The Pierce County Sheriff’s Department said this week it will hire at least five deputies next year, and that applications for the positions are due before the end of the month.
The hiring is possible because of $400,000 the County Council allocated earlier this month to restore some positions that had been cut for financial reasons, sheriff’s spokesman Ed Troyer said.
County Executive Pat McCarthy had proposed cutting 14 vacant deputy jobs in her budget. Sheriff Paul Pastor asked the council not to eliminate any law enforcement or jail positions. In the end, the council used the $400,000 that would have gone for raises to restore four deputy positions.
Some council members had expressed concern about the number of vacancies the department was carrying.
Pastor responded that his agency – with 261 deputies and detectives – has 10 to 20 openings at any given time because people leave, retire or are promoted.
Once qualified candidates are found, hiring and training new deputies takes 10 months, which adds to the time vacancies can be open, the sheriff said.
According to a description of the position on county’s website, entry level deputy applicants for the current openings:
- Must have earned a high school diploma or G.E.D.
- Be at least 21.
- Have a state driver’s license when appointed.
- Have U.S. citizenship.
- Be able to read and write English, per state law.
Lateral applicants from other law enforcement agencies:
- Must have at least one year’s experience at a city, county or state law enforcement agency, including patrol work.
- Have completed the basic state law enforcement academy.
- Be currently certified as an officer in Washington, and not be on probation.
Requirements listed for out-of-state applicants are slightly different.
Alexis Krell: 253-597-8268
alexis.krell@thenewstribune.com
blog.thenewstribune.com/crime
For more details about the positions, visit www.piercesheriff.org. Applications must be submitted online by 4:30 p.m. Nov. 28.
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