1. Applicants must meet the minimum requirement for sworn entry-level positions, as outlined in F.S.S. 943;
2. Be at least 19 years of age.
3. Be a citizen of the United States or authorized to work.
4. Be a high school graduate or equivalent
5. Not have been convicted of any felony or of a misdemeanor involving perjury or false statement. Any person who, after July 1, 1981, pleads guilty or nolo contendere to, or is found guilty of a felony, or of a misdemeanor involving perjury or a false statement, shall not be eligible for employment or appointment as an officer, not-withstanding suspension of sentence or withholding of adjudication.
6. Never have received a dishonorable discharge from any of the Armed Forces of the United States.
7. Have been fingerprinted by the employing agency with prints processed by the FDLE and the FBI.
8. Have passed a physical examination by a licensed physician.
9. Have good moral character, as defined by CJSTC.
10. Completed an Affidavit of Applicant form CJSTC-68.
11. Successfully passed a background investigation: to include medical screening and drug testing.
12. Successfully completed the Florida Basic Recruit Training Program for the respective discipline, or equivalent.
13. Achieve a passing score on the State Officer Certification Examination (Except for Auxiliary Officer Certification Examination)
14. Complied with mandatory retraining for continuing training or education requirements.
15. Original certified birth certificate (Birth registration cards issued by a state health department are acceptable)
16. DD Form 214 Number 4, or verification of service from the Department of Defense, if the applicant has served in the armed forces
17. Complete and sign an Affidavit of Applicant, CJSTC Form 68.

Upon submission of the online application, a representative of Human Resources Section will review the application to ensure all information is provide and notate any discrepancies or areas for clarification. The applicant will then be contacted to provide any additional supporting documentation needed (original birth certificates, driver’s licenses, transcripts, and other legal documents must be verified in person by the HR Representative). The applicant will then be scheduled for an in-person application review and must correct errors and deficiencies in the application. The applicant will then be provided the necessary Physician’s Clearance to Test form in order to move forward in the hiring process and prepare for the PAT. This will be the applicant’s opportunity to correct the application prior to the computerized voice stress analysis (CVSA). Falsification, error, omission, misstatement, misrepresentation of information on the application may disqualify the applicant from the selection process. The Human Resources representative will ask all applicants directly about previous misconduct during reviews. 

 Applicants must meet specific standards. The applicant will be provided information on all elements of the selection process, including the expected duration of the process (time varies based on needs of the agency and available resources) and opportunities for retesting.

Certain positions may require the applicant to demonstrate the possession of specialized skills, i.e. typing, computer programming, dispatching, transcribing, etc.

Effective June 1, 2015, The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office will accept applications from applicants who do smoke or use tobacco products. The applicant, if hired, will sign an agreement agreeing to cease all use and future use of tobacco products within the first year of employment. Violation of this agreement will result in termination of employment.

An applicant’s history of arrest and/or an applicant’s past history of activity that was illegal at the time of that activity will be reviewed on an individual basis, taking into consideration the applicant’s age at the time of the activity, the activity itself and the position that is being applied for, as well as the applicable current laws pertaining to employment.

Applicants applying for a position that include driving an agency vehicle must possess a current and valid Florida driver’s license. In addition, no applicant, during the sixty (60) months prior to the date of application, will have:

1. Had their driver’s license suspended more than twice for nonpayment of insurance or for nonpayment of traffic fines.
2. Had their driver’s license suspended or revoked more than once for traffic violations, except as stated above.
3. Been convicted of, or pled guilty or nolo contendere to, “Fleeing” or “Attempting to Elude” a police officer, as defined in F.S.S. 316.1935
4. Been convicted of, or pled guilty or nolo contendere to, “Driving Under the Influence” as defined in F.S.S. 316.193, more than once, or within 5 years of applying.
5.  Accumulated more than 12 points on their driver’s license during the 36 months prior to the date of application or have a driving record that demonstrates repeated offenses and flagrant disregard for traffic laws. All points received during the application process must be reported immediately to the Human Resources Section.

Applicants for sworn positions must sign an affidavit affirming they have no convictions, current injunctions for domestic violence or prohibitions to firearms possession.

A trained investigator will conduct background investigations on all applicants in accordance with CJSTC guidelines. Background investigations will consist of:

1. Employment History
2. Arrest Record
3. Driving Record
4. Finger Print Record
5. Military Records
6. Personal References
7. Neighborhood Check
8. Other inquiries into an applicant’s background may be conducted when necessary to properly evaluate the applicant’s qualifications and suitability for employment with this agency.

Applicants who meet the basic eligibility requirements will appear before an Oral Review Board. Oral interview questions will be job-related and non-discriminatory. A representative from Human Resources will attend all interviews and provide brief training to board members regarding the interview process. This is a two-part interview (interviews can be same day or separate days).

Applicants will be subjected to a battery of tests during the selection process. The tests will be as follows:

1. Physical Ability: Applicants for sworn positions will be administered a job related physical abilities test. This test will conform to CJSTC and FDLE standards and be nondiscriminatory.
2. Truth Detecting Examination: All applicants will be given a truth detection examination administered by a trained and certified examiner. The examination will be conducted by the use of a CVSA or polygraph instrument.

Following a conditional offer of employment, applicants for sworn positions must pass a psychological examination. The exam will be conducted by a local mental health professional and will be job-related and nondiscriminatory in nature. Failure to pass the psychological exam will be grounds for withdrawal of the conditional offer of employment. Applicants who do not pass the psychological examination may reapply after twelve (12) months.

Following a conditional offer of employment, applicants will be required to pass a medical examination, which will be conducted by a licensed physician designated by the agency. The examination will conform to FDLE standards as specified by Florida State Statute 943. Applicants for Support Staff positions will be required to submit to a regular physical examination. “Contract employees” are required to have a medical screening prior to their job assignments.

The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office maintains a drug-free workplace. The agency does not permit the usage of marijuana or cannabidiol (CBD) products with a THC content over .3%, even if the individual is registered as a medical marijuana patient.

Following a conditional offer of employment, applicants will be required to undergo a urinalysis test to detect illegal drug use. A medical laboratory designated by the agency will conduct the screening. Indication of current illegal drug use will be grounds for withdrawal of the conditional offer of employment.

Once an applicant has successfully completed all phases of the selection process, and has been selected for appointment, the Human Resources Section will schedule the applicant for in-processing, a start date and make all necessary arrangements to prepare the applicant for duty.

A Deputy Sheriff is issued complete sets of uniforms to include dress uniforms and training uniforms, etc. A Patrol vehicle will be assigned, consisting of either a Charger, Explorer, Tahoe or a Pickup. A Glock 17 with state of the art Trijicon red dot sights. AR-15 with suppressor. Duty gear belt with less lethal equipment, cuffs, ammo, bodycam, portable radio and more. Sheriff Johnson consistently seeks to provide a balance between high tech, safe and fiscally responsible equipment.