Deputy Hiring Process
The following information is a general guideline for the Dane County Sheriff's Office Deputy Sheriff application and selection process. All information is subject to change. Dane County is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. Female and ethnic minority candidates are encouraged to apply.
Submit Application By Recruitment Deadline
The Dane County Sheriff's Office typically hires two or three times annually, depending on need. Recruitment timetables are available from the following sources.
- By contacting the Employee Relations Division at (608) 266-4125 or TDD (608) 266-4529
- By contacting the Sheriff's Office Training and Planning Bureau (608) 284-6174
- By visiting our website homepage - listed under "Employment"
- By monitoring the Wisconsin State Journal and/or Capital Times newspaper classified
Applications must be received by the deadline date and time in order for an applicant to become eligible for the position. Applications may be mailed or submitted in person.
County of Dane
Employee Relations Division
Room 418 City Bounty Building
210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Madison, Wisconsin 53709
The Employee Relations Division reviews individual applications to verify that applicants meet the minimum qualifications for the position. Providing the applicant meets these minimum qualifications his/her name, along with the location preference for the testing site (taken from the first page of the application), is forwarded to the State of Wisconsin - Testing Services. In the event an applicant does not meet the minimum qualifications, he/she is sent a letter by the Employee Relations Division informing them that they are no longer being considered for the position.
Entry Level For Law Enforcement Written Examination
Applicants must take the State of Wisconsin Entry Level For Law Enforcement Written Examination. Wisconsin Personnel Partners administers the test. This test meets the requirements of the State of Wisconsin Civil Service code.
Applicants may select from fourteen testing sites offered throughout the State of Wisconsin to take this examination. Selection of the testing site is accomplished by marking the appropriate box on the first page of the Deputy Sheriff Application. Test sites include: Ashland, Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, Green Bay, Kenosha, LaCrosse, Madison, Milwaukee, Platteville, Rhinelander, Rice Lake, Superior, Wausau, and Wisconsin Rapids.
Wisconsin Personnel Partners receives applicant names from the Dane County Employee Relations Division. The Employee Relations Division checks to see if the applicant has taken this examination within the previous six months. In the event the applicant has taken this exam within the previous six months, Wisconsin Personnel Partners will send the applicant a letter informing him/her that their previous score will be used. If the applicant has not taken this examination within the previous six months Wisconsin Personnel Partners will send the applicant a letter informing him/her of the test date, time, and location.
Once the applicant has completed the test, Wisconsin Personnel Partners grades the test. The Dane County Employee Relations Division then asks for a group of names comprising the top scores. Only the names of those applicants who comprise the top scores are sent to the Dane County Employee Relations Division.
Application Screening
The Dane County Employee Relations Division, upon receiving the list of top scores, forwards these applications to the Sheriff's Office.
The applications of the top candidates are received by the Director of Training and Planning for the Sheriff's Office. The Director of Training and Planning assembles an Application Screening Committee.
The Application Screening Committee "reviews" each individual candidate's application. Scoring criteria consists of but is not limited to: records checks (e.g. motor vehicle traffic violation record, prior law enforcement convictions), educational background, work experience, qualification statement, and credit history record.
The list of eligible candidates is reduced to fifty to sixty individuals by this process. Individuals selected to continue in the application and selection process are contacted by the Employee Relations Division and scheduled for the Civil Service Oral Examination. Individuals not selected to continue in the application and selection process are contacted by the Employee Relations Division and informed that they are no longer being considered for the position.
Oral Interview
Applicants selected to continue by the Application Screen Committee are contacted by the Dane County Employee Relations Division and scheduled for this oral interview. Individual applicants are asked a series of questions prepared by the Dane County Sheriff's Office. Each candidate is asked the same series of questions. The oral interview panel evaluates the candidate’s response to each question. Upon the conclusion of this oral interview process, individual applicants are ranked from first to last based on his/her responses to the examination questions.
The oral interview panel may be comprised of members of the Dane County Sheriff's Office, Supervisors from other law enforcement agencies, professors who instruct law enforcement related courses, etc...The Director of Training and Planning for the Sheriff's Office is generally a member of this panel. Examination questions and scoring criteria are developed by the Dane County Sheriff's Office. In addition, the candidate may be asked additional question(s) by a panel member(s) based on his/her application or based on a response that the candidate gives to one of the prepared examination questions.
Background Investigation
Background investigations will be conducted based on ranking and curent openings. This investigation includes but is not limited to financial records checks, a criminal history check, and an in-home interview with the Deputy Sheriff applicant.
This step of the hiring and selection process is considered to be "pass / fail." Individual candidates are not ranked in this step. If an individual candidate fails the Background Investigation he/she will be contacted by the Dane County Sheriff's Office and informed that he/she in no longer being considered for employment.
Tentative Offer Of Employment
Providing the candidate passes the Background Investigation, he/she will be offered "Tentative Employment" as a Deputy Sheriff. This offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of both the Psychological and Medical Assessments.
Psychological Assessment
Providing the candidate accepts the offer of employment he/she will be scheduled to take the Psychological Assessment. This step of the process consists of the individual candidate taking the "Minnesota Multiphaseic Personality Inventory" (MMPI). The Dane County Sheriff's Office will contact the candidate and schedule him/her for this assessment. The MMPI is administered at the Dane County Sheriff's Office, located at 115 West Doty Street, Madison, WI 53703. The test takes approximately three hours to complete.
The completed assessment is sent to a registered psychologist who assesses the responses the candidate provided. The psychologist then provides a professional analysis of the candidate's MMPI to the Sheriff's Office. The psychologist may require a personal interview with the candidate based on the candidate's responses. This is a common occurrence and should not be a cause of concern for the individual candidate.
The Psychological Assessment is "pass / fail." If an individual candidate fails the Psychological Assessment he/she is contacted by the Dane County Sheriff's Office and informed that he/she in no longer being considered for employment.
Medical Assessment
Once the candidate has successfully completed the Psychological Assessment he/she is contacted by the Sheriff's Office and scheduled to participate in a Medical Assessment. This is not a physical fitness test. The Medical Assessment consists of the candidate going to a medical facility of the Sheriff's Office choosing and submitting to urinalysis, blood, physical exertion testing, etc.
The urinalysis and blood tests require that an individual candidate not consume any food for a twenty-four hour period prior to these tests. These tests will look for illegal drug and steroid use among other things.
This Medical Assessment includes, but is not limited to, the following:
- History And Examination
- Expanded health history, respiratory and hearing questionnaires
- pressure, pulse, respirations, height, weight,
- vision screening (visual acuity, with and without correction, color, depth perception and peripheral vision) and tetanus immunization status.
- Special Tests
- Threshold audiogram
- Spirometry
- Treadmill Functional Capacity Test with ECG
- Flexibility, strength and body composition assessment included.
(Note: The treadmill assessment will be conducted as above unless certain cardiovascular risk factor components are identified. In that event, authorization will be requested for physician-conducted stress test.)
- Laboratory
- Complete Blood Count
- Occupational chemistry panel
- Urinalysis
- Drug Panel
- Rubella Titer
- RPR (Syphilis)
- Immunizations
- skin test
- Tetanus booster (every ten years)
- MMR as necessary
- Other Tests As Clinically Indicated By Exam, Age or History
- Chest X-ray
- Back X-ray
- Tonometry (if 35 years or older or positive family history for glaucoma)
- Hemocult x3 (for individuals 45 years or older or positive family history of colorectal cancer)
- Measles Titer
- Pap smear (females)
Detailed orthopedic or cardiovascular examinations, additional visual testing or such testing, as pulmonary function studies will occur at the request of the employer based on physician examination or testing results.
Each result is compared to the national average for the same test based on the candidate's age, sex, and race. If the candidate's scores are equal to or above the national average, the candidate passes. If the candidate's scores are slightly below the national average the situation will be considered on a case-by-case basis. If the candidate is significantly below the national average than the candidate has failed the physical portion of the Medical Assessment.
This step in the process is "pass / fail." If an individual candidate fails the Medical Assessment he/she is contacted by the Dane County Sheriff's Office and informed that he/she is no longer being considered for employment.
Start Date
Providing the candidate successfully completed the Medical Assessment he/she is offered a start date to begin their employment as a Dane County Deputy Sheriff. The Dane County Sheriff's Office selects a start date for a successful applicant based on the person's specific situation.
Deputy Sheriffs employed by Dane County are required to attend the Basic Law Enforcement Recruit Academy and the Basic Jail Officers School if they don't already possess these certifications. The Sheriff's Office currently contracts with Madison Area Technical College (MATC) to provide this training. In general, the Sheriff's Office will offer a start date one week prior to the beginning of a MATC Recruit Academy or Jail School. The actual start date is dependent on the candidate’s individual situation. For instance, if the candidate has already attend the Recruit Academy, then their start date would be approximately one week prior to the beginning of Jail School. If the candidate has already attend the Jail School and not the Recruit Academy, a start date approximately one week prior to the Recruit Academy is selected.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q. If hired, what will be my first assignment?
- A. Newly hired Deputy Sheriffs are assigned to work in the Security Services Division (Jail).
- A. Newly hired Deputy Sheriffs are assigned to work in the Security Services Division (Jail).
- Q. How long is a Deputy Sheriff assigned to work Security Services (jail) before being eligible to work other assignments?
- A. A new employee may be assigned to work in the Security Services Division on a full time basis approximately five years, at this point.
- A. A new employee may be assigned to work in the Security Services Division on a full time basis approximately five years, at this point.
- Q. Must a candidate for the position of Deputy Sheriff have State of Wisconsin Law Enforcement Academy certification to be hired?
- A. No. A candidate is eligible to be hired as a Deputy Sheriff without possessing a State of Wisconsin Basic Law Enforcement Recruit Academy certification.
- A. No. A candidate is eligible to be hired as a Deputy Sheriff without possessing a State of Wisconsin Basic Law Enforcement Recruit Academy certification.
- Q. What type of special teams/units does the Dane County Sheriff's Office operate?
- Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) - One of six law enforcement EOD teams in the State - 7 members
- Tactical Response Team (TRT) also know as SWAT
- K-9 Unit - 6 members (3 patrol, 1 explosive, 1 narcotics, 1 search and rescue)
- Scuba Dive Team - 6 members
- Hostage Negotiations Team - 8 members
- Honor Guard - number of members varies
- Q. How do I become eligible to serve on a special team?
- A. Members of each of the special teams (Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Tactical Response Team, K-9 Team, Scuba Dive Team, Hostage Negotiation Team, and Honor Guard) are selected on merit and qualifications. In order to apply for special team status an individual Deputy Sheriff must have at least two years employment with the Sheriff's Office. Depending on which special team a Deputy is applying for successful candidates may need to perform written test(s), physical agility test(s), weapon(s) qualification(s), and/or an interview process(es).
- A. Members of each of the special teams (Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Tactical Response Team, K-9 Team, Scuba Dive Team, Hostage Negotiation Team, and Honor Guard) are selected on merit and qualifications. In order to apply for special team status an individual Deputy Sheriff must have at least two years employment with the Sheriff's Office. Depending on which special team a Deputy is applying for successful candidates may need to perform written test(s), physical agility test(s), weapon(s) qualification(s), and/or an interview process(es).
- Q. What type of education and experience does the typical successful Deputy Sheriff applicant possess?
- A. This is a very difficult question to answer directly. It depends on which selection process the specific candidate is involved in and the qualifications of the other candidates involved in that process. In general, the successful candidate possesses, at a minimum, 60 college credits or an Associates Degree and some work experience relative to the duties of a law enforcement official.
- A. This is a very difficult question to answer directly. It depends on which selection process the specific candidate is involved in and the qualifications of the other candidates involved in that process. In general, the successful candidate possesses, at a minimum, 60 college credits or an Associates Degree and some work experience relative to the duties of a law enforcement official.
- Q. How may times do I need to travel to Wisconsin during the application and selection process?
- A. A successful candidate must travel to the State of Wisconsin a minimum of three times. First, the candidate must take the Entry Level For Law Enforcement Officer Examination. Second, the candidate must participate in the Dane County Sheriff's Office Oral Examination. Third and finally, the candidate must pass the Psychological and Medical Assessment. Note: Taking the Psychological and Medical Assessment on the same day makes for a very busy day. However, with enough advanced notice and flexibility on the candidate’s part this can be accomplished.
- If you are a member of the military on active duty, we have a military testing site accomodation. Please contact the Sheriff's Office Training and Planning Bureau for details.
- Q. What does your physical agility test (medical assessment) consist of?
- A. See Medical Assessment section of the Application and Selection Process
- A. See Medical Assessment section of the Application and Selection Process
- Q. How many people do you hire annually?
- A. The Sheriff's Office expects to hire approximately 25-30 Deputy Sheriffs annually depending on openings.
- A. The Sheriff's Office expects to hire approximately 25-30 Deputy Sheriffs annually depending on openings.
- Q. If a candidate has already taken the State of Wisconsin Entry Level For Law Enforcement Examination how does this affect the application and selection process?
- A. It depends on how long ago the candidate actually took the State of Wisconsin Entry Level For Law Enforcement Examination. If the candidate has already taken this test, the State of Wisconsin will not allow the candidate to take the same test for at least six months. If this is the case, the State will simply re-use the score from the previous test (providing it was less than six months ago). If a candidate has already taken this test but it was more than six months ago, the State will allow the candidate to take this test once again.
For questions regarding if a candidate is eligible to take the State of Wisconsin Entry Level For Law Enforcement Examination, you may call Wisconsin Personnel Partners.
- A. It depends on how long ago the candidate actually took the State of Wisconsin Entry Level For Law Enforcement Examination. If the candidate has already taken this test, the State of Wisconsin will not allow the candidate to take the same test for at least six months. If this is the case, the State will simply re-use the score from the previous test (providing it was less than six months ago). If a candidate has already taken this test but it was more than six months ago, the State will allow the candidate to take this test once again.
- Q. What is the State of Wisconsin's educational requirement for Law Enforcement personnel?
- A. The State of Wisconsin requires that all Law Enforcement Officials acquire within five years of the individual's date of hire, a minimum of 60 college credits towards a Bachelors Degree or an Associates Degree from an accredited College, University, and/or Technical College.
- A. The State of Wisconsin requires that all Law Enforcement Officials acquire within five years of the individual's date of hire, a minimum of 60 college credits towards a Bachelors Degree or an Associates Degree from an accredited College, University, and/or Technical College.
- Q. Who is responsible for the cost of the equipment and uniforms?
- A. The employee is responsible for purchasing all the necessary equipment and uniforms. However, newly hired sworn employees are provided with an initial uniform allowance of $400.00. In addition, all Deputy Sheriffs receive $337.50 twice annually for the purpose of purchasing new and/or maintaining uniform and equipment articles.
- A. The employee is responsible for purchasing all the necessary equipment and uniforms. However, newly hired sworn employees are provided with an initial uniform allowance of $400.00. In addition, all Deputy Sheriffs receive $337.50 twice annually for the purpose of purchasing new and/or maintaining uniform and equipment articles.
- Q. How long is the probationary period for a Dane County Deputy Sheriff?
- A. The probationary period for Deputy Sheriffs is two years (24 months) from the individual's date of hire. The time a Deputy Sheriff spends attending the Law Enforcement Recruit Academy (13 weeks), the Basic Jail Officer School (4 weeks), and the Sheriff's Office In-House Jail Training Program (8 weeks) is time counted toward the probationary period. Time spent training comprises approximately 6 1/2 months of the two-year probationary period.
- A. The probationary period for Deputy Sheriffs is two years (24 months) from the individual's date of hire. The time a Deputy Sheriff spends attending the Law Enforcement Recruit Academy (13 weeks), the Basic Jail Officer School (4 weeks), and the Sheriff's Office In-House Jail Training Program (8 weeks) is time counted toward the probationary period. Time spent training comprises approximately 6 1/2 months of the two-year probationary period.
- Q. How long does it take a candidate to be hired?
- A. The average amount of time to be hired as a Deputy Sheriff is approximately seven months.
- A. The average amount of time to be hired as a Deputy Sheriff is approximately seven months.
- Q. How does a candidate study for the Entry Level For Law Enforcement Examination?
- A. There are numerous study guides available to help a candidate prepare for the State of Wisconsin Entry Level for Law Enforcement Examination. One such publication is ARCO - Entry Level For Law Enforcement Examination. This book is located in the reference section of most bookstores and libraries. In addition, many law enforcement magazines publish the advertisements of companies that provide study guides for law enforcement tests.
- A. There are numerous study guides available to help a candidate prepare for the State of Wisconsin Entry Level for Law Enforcement Examination. One such publication is ARCO - Entry Level For Law Enforcement Examination. This book is located in the reference section of most bookstores and libraries. In addition, many law enforcement magazines publish the advertisements of companies that provide study guides for law enforcement tests.
- Q. If a candidate has a question regarding his/her status in the application and selection process who does he/she contact?
- A. For questions regarding an individual's status in the application and selection process for the position of Deputy Sheriff prior to the Dane County Sheriff's Office Oral Examination contact the Employee Relations Division of Dane County at (608) 266-4125 - TDD (608) 266-4529.
For questions regarding an individual's status in the application and selection process for the position of Deputy Sheriff after the Dane County Sheriff's Office Oral Examination contact the Training and Planning Bureau of the Dane County Sheriff's Office at (608) 284-6174.
- A. For questions regarding an individual's status in the application and selection process for the position of Deputy Sheriff prior to the Dane County Sheriff's Office Oral Examination contact the Employee Relations Division of Dane County at (608) 266-4125 - TDD (608) 266-4529.
- Q. If a candidate is currently certified as a law enforcement officer or jail officer in another state does he/she need to attend a Wisconsin Law Enforcement Academy and/or Jail School?
- A. If a candidate already possesses certification from another State, the State of Wisconsin requires that this individual attend only those portions of either the Academy or Jail School that specifically relate to Wisconsin law or procedures.
If the Probationary Deputy is required to attend the entire Law Enforcement Recruit Academy and/or Basic Jail Officers School, the cost of tuition is paid by the Sheriff's Office. In addition, the Probationary Deputy is paid the starting hourly wage for his/her attendance. It is easiest to think of this arrangement as simply: the individual is a Deputy Sheriff and his/her assignment for the day is to attend class as opposed to performing patrol or jail duties. The rate of pay is the same, regardless of assignment.
- A. If a candidate already possesses certification from another State, the State of Wisconsin requires that this individual attend only those portions of either the Academy or Jail School that specifically relate to Wisconsin law or procedures.