Deputy Sheriff

Recognized as one of the best places to work in Southeast Minnesota for three consecutive years, at Olmsted County every role helps to foster a vibrant community where everyone thrives. Our employees are at the heart of everything we do, driving public service excellence and community well-being.

We don’t just offer a job, we offer a career filled with purpose, growth, and fulfillment. Our benefits package ensures your wellbeing, while career advancement opportunities and professional development empower you to reach your full potential.

Join us, and you'll be part of a purpose-driven team where your work truly makes a difference. Together, we build a sustainable, healthy, and welcoming community.

Minimum Qualifications of Education and Experience

The Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office (“OCSO”) hiring process is conducted in compliance with the OCSO Civil Service Commission Rules and Regulations. The purpose of this process is to create an Eligibility Roster of candidates who are qualified for appointment to a Deputy Sheriff position with OCSO. The roster is valid for one year with exact dates established by the OCSO Civil Service Commission. Deputy Sheriffs are selected from the Eligibility Roster as vacancies arise.

The Olmsted County Sheriff's Office offers a ride-along program to applicants who express interest. To schedule a ride-along with a staff member, please use the following link: Ride-Along | Olmsted County, MN.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Applicants must meet ONE of the following requirements in order to proceed to the competitive examination phase of the hiring process:

• Have an active Minnesota POST license and meet the requirements for maintaining such license; or
• Have approval from, or have applied for approval from, the Minnesota POST Board to take the Licensing Reciprocity Exam; or
• Have approval from, or have applied for approval from, the Minnesota POST Board to take the Peace Officer Licensing Exam; or
• Have approval from, or have applied for approval from, the Minnesota POST Board to take the Reinstatement of Eligibility Exam; or
• Have approval from, or have applied for approval from, the Minnesota POST Board to take the License Restoration Exam.
• Be Minnesota POST license eligible by the time a conditional job offer is made.

** Additional information about Minnesota POST Board exams is available here: https://dps.mn.gov/entity/post/exams/Pages/default.aspx. In addition to possessing one of the above qualifications, applicants must have the following in order to proceed to the competitive examination phase of the hiring process:

• U.S. Citizenship; and
• Possession of a valid driver’s license.

REQUIREMENTS FOR APPOINTMENT FROM THE ELIGIBILITY ROSTER

To be eligible for appointment as a Deputy Sheriff from the Eligibility Roster, you must live within Olmsted County or any of the surrounding counties to include Dodge, Goodhue, Mower, Fillmore, Winona or Wabasha counties and:

• Have an active Minnesota POST license and meet the requirements for maintaining such license; or
• Be Minnesota POST license eligible by the time a conditional job offer is made. This means that you have completed and passed the appropriate Minnesota POST Board Examination.

Individuals will be required to complete a pre-employment and any potential post-accident drug test as these positions are deemed safety sensitive. Regardless of Minnesota statute, marijuana and other drugs will disqualify individuals from initial and continued employment.

HIRING PROCESS The steps listed below are followed in sequence. Failure at any step removes the applicant from any further consideration from that point on. Applicants will be notified of their status after each step.

1. APPLICATIONS Applicants must fully complete and submit the application form online by the closing date or return the application postmarked by the closing date. Applications will be accepted only from those who currently meet the minimum qualifications. Applicants must identify on their applications which qualifications they meet.
2. ORAL INTERVIEWS Oral examinations consist of two interviews, each scheduled for thirty-minute timeslots. The second interview occurs immediately after the first. The members of the interview panels ask a series of predetermined questions and assign a numeric score to each response.

Candidates must score a minimum of 70% on each of the two interviews in order to proceed to the next step.

Oral interviews will take place at the Regional Public Safety Training Center on:

Wednesday, November 4, 2026 Thursday, November 5, 2026

Examination dates are tentative and subject to change. Eligible candidates will receive communication regarding scheduling of oral examinations.

3. STRENGTH AND AGILITY EXAMINATION The strength & agility examination will take place on the same day as the oral examinations (November 4, 2026 and November 5, 2026) at the Regional Public Safety Training Center after completion of the oral examinations. Locker room facilities will be made available for candidates to change clothes.

This examination is pass/fail. Candidates are required to row 2000 meters using a Concept 2 Rower. The examination is designed to measure the candidate's VO2 MAX, an indicator of overall physical health. Candidates must meet a minimum of 50% score for their age and gender (see Cardiovascular Fitness Calculations below).

Candidates may enter gender, age, and weight to calculate minimum requirements at https://app.dps.mn.gov/msptroopercandidate/home/fitnessrequirements prior to testing. Please note that the website assumes a 60% passing percentage. Using the Desired Results section in the lower right corner, candidates can calculate time based on 50% passing percentage. Applicants will be required to sign a waiver of liability prior to the test.

4. ELIGIBILITY ROSTER Applicants who pass the strength and agility examination are placed on an eligibility roster in numerical order, with the highest scoring applicant at the top of the list. Veterans who have notified Human Resources of their election to use their veteran preference points preference points or disabled veteran preference points and who have provided the Human Resources Department with a copy of their DD214 will have their points added to their total score before they are ranked on the eligibility roster. Anyone providing a DD214 at a later date will have their points added at that time and will be placed on the roster accordingly. Veterans currently receiving a retirement pension shall not be given the additional points. The completed eligibility roster is presented to the Civil Service Commission for certification before it is presented to the Sheriff. Civil Service meetings are scheduled on a monthly basis. Candidates on the eligibility roster have an ongoing obligation to provide updated information about their license eligibility status or the existence of a current license with another law enforcement agency. If a candidate is currently on the eligibility roster, they have the opportunity during this recruitment to interview/test to improve their placement on the roster. All qualifying scores will remain on the roster until their expiration date.
5. CONDITIONAL JOB OFFER The top seven candidates on the eligibility roster are reviewed by the Sheriff to fill vacancies as they arise. After selecting a candidate for appointment, the Sheriff or the Sheriff’s designee makes a conditional job offer to the candidate. Conditional job offers cannot be made unless a candidate has provided proof of their license eligibility or their existing license.
6. BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION Pass/Fail. The applicant must complete an extensive background application providing information from which the applicant's background can be checked. This investigation includes, but is not limited to, such areas as personal references, fingerprint check, driving record check, credit check, education, employment history and military services, etc. The background investigation takes an average of 4-6 weeks to complete. This timeline is dependent on how fast the candidate returns their completed background packet. Current and former employers will be notified at this point that a candidate is participating in the Deputy Sheriff recruitment process. A candidate's background does not begin until a conditional job offer is made.
7. PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION Pass/Fail. The applicant must pass a psychological evaluation arranged/approved by the Sheriff's Civil Service Commission. The purpose of this evaluation is to determine the presence of any mental or emotional condition which might adversely affect performance as a Deputy Sheriff.
8. MEDICAL EXAMINATION Pass/Fail. Applicants must pass a rigorous medical examination as prescribed by the Sheriff's Civil Service Commission. All medical exams will be reviewed by the Commission's medical consultant and determined as pass/fail. A drug test will be given at this time.
9. APPOINTMENT Candidates who pass Steps 6-8 will be appointed to the position Deputy Sheriff on the second day of employment.
10. EVALUATION PERIOD Deputy Sheriffs serve a one-year evaluation period in which the Deputy's job performance is periodically reviewed to determine his/her future status with the department. Nature of Work Under direction of the County Sheriff, participates in an assigned shift engaged in law enforcement in Olmsted County. Enforces state and local laws, apprehends criminals, prevents crime, serves civil processes and protects property. Position requires rotating shifts that include nights, evenings, weekends and holidays. Supports a diverse, respectful, and inclusive workplace. Examples of Work

• Patrols assigned beat/area in a radio equipped patrol vehicle and enforces traffic laws
• Investigates complaints, disturbances and crimes and collects evidence
• Responds to emergency and non-emergency calls and provides necessary assistance
• Interviews suspects and witnesses, takes statements from witnesses and makes measurements and diagrams of scenes
• Makes arrests using objectively reasonable force in order to transport suspects to the Adult Detention Center
• Operates as on-scene incident commander until relieved
• Assists other law enforcement agencies such as the State Highway Patrol and officials in carrying out their duties
• Serves civil process as assigned
• Meets with citizens individual or collectively, to discuss crime prevention programs such as personal protection, home security systems and business security systems
• Upon assignment, develops training programs for the Sheriff’s Office to ensure other deputies are trained in the proper use of equipment and understanding of current policies and procedures
• Upon assignment to a special case, may lead other law enforcement officers during an investigation
• Upon assignment, acts as substitute sergeant, receives calls and operates radio emergency equipment
• Performs other duties as required

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Working knowledge of state and city laws and county ordinances relating to criminal acts
• Working knowledge of highway regulations and what constitutes a violation
• Working knowledge of current police practices and methods
• Working knowledge of what constitutes evidence in the prosecution of criminal violations
• Knowledge of Olmsted County roads and geography
• Knowledge of human behavior and social and economic problems
• Knowledge of serving of civil processes and responsibility and authority of the Sheriff’s Office
• Skill in the use of firearms per Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) requirements
• Skill in verbal and written communication including documentation through report writing
• Skill in the use of computers and technology
• Ability to administer first aid and CPR
• Ability to direct traffic and manage crowds
• Ability to understand and appropriately respond to mental health issues
• Ability to act quickly and decisively with good judgment in difficult and stressful situations
• Ability to act quickly and calmly in emergencies
• Ability to treat the public courteously and with firmness when the occasion demands
• Ability to operate all Sheriff’s Office equipment
• Ability to maintain good character both on and off duty

Persons with disabilities: the above is a general listing of job duties. Essential and non-essential functions may vary by individual position. Reasonable accommodations may be available for both essential and non-essential job duties. Physical Demands and Work Environment: In compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act, the following represents the Physical and Environmental Demands:

Function:

24% or Less 25% - 49% 50%-74% 75% or more

Office environment X

Outdoors environment

X

In vehicle/Operating equipment

X

Law Enforcement

X

Exposure to needle sticks/sharps exposure X

Exposure to human blood/pathogens/body fluids X

Exposure to hazardous materials/chemicals/toxic or caustic chemicals X

Confined/restricted working environment X

Exposure to atmospheric conditions

X

Exposure to weather

X

Exposure to extreme heat/cold, wet and/or humid X

Exposure to noise X

Exposure to vibration X

Animal handling X

Sitting, standing, walking

X

Reaching, pulling, climbing, crouching, kneeling, stooping, balancing, crawling, handling, feeling X

Pushing up to 50 pounds X

Lifting up to 50 pounds X

Repetitive hand movements, typing/data entry X

Talking, hearing

X

Operate vehicle

X

Control of others

X

Close, distance and color vision, depth perception, accommodation

X

Field of vision

X

Sedentary (exert up to 10 pounds of force) X

Light effort (exert up to 20 pounds of force) X

Medium effort (exert up to 50 pounds of force) X

Heavy effort (exert up to 100 pounds of force) X

Very heavy (exert up over 100 pounds of force) X

Proximity to moving, mechanical parts X

Working in high, exposed places X

Working with explosives X

Use of weapons

X

An Equal Opportunity Employer

Benefits

Provisional employees are eligible for benefits if employment is projected to be 12 months or longer and work at least 40 hours per pay period.

This document is a brief Summary of Benefits for Olmsted County Employees on the Paid Time Off Program.

Paid Time Off Employees over .5 FTE accrue Paid Time Off (PTO) based on their length of service as follows:

First year to 5 years of service - accrue up to 23 days 6 to 10 years of service - accrue up to 25 days 11 to 15 years of service - accrue up to 27.5 days 16 to 20 years of service - accrue up to 30 days 21 to 26 years of service - accrue up to 32.5 days Over 26 years of service - accrue up to 35 days

Employees begin accruing PTO on their first day of work and can use it as soon as accrued with supervisor approval.

Flexible Time Leave All regular, full-time employees and part-time employees who are scheduled to work at least twenty (20) hours or more per week on an ongoing basis shall receive up to 28 hours (prorated by FTE) of paid FTL at their regular base pay each calendar year.

Commencement of Employment # of FTL Hours Between January 1 and June 30 28 Hours Between July 1 and August 31 16 Hours Between September 1 and November 30 8 Hours Between December 1 and December 31 0 Hours

Paid Holidays

Olmsted County recognizes the following legal holidays:

New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President's Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving Day, Day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve (4 hours when December 24th falls on a Monday – Thursday only), Christmas Day

Employee Health and Insurance Benefits Health, Dental, Vision, Basic Life, Health Care Spending Account and Dependent Care Spending Account benefits become effective the first of the month following 30 days of employment.

Health Insurance The self-insured Olmsted County Employees’ Health Plan is administered by Medica. Under the plan, eligible employees and their dependents have access to all providers in the Medica Health Plan Solutions network, including Mayo Clinic and Olmsted Medical Center.

The plan offers a comprehensive preventive care program to help protect the health of employees and their dependents, 80% co-insurance on most services (after deductible) and access to Nice Healthcare, which offers no-cost virtual and in-home appointments, labs, x-rays, and more.

There is a base in-network deductible of $1,500/person, $4,500/family with the opportunity to earn a reward to lower the deductible to $500/person, $1,500/family. The in-network out-of-pocket maximum is $3,000/person, $6,000/family for those who earn the reward.

Coverage is available for employees and their eligible dependents.

The monthly rates for healthcare coverage are as follows:

Health Insurance Rates Single health coverage monthly cost to the employee is $110.00 per month or $55.00 per pay period. Employee Plus Children monthly cost to the employee is $500 per month or $250 per pay period. Employee Plus One coverage monthly cost to the employee is $546.00 per month or $273.00 per pay period. Family coverage monthly cost to the employee is $690.00 per month or $345 per pay period.

Nice Healthcare Nice Healthcare is an additional healthcare option for employees on our health plan. The plan includes virtual and in-home care, primary care, convenient medication delivery, lab work and diagnostics, and comprehensive family care. There is no premium to the employee. Coverage is available for employees enrolled in the health plan and their eligible dependents (even if not enrolled in the health plan). Prescription Drug Plan The Olmsted County Employees’ Health Plan prescription drug benefit is part of the health plan and is administered by Alluma. Covered prescriptions are based on the Alluma Advantage Formulary. The plan contracts with Express Scripts to provide a national network. This allows members to receive prescriptions conveniently at home, or across the country, for the same co-insurance amount. Prescription co-insurance is 25% or 40% depending on whether the prescription is formulary or non-formulary, with the opportunity to lower co-insurance through mail order. Prescriptions are subject to minimum and maximum charges. Both retail and mail order prescriptions apply toward an annual $2,400/person or $4,800/family out of pocket limit. Dental Insurance The Olmsted County Dental Plan is self-insured and administered by Delta Dental. Coverage includes Diagnostic & Preventive Services – 100%; Basic Services - 80%; Major Restorative Services - 50%; and Orthodontics - 50%. Lifetime maximum for Orthodontics is $1,500 per eligible dependent child. Diagnostic and Preventive Services do not apply to the yearly individual maximum benefit of $1,500. There is a $50 deductible per family member per year, with a maximum of $150 per family. The deductible does not apply for Diagnostic and Preventive Services.

Coverage is available for employees and their eligible dependents.

Single dental coverage monthly cost to the employee is $14.00 per month. Employee Plus One coverage monthly cost to the employee is $25.00 per month or $12.50 per pay period. Family coverage monthly cost to the employee is $56.00 per month or $28.00 per pay period. Life Insurance The County paid Basic Life Plan is group term guaranteed issue life insurance up to two times employee’s annual salary rounded to the nearest $1,000 to a maximum of $300,000. Olmsted County pays 100 percent of enrolled dependent coverage costs for the following life benefits:

Spouse: $2,000 Children up to age 26: $1,250 Vision Insurance Olmsted County offers insurance for vision correction materials through EyeMed. Benefits include discounts on frames, lenses, and contacts. Coverage is available for employees and their eligible dependents. Voluntary Life Insurance The cost of employee and spouse Voluntary Life Insurance coverage is determined by age and the amount of coverage. This coverage would be in addition to what employees receive under the Basic Life Plan. New employees who enroll within 30 days of eligibility may select up to $250,000 in life insurance coverage and up to $50,000 for their spouse without answering any health questions. Employees may apply for additional life insurance in $5,000 increments up to a maximum of $500,000. Spouses may apply for additional life insurance in $5,000 increments up to a maximum of $250,000.

New employees can also elect child life insurance without having to answer any health questions. The cost of life insurance is $1.30 per month, regardless of the number of children covered. The coverage amount is $10,000 per child.

PERA Life Insurance Employees can purchase guaranteed issue group term life insurance coverage through the Voluntary Group Life Plan with the National Conference on Public Employees Retirement Systems (NCPERS) in which Olmsted County is a participant. It is underwritten by The Prudential Insurance Company of America and administered by Member Benefits.

Cost is $16.00 per month with no medical questions asked. Minnesota Paid Leave The County participates in the Minnesota Paid Family Leave program. This provides partial income replacement to employees needing time off for covered conditions, including serious health conditions, bonding, or to care for a family member. Long Term Disability Insurance The County provides 40 percent pay replacement coverage at no cost to the employee.

Employees have the option to purchase an additional 26 2/3 percent pay replacement coverage for a total of 66 2/3 percent. Long-term disability benefits are effective on the first of the month following 30 days of service. The plan has a 90-day elimination period before benefits may be payable.

Employee Assistance Program AllOne Health, Olmsted County’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP), is a confidential service to help employees and their families address work and life issues. Online and telephone resources are available 24/7/365.

Flexible Spending Accounts Employees have the option of using one or both flexible spending accounts provided through Olmsted County to pay for out-of-pocket health care expenses and day care expenses with pretax dollars. Health Care Spending Account limit is $3,400. Dependent Care Spending Account limit is $7,500.

Blood Assurance Program A Volunteer Blood Donor Program through Mayo Clinic Blood Bank is available to employees. It covers the employee and family for all red blood cell products. Workers Compensation All employees are covered by Workers Compensation insurance while performing County business. Retirement Olmsted County and employees pay into the Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) as follows: General Plan: Employee Share is 6.50%, County Share is 7.50% Police & Fire Plan: Employee Share is 11.80%, County Share is 17.70% Correctional Plan: Employee Share is 6.83%, County Share is 10.25% General Plan members pay into both PERA and Social Security. Deferred Compensation Plans Olmsted County employees may choose to participate in Deferred Compensation Plans (457 Plans) offered through: VOYA Financial, Nationwide Retirement Solutions, and Minnesota Deferred Compensation Plan. Years of Service Awards Olmsted County recognizes employees for milestones in their years of service (5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and above). Direct Deposit All employees are paid bi-weekly. Employees’ paychecks are electronically deposited directly into employees’ bank accounts, avoiding situations like late checks or inconvenient trips to the bank. United Way Donation If an employee requests, the County will deduct contributions to United Way through payroll deduction. Staff Development Program The Staff Development Program offers courses online and in the classroom. The purpose is to train and retain employees through educational opportunities.

Tuition Reimbursement Olmsted County offers tuition reimbursement for college courses of 80% or $3,000 (whichever is less) per year with prior approval from supervisor and Human Resources for job-related courses.

Olmsted County has partnered with Saint Mary's University to offer unique career advancement, degree completion, and professional development opportunities at a discounted rate. To learn more about the partner scholarship and Saint Mary's bachelor's completion, master's, doctoral, or graduate certificate programs visit the Olmsted County partner page. As a Local Government, Olmsted County is a qualified employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Act. Go to StudentAid.Gov to learn more about this program and see if you qualify. Savi Loan Forgiveness Olmsted County has partnered with Savi, a trusted financial wellness resource to support your student loan journey. Savi has three different support plans - DIY, Essential, and Pro. As an Olmsted County employee, you can receive Savi Essential (typically $70) for free or Savi Pro for $80 (typically $150). Credit Union Employees are invited to join the First Alliance Credit Union. For more information, call the Credit Union at (507) 288-0330 or (800) 866-1999. Parking/Transit Plan Parking for Government Center employees is available employee parking lots. The County supports public transportation. Employees who ride the bus to and from work and during work hours are offered subsidized bus passes. Jury Duty Employees required to report for jury duty or attend a trial in response to a subpoena will do so without loss of income. Employees will receive their regular pay during their court service. Additional Considerations

• This is a Rochester, MN based position and is not remote eligible at this time.
• International relocation or international remote working arrangements (outside of the US) will not be considered.
• Applicants for this position must be currently authorized to work in the United States.
• Olmsted County does not sponsor applicants for this position.