Additional Requirements:  In accordance with California Government Code, Section 1029 - 1031, and the California Corrections Standards Authority, Title 15, Section 131, Minimum Standards for Selection, each employee shall meet the following minimum standards: Must be at least 18 years of age at time of appointment; United States citizenship or status as a permanent resident alien who is eligible for and has applied for citizenship (if a permanent resident alien has not obtained citizenship within three years after application for employment or is denied citizenship, he/she will be disqualified for peace officer status); have no prior felony conviction nor be under current formal probation supervision; and achieved a passing score on the California Corrections Standards Authority Adult Corrections Officer written exam, or equivalent, prior to appointment.

Candidates certified for employment must be willing to undergo and successfully complete an in-depth background investigation, including a psychological evaluation, finger printing, criminal history check, polygraph, and a medical examination.

Candidates must be willing to work in uniform and willing to work all shifts, including days, evenings, nights, weekdays, weekends, holidays, and overtime.

License:  Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including special endorsements, as required by the State of California, may be required depending upon assignment to perform the essential job functions of the position.

1. A completed Sonoma County application form documenting your education, experience and employment history. List all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions for one employer, please list each position separately. Failure to comply with these instructions may result in disqualification.

2. A copy of your most recent performance evaluation, which must show satisfactory performance as a Correctional Deputy.

3. Documentation of completion of an Adult Corrections Officer Core Training Course following the Corrections' Standard Authority standardized curriculum. You may submit this documentation with your completed application OR you may mail to: Sonoma County HR-Attn: David Phillips, 575 Administration Dr., #116B, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 OR you may fax to: (707) 565-3770. Please reference the job title (CORRECTIONAL DEPUTY II) on faxed items. You must submit these documents within 3 days of the submission of your application.

Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be placed on an eligible list and certified to the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department for further consideration. 

PHYSICAL ABILITY TEST PREPARATION

The physical abilities testing will include an interview, brief medical screen, general tests of flexibility and strength, and functional tolerance for certain movements and postures. There are several job specific tasks that you will be required to do during the testing process. These include the following:

Strength:

1. Applicant will be asked to perform lifting tasks similar to those needed to restrain and move prisoners.
2. Applicant will be asked to drag a weighted dummy for a distance of 50 feet.
3. Grip strength will be tested by squeezing a measuring device with maximal effort.
4. Applicant will push a weighted sled to simulate force needed to move prisoners in restraint chairs.

Speed and endurance will be assessed by:

1. Asking the applicant to run 100 yards, over a flat surface, in 20 seconds or less.
2. Ascending and descending stairs while wearing weighted backpack, with heart rate remaining within safe parameters.

Additional instruction and close monitoring will be provided at the time of testing. This test requires you to demonstrate your maximal safe capabilities.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Applications are accepted on-line at www.jobaps.com/sonoma.  Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail.  All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job bulletin must be RECEIVED by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement.  Continuous recruitments may close without notice at any time that a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received.  Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

 The County of Sonoma is committed to a policy and actively pursues a program of equal employment and non-discrimination.

All candidates will be required to take a polygraph and pre-employment medical examination.  A pre-employment medical examination will be conducted including drug and alcohol testing as part of the pre-employment medical examination for all applicants and for all current employees who are offered employment within the Sheriff's Department.  Additionally, candidates for Deputy Sheriff, Correctional Officer, and Communications Dispatcher will be required to take a psychological evaluation.  Candidates for Deputy Sheriff, Correctional Officer, Communications Dispatcher, and Detention Assistant will also be required to take a pre-employment physical abilities examination.  The results of the investigation shall be confidential and shall not be available to the candidate for review.  Failure to pass the background investigation will eliminate a candidate from the employment process.

Any issues that arise during the investigation process will be assessed and judgment and discretion will be used to determine the employability of the candidate.

If a job candidate has any prior history of controlled substances, the Sheriff's Department has established guidelines to evaluate and determine a candidate's suitability for employment.  Where there is evidence of a candidate's past use of controlled substances, many factors shall be used to determine the employability of the individual such as pattern of use, kind of drug used, circumstances of the start of the drug use, treatment, behavior and attitude since discontinuance, etc.  Please note that a history of using controlled substances does not result in automatic disqualification from the selection process.  Prior to disqualifying any candidate whose profile falls within the provisions of the policy, the candidate shall be given the opportunity to present any and all evidence of mitigating facts which the candidate feels should be considered by the hiring authority.

For specific details on the drug policy, please click on the following link: 

http://www.sonomasheriffjobs.org/includes/Drug_Guidelines.pdf

In an effort to mitigate the impact of budget reductions on the County workforce, the County of Sonoma has implemented a program of mandatory time off for the current fiscal year. Most County offices, activities, and services will be closed from December 24, 2009, through December 31, 2009.  During that period, most County employees will be on a work furlough.  The amount of pay deducted for the unpaid furlough time will be determined by the employee’s regularly allocated work schedule and the number of pay periods remaining in the current fiscal year in order to accomplish a 40 hour contribution by June 28, 2010.

In order to minimize the impact of the unpaid furlough on employees, a deduction will be withheld each pay period from the date of hire through the end of the fiscal year in June 2010.  Employees hired before the holiday closure will participate in the full 40 hour furlough. The 40 hour deduction will be amortized over the period between date of hire and the end of the fiscal year in June 2010.

Employees hired after the holiday closure and prior to the end of the fiscal year will accrue unpaid leave hours (MTO) on a pro-rated basis.  Deduction of the accrued MTO hours will be amortized over the remaining pay periods in the fiscal year.  Hours accumulated as a result of this deduction shall be used as time off prior to the use of any accumulated vacation leave, by mutual agreement of the employee and their department head or designee.

MTO for part-time employees will be pro-rated, based upon their assigned FTE.

These are some of the excellent benefits the County offers:

GENEROUS PAID TIME OFF:

Vacation Leave:  Generous vacation accrual based on years of County service
Sick Leave:  No limit on accumulation
Holidays:  11 paid holidays plus 8-10 hours annual compensatory time

COMPREHENSIVE RETIREMENT:

Retirement Plan:  3% @60 general retirement tax deferred contributory system under the County Retirement Act of 1937.  Fully integrated with Social Security.  3% @50 for most law enforcement job classes
Deferred Compensation:  457 plan
Retiree medical:  The County provides a reimbursement program to assist in funding health benefits upon retirement.

EXCEPTIONAL HEALTH AND WELFARE PLANS:

Insurance:  Vision and employee long term disability plan paid by the County.  Dental coverage and choice of three health plans with generous portions of premiums paid by the County 

Cash Allowance:  Effective May 2009 a cash allowance of approximately $600/month that may be used towards health contribution accounts, deferred compensation, or as cash
Group Term Life Insurance for $10,000 paid by the County
Textbook & Tuition reimbursement:  For approved job-related training and educational course work
Tax exempt health/dependent care reimbursement program

AND MORE......

Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice.

For answers to specific questions regarding the employment process, more details about benefits or retirement, please contact Human Resources at (707) 565-2331.