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Sheriffs & Deputy Sheriffs

Also called: Deputy Sheriff, Deputy, Civil Division Deputy Sheriff, Sergeant

What they do:
Enforce law and order in rural or unincorporated districts or serve legal processes of courts. May patrol courthouse, guard court or grand jury, or escort defendants.
On the job, you would:
  • Investigate illegal or suspicious activities.
  • Drive vehicles or patrol specific areas to detect law violators, issue citations, and make arrests.
  • Take control of accident scenes to maintain traffic flow, to assist accident victims, and to investigate causes.

Knowledge

Safety and Government
  • public safety and security
  • law and government
Arts and Humanities
  • English language
Math and Science
  • psychology
Business
  • customer service

Skills

Basic Skills
  • talking to others
  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Social
  • understanding people's reactions
  • bringing people together to solve differences
Problem Solving
  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Abilities

Verbal
  • communicate by speaking
  • listen and understand what people say
Ideas and Logic
  • notice when problems happen
  • make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
Attention
  • pay attention to something without being distracted
  • do two or more things at the same time
Visual Understanding
  • quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include
leading, making decisions, and business.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Integrity
  • Self Control
  • Dependability
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Attention to Detail
  • Concern for Others

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Data base user interface and query software
  • Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System IAFIS
  • Law enforcement information databases
Graphics or photo imaging software
  • DesignWare 3D EyeWitness
  • SmartDraw.com SmartDraw Legal
Spreadsheet software
  • IBM Lotus 1-2-3
  • Microsoft Excel

Education

Education: (rated 3 of 5)
high school diploma or
some college
usually needed

Get started on your career:

Find Training Find Certifications Eligible for the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program

Job Outlook

Bright Outlook
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
Salary
$54,230
per year, on average
Check out my state Find Jobs

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See more details at O*NET OnLine about sheriffs and deputy sheriffs.