of the Sheriff and promote to Sheriff’s Deputy or be terminated from the position.

Benefits

• Compensation and retirement plans (see Memorandum of Understanding for details).
• Vacation: 12 to 25 days per year depending on length of public employment
• Sick Leave: 12 days annually with unlimited accumulation, one year of which can be converted to service credit upon retirement
• Paid Holidays: 13 days per year
• Education Incentive Allowance and Tuition Reimbursement may be available
• Uniform Allowance for $825 per year (see MOU)

In addition, applicants from other public sector employers may qualify for retirement reciprocity and time and service credit towards an advanced vacation accrual rate.

The Ideal Candidate Will Possess

• A reputation for honesty and trustworthiness
• Integrity and good moral character
• Initiative, drive, and self-motivation
• Strong team approach
• Dependability
• Good judgment under pressure
• Effective communication skills

Background Disqualifiers

• An admission of having committed any act amounting to a felony within five years in California, or in another state which would be classified as a felony in California
• An adult felony conviction in California, or with a conviction for an offense in another state which would be classified as a felony in California
• Currently on Probation or Parole
• Adult felony and/or misdemeanor conviction(s) may be disqualifying depending on type, number, severity, and how recent
• Conviction of/or sustained petitions for any sex crime
• Recent use and/or possession of illegal drugs; failure to reveal prior use will be disqualifying
• Unfavorable work history
• Poor credit history
• History of domestic violence
• Dishonesty or failure to reveal pertinent information

Examples of Duties

• Attends the Basic Peace Officers Academy for instruction on law enforcement procedures combined with rigorous physical fitness training
• Studies topics such as the care and use of firearms, weaponless defense, first aid, laws of arrest and evidence, law enforcement techniques and procedures
• Maintains at least the minimum level of proficiency in all areas of training

Employment Standards

Education: Graduation from high school or passing of the G.E.D. test indicating high school graduation level.

License: Possession of a valid California Driver License at time of appointment.

Age: At least 20 years old at the time of application and 21 years old at the time of appointment.

Physical Fitness: Excellent physical condition with the ability to pass a comprehensive medical examination based on County of Santa Barbara medical standards, and the ability to pass a job-related comprehensive P.O.S.T. endorsed physical agility examination.

General: Must meet minimum peace officer standards as specified in California Government Code Sections 1029 and 1031 including but not limited to: no prior felony convictions (unless fully pardoned), good moral character as determined by thorough background check, submission of fingerprints for purpose of a criminal record check, and found to be free from any physical, emotional or mental condition including bias against race or ethnicity, gender, nationality, gender identity and gender expression, ancestry, religion, disability, or sexual orientation, that might adversely affect the exercise of the powers of a peace officer.

Ability to: observe, learn, read and understand various laws, policies, rules, police procedures, law enforcement techniques and first aid; analyze situations or problems and have the potential to rationally and calmly take quick, effective action in emergency and stress situations; undergo strenuous physical conditioning as required to successfully complete a Law Enforcement Recruit Academy.

Additional Requirement: Appointee must satisfactorily complete a probationary period; legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law.

Supplemental Information

Please read the SELECTION PROCESS: Be sure to frequently check your email throughout this entire process. This is the only way we will be notifying applicants regarding their status and providing all the important information throughout the recruitment process.

• APPLICATION AND SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE will be reviewed to determine whether the stated requirements are met. Those individuals who meet the stated requirements will be invited to continue in the next step in the selection process.
• PERSONAL HISTORY QUESTIONNAIRE (PHQ): Qualified candidates will be emailed a notice to complete and submit a Personal History Questionnaire by a deadline. Failure to submit a PHQ will result in disqualification from the selection process. Candidates who successfully pass the PHQ will advance to the next step.
• WRITTEN EXAMINATION: Candidates are invited to complete and must successfully pass a written exam through the National Test Network (NTN). You may register at nationaltestingnetwork.com and schedule your online exam. Applicants are encouraged to take the virtual exam as soon as possible.

Option 1: Candidates who have already completed the NTN examination may submit their results through NTN. The test must have been administered within one year of your submitted application.

Option 2: Register to participate in NTN Law Enforcement examination. The examination has three components: Video Judgement, Reading, and Writing. The exam takes approximately 2.5 hours. NTN will provide scores to the Sheriff’s Office.

Note: We offer an alternative to NTN. Applicants may submit POST Entry-Level Law Enforcement Test Battery (PELLETB) results. The PELLETB results must state a minimum T-score of 45.0 and are valid for one year. The PELLETB results from another agency may be submitted later. An in-person examination is also available on a fixed date in Lompoc.

• PHYSICAL AGILITY TEST (PAT): Pass/Fail. After passing the written exam, candidates will be invited to the PAT. The PAT exam date is Friday, August 14, 2026, in Lompoc. You must wear appropriate athletic footwear and clothing. You must pass all physical agility modules to continue and be placed on the employment list.

The PAT is physically demanding; early pre-conditioning is advised. The PAT consists of: a 1.0 mile run, a 99-yard obstacle course, maximum push-ups, sit-ups, and pull-ups.

• Physical agility requirements include: 1.0 mile run under 9:00, 99-yard obstacle course under 25 seconds, maximum push-ups, maximum sit-ups in two minutes, maximum pull-ups.

ELIGIBLE LIST: Candidates must pass the Written Examination to be placed on the list. Veterans’ preference points apply. The list is valid for a minimum of three months. Candidates will be notified of scores and ranking by email.

Veteran’s Preference Points: 5 points for veterans, 10 points for disabled veterans. Eligibility and documentation requirements apply.

Those candidates placed on the employment list will proceed to the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office for further consideration. The remaining selection components are described below.

Department Selection Interview: Qualified candidates will be invited to an oral panel interview with Human Resources detectives.

Background Hiring Components: Include polygraph, background investigation, Livescan, post-offer psychological and medical examination.

A recruiter will communicate with applicants by e-mail during each step. Check spam filters to ensure you do not miss deadlines.

Disaster Service Worker: Pursuant to Government Code Section 3100, all County employees are disaster service workers.

Reasonable Accommodation: The County is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants. Qualified individuals who need accommodation should contact the recruiter. Verification may be required.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO): The County provides equal employment opportunities and prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. The County is committed to merit-based selection and to a respectful work environment.

Application Deadline: 7/17/26 at 5:00 PM PST. An online application and job bulletin are at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/sbcounty. For questions, contact Sheriff’s Human Resources at [phone].