Human Resource Services
Alameda Skyline

Sheriff's Service Cadet (SAN)

Recruitment #18-9999-02

Introduction

WHAT IS A SHERIFF'S SERVICE CADET?

The Sheriff's Service Cadet is a law enforcement apprenticeship program that offers a wide variety of entry level support and paraprofessional work assignments to young adults.  This program provides qualified men and women a chance to experience the challenges and personal rewards of a career in law enforcement.  With an array of assignments that rotate through a variety of divisions, the Cadets are exposed to many aspects of law enforcement within the Sheriff's Office.

Assigned Cadet Posts

Positions in the Sheriff’s Service Cadet Class will complete rotational assignments in the following Sheriff’s Office Departments:

·       Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Is responsible for preparing Alameda County to respond efficiently and effectively to emergencies.

·       Eden Township Substation, Youth and Family Services Bureau – Activities of YFSB involve community outreach and the delivery of psychotherapeutic and related services to high-risk youth and their families.

·       Animal Services – The primary functions of this unit include operating a shelter in East Alameda County, and providing field services to the City of Dublin and unincorporated parts of Alameda County.

·       Coroner’s Bureau/Crime Laboratory – Staff in these units utilize specialized forensic science methods to determine cause of death and interpret evidence from criminal case investigations.

·       Warrants, Records & Dispatch – Responsible for processing, tracking and storing incident reports; maintaining information in law enforcement databases; Dispatchers serve as first responders to 911 emergency and non-emergency calls on a 24 hour basis.

·       Regional Training Center – Accredited facility that provides public safety and law enforcement training including peace officer basic academy.

·       Detention & Corrections: Santa Rita Jail – County correctional facility that houses approximately 2,000 male and female prisoners.

 

*APPLICATION PROCESS – PLEASE READ*

IMPORTANT:  Please follow the application process as provided on the 2018 Sheriff’s Service Cadet Brochure.  As instructed in the brochure, applicants must complete an Alameda County Application Template.  In addition to a completed hard copy of the application, applicants must also submit a hard copy of the Sheriff's Service Cadet Supplemental Questionnaire.  Completed forms must be submitted to via email or fax to:  Alysia Evans, AEvans@acgov.org, Fax (510) 208-9868.

DESCRIPTION

SHERIFF'S SERVICE CADET (SAN)

Under the direct supervision of Sheriff’s Office Management or sworn Supervisory staff, Sheriff’s Service Cadets perform a wide variety of entry level support and paraprofessional law enforcement duties in a learning capacity; assist and observe sworn and non-sworn personnel in the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) and perform related duties as assigned.

In this limited duration, non-sworn (unarmed) position, Sheriff’s Service Cadets learn and gain additional experience in preparation for a career in law enforcement. Incumbents in this trainee-level classification are always temporarily appointed, and work on a Services-As-Needed (SAN) basis (not to exceed 960 hours per fiscal year), while attending an accredited college or university to earn a degree in Criminal Justice or a closely related field; or while attending a specific training program to be eligible to take a California P.O.S.T. basic certification exam.

Positions in this class are temporary in nature and appointments to this class will be terminated once the incumbent either:

a) graduates from college
b) satisfactorily completes an assigned training program
c) obtains applicable P.O.S.T. certification
d) finishes 3 years of service as a Sheriff’s Service Cadet.

For more detailed information about the job classification, visit:  Sheriff's Service Cadet SAN (#8751N)

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

EITHER I 

Education: 

Graduation from high school or possession of an acceptable equivalency certificate, such as the General Educational Development Certificate (State of California). 

OR II 
Education: 

Current enrollment (minimum of 6 quarter units/9 semester units), and good academic standing, in an accredited college or university Criminal Justice program or closely related field; or, current enrollment in specific training to be eligible to take a California State P.O.S.T. certification examination. 

AND 
Experience: 

At least three (3) consecutive months of volunteer or paid work experience, within the last 3 years, at a law enforcement agency or department which includes public contact (i.e. Explorer or Police Cadet). 

Special Requirements: 

License: 

Valid California State Motor Vehicle Operator’s License by the time of appointment to Sheriff’s Service Cadet. 

Age: 

Must be at least 18 years of age at the time of appointment to Sheriff’s Service Cadet. 

Physical Requirements: 

• Hearing must be normal in each ear. 
• Using both eyes, must have far vision of at least 20/100 without glasses, correctable to 20/20 with glasses. Must be free from color blindness and permanent abnormality in either eye. 

Other Requirements: 

• Must be able to travel to various locations within Alameda County to meet program needs and to fulfill job responsibilities 
• Must be available to work irregular duty assignments including weekends and evenings. 
• Cadets assigned to certain work locations must successfully complete training relevant to that assignment and will be subject to rotation of assignments. 
• Will be required to wear a uniform. 
• Must pass a thorough background investigation. 

NOTE: The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination. 

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

The most suitably qualified candidates will possess the following competencies: 

Knowledge of: 

• Basic law enforcement terminology and concepts 
• Proper English usage including spelling, grammar and punctuation 
• Basic mathematics 
• Principles and practices of modern office filing, methods, equipment and procedures 


Ability to: 

• Learn the organizational structure and functions of the Sheriff’s Office 
• Learn and apply laws, ordinances, policies, practices and methods relevant to the duties or functions being performed 
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing 
• Learn how to access and utilize various computer databases, and make accurate and specific data entries 
• Understand and carry out oral and written directions 
• Work courteously with the general public in person and digitally 
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work 
• Practice sound judgment on a daily basis, and in emergency or critical situations 
• Problem solve quickly by performing deductive and inductive reasoning 

EXAMINATION COMPONENTS

EXAMINATION STEPS:
1.  A review of candidates' application and supplemental questionnaire to verify possession of minimum requirements. Supplemental questionnaires will be used to screen for best qualified candidates.  See the "Application Process" found under the Introduction of this bulletin.  The most highly qualified candidates will move on to the next step in the examination process.
2.  An Oral Board interview (DATE TBD) which will be weighted as 100% of the candidates' final examination score.  The oral interview may contain situational exercises.
3.  Candidates who pass the Oral Board interview will be referred into the backgrounds process.
4.  Candidates who successfully complete all application, interview, and background processes will be assigned to a position as vacancies arise.

*WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ANNOUNCED RECRUITMENT & SELECTION PLAN*

Alameda County is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. Women, minorities and military veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. Applicants will be considered without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, or any other non-job-related factor.

Conclusion

All notices related to County recruitments for which you have applied will be sent/delivered via email. Please add @acgov.org and alamedacountyHR@acgov.org as accepted addresses to any email blocking or spam filtering program you may use. If you do not do this, your email blocking or spam filtering program may block receipt of the notices regarding your application for recruitments. You are also strongly advised to regularly log into your County of Alameda online application account to check for notices that may have been sent to you. All email notices that will be sent to you will also be kept in your personal online application account. You will be able to view all of your notices in your online application account by clicking on the 'My applications' button on the Current Job Openings page.

Please take the steps recommended above to insure you do not miss any notices about a recruitment for which you have applied. The County of Alameda is not responsible for notices that are not read, received or accessed by any applicant for a County recruitment. 

NOTE: All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box alamedacountyHR@acgov.org are routed to an unmonitored mailbox. If you have questions please go to our website at www.acgov.org/hrs. You may also contact the Human Resources Analyst listed on the bulletin for the recruitment for which you have applied. 

Elaine Lemi | Human Resources Analyst
Human Resource Services Division | County of Alameda 
(510) 272-6434
www.acgov.org/hrs