CHRISTIAN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE – DEPUTY SELECTION PROCESS
The Pre-Employment testing portion of the Deputy Selection Process is comprised of several phases, including a physical fitness for duty assessment, written examination, background investigation, oral interview board, and drug screening. You are expected to successfully complete each phase of the selection process to be considered for employment.
After each testing phase, you will receive a notification of your status. Due to this, it is imperative the Christian County Sheriff’s Office has a current mailing address, email address, and telephone number on file for you. You are responsible for immediately notifying the Christian County Sheriff’s Office of any address or telephone number change. All individuals are notified of their status and informed of the application procedures for future testing periods. An explanation of each phase of the selection process is listed below:
Physical Assessment
This phase consists of four events: push-ups, sit-ups, 300-meter run, and 1.5-mile run. The events will be scored individually as a pass/fail. Failure of an event will result in disqualification for that particular selection process, and the applicant will not be allowed to participate in the remaining events. Applicants will not be allowed to retest but may reapply for the next selection process, if eligible.
The fitness battery and its pass/fail thresholds are based on normative data gathered by the Cooper Institute in Dallas, Texas. The Cooper Institute’s normative data provide substantial evidence that both the exercises and pass/fail thresholds used in the fitness test are appropriate for law enforcement jobs.
Applicant Fitness for Duty Assessment Minimum Scores:
Push-Ups per Minute
| Age | Males | Females |
| 20-29 | 22 | 10 |
| 30-39 | 17 | 08 |
| 40-49 | 11 | 06 |
| 50+ | 9 | 04 |
Sit-Ups per Minute
| Age | Males | Females |
| 20-29 | 33 | 24 |
| 30-39 | 30 | 20 |
| 40-49 | 24 | 14 |
| 50+ | 19 | 10 |
300 Meter Run (Seconds)
| Age | Males | Females |
| 20-29 | 64 | 76 |
| 30-39 | 65 | 85 |
| 40-49 | 81 | 109 |
| 50+ | 89 | 109 |
1.5 Mile Run
| Age | Males | Females |
| 20-29 | 16:46 | 21:05 |
| 30-39 | 17:30 | 21:57 |
| 40-49 | 18:39 | 23:27 |
| 50+ | 21:40 | 26:15 |
Written Examination
Written testing consists of a series of multiple-choice questions designed to test important cognitive abilities and personality attributes that are necessary for effective job performance as a criminal justice officer.
In developing the written portion of the testing, we identified many of the tasks essential to the performance of the job of a criminal justice officer. From these tasks, five essential areas for entry-level testing were determined. These five areas are as follows:
a. Problem Solving Ability
b. Reading Comprehension
c. Mathematics
d. Writing Ability
e. Personality Characteristics
The total time allowed for taking the written test is one hour. (1) hour.
Structured Oral Interview Board
Each applicant’s background investigation is submitted to a board comprised of uniformed members who evaluate the information presented and assess the applicant’s suitability for the position. Independent of the background investigation assessment, the applicant will participate in a structured oral interview. During the interview, the interview board will rate the applicant’s oral communication skills and responses to questions.
Background Investigation
A member of the Christian County Sheriff’s Office associated with the Investigations Division conducts an extensive pre-employment background investigation, in order to determine the applicant’s character and overall suitability for employment. Information obtained through the background investigation is held strictly confidential. To assist the background investigator, applicants are required to obtain a standard list of documents, such as:
a. Certified copy of the birth certificate obtained from the birth states’ Department of Health (an original birth certificate, photocopy of the original or certified copy, or a notarized copy are NOT acceptable)
b. Valid driver’s license (photocopy)
c. Military service discharge papers, if applicable (DD214 and/or DD215)
d. High school diploma or GED certificate (photocopy)
e. High school transcript (official copy)
f. College diploma(s) (photocopy)
g. College transcript(s) (official copy)
h. Peace Officer Standard Training (POST) certificate
Sheriff’s Interview / Conditional Offer of Employment
At the conclusion of the testing process, a conditional offer of employment can be extended to the applicant after an interview with the Sheriff. At that point, applicants must successfully pass a requested drug screen. The drug screening consists of a urine sample, tested for specific drugs.
Final Offer
Budget constraints and the number of vacant openings determine the exact number of applicants who receive a Final Offer of Employment. This offer is extended to applicants who successfully completed the drug screening and an overall final review. Additionally, applicants must sign a two-year commitment contract. This contract requires the applicant to remain employed with the Christian County Sheriff’s Office for at least two years; otherwise, the applicant must reimburse the Sheriff’s Office the cost of training and uniform expenses based upon a prorated basis.
The Christian County Sheriff’s Office is an Equal Opportunity Employer