LATERAL ENTRY DEPUTY SHERIFF
Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office

OPENINGS
Cowlitz County Civil Service is continually accepting applications for lateral entry Deputy Sheriff.  Application packets are available at the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office, located in the Hall of Justice at 312 SW First Ave, Kelso, WA.  You can print or download the application here (each link will open a new window):

1. Announcement                                                

2. Instructions

3. Initial Application(pdf)                                                      

4. Physical Agility Standards(pdf)

5. Hold Harmless Agreement

6. Conclusion

NATURE OF THE WORK
This is first-line duty in the protection of life and property. Deputies work to enforce laws and ordinances, preserve the peace, apprehend criminals, control non-criminal conduct and provide services to the community. Deputies must recognize the social importance of the police function, be tactful and courteous in their contacts with the public, and conscientiously and efficiently perform their duties with minimal supervision.

Deputies work a rotating schedule of four ten-and-one-half (10.5) days and are assigned their own patrol vehicles.

Starting salary for lateral deputies is based upon length of previous law enforcement experience. 

LATERAL ENTRY QUALIFICATIONS
A lateral entry applicant must: be a United States citizen, possess a valid driver’s license, and be at least 21 years of age. Applicants must have successfully completed a law enforcement academy recognized by the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC) and served as a full-time, paid, general authority peace officer with full arrest authority for at least twelve (12) consecutive months.  Applicants must have successfully completed all probation periods, and not have separated from service for more than twelve (12) months.

Lateral entry applications may be submitted at any time.  These applications are placed on an "eligible list".  That list expires along with the entry level applications, so lateral applicants should inquire about expiration dates.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
Applicants must have a high school diploma or possess a GED equivalency certificate. (Civil Service Rule 5 Section 5.3)

TESTING
Following satisfactory completion of the lateral entry scoring sheet, the applicant must consent and agree to submit to the following additional examinations:

1. Personal History questionnaire

2. Fingerprint and criminal history search

3. Personal background investigation

4. Polygraph

5. Psychological examination

6. Medical examination

7. Physical ability test

The Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women, minorities and English/Spanish bilingual persons are encouraged to apply.

This information was last updated on Thursday, August 26, 2010
If you have job application questions, you can call us at (360) 577-3092 
or e-mail us at Sheriff@co.cowlitz.wa.us.