North Dakota’s 53 elected sheriffs perform their law and order responsibilities under the umbrella of the North Dakota Sheriff’s & Deputies Association. If you want to have a career in this field in the Peace Garden State, the information in this piece will help.

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Requirements to Become a Sheriff in North Dakota

The criteria mentioned below must be met if you aspire to become a sheriff in North Dakota.

  • Must have reached a minimum age of 18.
  • Must be a high school diploma holder. If not, then the equivalent GED certificate will work too.
  • Should be a legal citizen of the United States, whether through birth on American soil or naturalization.
  • Must fulfill all county residency requirements to be eligible to contest sheriff elections.

    *The conditions listed above apply generally to North Dakota as a whole. However, because “sheriff” is a county-level post, all counties set their own eligibility standards. So, make sure that you have the exact eligibility information of your chosen county when setting your course for the sheriff’s office.
     

Roadmap for a Sheriff in North Dakota

Take the steps outlined below to become a North Dakota sheriff.

Step 1:

Train at the police academy. There may be a few counties where sheriff-specific law enforcement training is provided. If your county offers such a program, then you should go for it.

Step 2:

Work as an officer after completion of police academy training. You will have to serve in this capacity for some time to gain the required law enforcement experience as per the conditions laid down by your preferred county. It may be for 1 year, 5 years, more than 5 years or anything in between.

Step 3:

Undertake courses in higher education. You are not bound to do so but having a better educational portfolio will certainly give you a better chance of becoming a sheriff.

Step 4:

Qualify the written examination, interview, physical tests and all investigation into your background.

Step 5:

Submit your candidacy to your chosen county to enter the fray for the sheriff elections.

Step 6:

Run your campaign in a convincing manner by making voters understand why you are the best person for the job.

Step 7:

Grab enough votes to become the sheriff of your county.

North Dakota Sheriff Timeline

It can take you anywhere between 3 to 7 years or even more to become a sheriff in North Dakota. You will be spending some time training at the police academy and will then serve as an officer for a few years to gain law enforcement experience. The number of years you do so will depend on your chosen county.

Salary of a North Dakota Sheriff

As recorded by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, North Dakota’s First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives were paid $84,060 in annual mean wage (as of May, 2018). All county sheriffs are compensated really well because they are practically running a department responsible for law and order.