WE ARE NOT ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR RESERVE POSITIONS AT THIS TIME

Overview

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office Reserve Deputy Program is made up of citizens that volunteer their time to assist the Sheriff's Office in making Douglas County a safer and more enjoyable place to live and visit. Many Reserve Deputies go on to become full time law enforcement officers after discovering what a rewarding experience it is to serve their community.

Reserves are classified as basic, intermediate or advanced depending upon training, experience and other qualifying factors.

Reserve Deputy Sheriff Qualifications

• United States citizenship
• Must be at least 21 years of age at the time of hire
• Must possess a high school diploma or GED
• Physical Examination. All law enforcement officers and applicants must be examined by a licensed physician or surgeon and be in excellent mental and physical health

Disqualifiers

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office has determined that there are some past and present behaviors that will determine that an applicant is not desirable for our agency. Applicants who have past or current behavior as listed below will not be considered for employment:

• Alcohol Use - Current alcohol abuse is prohibited
• Drug Use- The following examples of illegal drug use or possession will be automatic disqualifiers for public safety applicants, with no exceptions:
  • Any adult use or possession of a drug classified as a hallucinogenic within ten years prior to application for employment
  • Any adult use or possession of marijuana within three years prior to application for employment
  • Any other illegal adult use or possession of a drug not mentioned above (including cocaine) within ten years prior to application for employment
  • Any other illegal adult use or possession of a drug while employed in any law enforcement capacity, military police, or as a student enrolled in college-accredited courses related to the criminal justice field
  • Any adult manufacture or cultivation of a drug or illegal substance
  • Failure to divulge to the Department any information about personal illegal use or possession of drugs
  • Any drug test of the applicant, during the course of the hiring process, where illegal drugs are detected
  • The following examples of illegal drug use or possession will be considered in relationship to the overall background of that individual and may result in disqualification:
  • Any illegal use or possession of a drug as a juvenile
  • Any illegal adult use or possession of a drug that does not meet the criteria of the automatic disqualifiers specified above (e.g, marijuana use longer than three years ago or cocaine use longer than ten years ago.)
  • Any illegal or unauthorized use of prescription medications
• Discharge from Another Agency - Being discharged from another agency (probationary or for cause) within the last three years.
• Felony Criminal Activity - Any conviction of a felony and the commission of a serious detected or undetected felony.
• Domestic Violence - Any conviction of a crime involving domestic violence.
• Controlled Substance - Conviction for possession or manufacturing of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute.
• Traffic/Driving - Inability to be insured to drive a motor vehicle, failure to possess a valid drivers license, and inability to be licensed to drive a motor vehicle.
• Government - Membership or participation in any organization advocating the violent overthrow of the government of the United States.
• Discrepancies - misrepresentation, misinformation, misleading, inaccurate, untruthful, or distorted information provided on the Background Questionnaire or during any part of the selection process.
• Appointments - Failure to keep an appointment at any step of the hiring process without the prior approval of the Sheriff's Office.
• Selection - Failure to pass any step of the selection process or meet the minimum standards of the position.
• Change - Failure to notify the office of a change in current address and/or telephone number.
• Moral - The applicant must be of good moral character and behavior.
• Other - Behaviors which do not necessarily reach the level of severity of the disqualifiers listed above, but may still be a basis for rejection after consideration of each case on its individual merits.

Selection Process

This process is designed to identify applicants who possess the ability and integrity required to be a law enforcement officer with our agency.

• Interview with Sheriff or Designee
• Oral Board Interview
• ORPAT (Oregon Physical Agility Testing) - This course simulates chasing a suspect, the struggle with a suspect, and the carrying of the suspect. The course must be completed in a time of 5 minutes and 57 seconds or less. This is a 1/4-mile obstacle course consisting of:
  • Balancing
  • Climbing
  • Crawling
  • Dragging
  • Falling
  • Jumping
  • Pulling
  • Pushing
  • Running
• Physical Examination
• Pre-Screen Interview - An interview to determine if an applicant is likely to fail a background. This process helps to screen out any immediately disqualifying factors that an applicant may have.
• Psychological Examination
• Thorough Background Investigation
• Written Exam - Reading, writing, and math exercises.

Reserve Deputy Sheriff Training

Upon appointment, reserve deputies will work with the Reserve Deputy Coordinator, and other full time deputies on the department, to ensure they receive proper training in use of force, firearms, defensive tactics, Oregon law and all other aspects of the job.

If you are interested in becoming a Douglas County Reserve Deputy Sheriff, you will work with other deputies who have made it through this intensive hiring and training process. All Reserve Deputies are required have either successfully completed a law enforcement training academy or complete the Umpqua Community College Police Reserve Academy within one year of hire at their own expense.

More Information

If you would like more information on the reserve deputy program, please email Sergeant Brad O'Dell, the Reserve Coordinator or call at 541-440-4464.