Sheriff and Deputy Sheriff Education and Training Program in Pennsylvania

The work of a sheriff involves a lot of law enforcement activities. A police training academy is, therefore, the ideal way to prepare for the job. Some counties might have their own training programs for sheriffs, though most would require you to complete a police training program. This would give you a detailed understanding of the following:

• Use of weapons
• Managing crime scenes
• Procedures for arresting
• Crowd controlling
• High speed driving
• Witness questioning
• Constitutional law

Since the position of a sheriff is a leadership position, you will be required to have some relevant experience before being able to head a complete department. For this, you will need to work as a police officer for a few years before you can apply to become the sheriff of your county. This experience requirement varies from county to county. Some might need only one year of experience as an officer, while others might require at least five years.
Be sure to check if your county or state requires you to have a license or certificate to verify your proficiency as an officer.
Tip: If you get an opportunity to develop your leadership skills, by leading projects or taking on supervisory roles, you should take full advantage of it. These skills and experience will certainly come in handy at later stages.

This is not a requirement in every state or county. However, getting a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree in criminal justice would certainly set you apart from other candidates and improve your job prospects. In addition to that, a higher educational qualification would make the voters feel more confident in your abilities to perform as a sheriff. By taking classes in subjects such as criminology, psychology, writing skills and public speaking, you would be helping yourself set a foundation for your future career. You may also intern at a sheriff’s office while you complete your degree.

Once all your prerequisites have been taken care of, you will need to meet the requirements to run for sheriff in your county. Again, these would vary from county to county, but on a general note, the following requirements would be common to most areas:

• Clear a written exam
• Pass a background check
• Pass an interview
• Clear a physical fitness exam

Make sure you have completed your entire application package and meet all the necessary requirements before filing. Be mindful of the deadline to apply in your county.

The campaigning would be the most important part of the whole process. This would be the do-or-die part of becoming a sheriff. Have a complete plan ready of how you plan on going about it, and gather a big enough team to get your message across. Give interviews, distribute fliers and get ads printed in the newspaper to spread your message to the residents.

If you win, you will be required to take an oath of loyalty, sign a contract and begin your four-year long term as the sheriff of your county. Some counties have sheriffs for shorter terms as well, but by-and-large, four years is a standard, after which you may go for re-election.