Deputy Sheriff Pool - 2026

Law Enforcement Officer

Performs general duty law enforcement work in protecting the lives, property, and rights of citizens in the county, in serving a variety of civil court papers, and in serving all subpoenas and a variety of criminal papers in the Guilford County Sheriff's Department.

An employee in this class performs a variety of law enforcement duties on an assigned shift. Work is derived from the requirement to protect life and property, to conduct initial investigations in an assigned zone of the county, to patrol in an official vehicle to deter crimes, and to apprehend violators or suspects. Duties may include: serving criminal court papers such as warrants and subpoenas; receiving and serving civil process papers such as civil and magistrate summons, subpoenas, notice of rights, and court orders. The employee is subject to the usual hazards of law enforcement. Considerable tact, firmness and courtesy are required in serving the public. The employee is expected to exercise alertness and independent judgement in dealing with unusual situations. Work is performed in accordance with established policies and procedures of the Sheriff's Department and is evaluated by a superior for adherence to departmental policies through observation, conferences, and review of records and reports, and for the effectiveness of assigned duties.

Essential Duties and Tasks

• Patrols an assigned zone of the county to detect and deter crime; responds to citizen calls for assistance; conducts preliminary investigations of crimes and complaints; makes arrests and transports prisoners; testifies in court concerning enforcement and investigative activities; participates in special investigations; explains law to citizens; and maintains records of patrol and investigative activities.
• Serves criminal papers such as warrants, subpoenas, notices of hearing, orders of forfeiture, and commitment papers; locates people to serve papers on, explains briefly the meaning of papers served, and makes arrests when necessary.
• Serves civil process papers such as civil summons, magistrate summons, notice of rights, subpoenas, and court orders dealing with child support, child custody, and domestic violence; explains briefly the meaning of papers served and remains on the scene after serving certain civil papers until the civil process is completed.
• Participates in surveillance and stake out duties; assists with raids and searches.
• Cooperates with other law enforcement officers of other governmental units in conducting investigations and making arrests.
• Performs related work as required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Working knowledge of the operations, functions, procedures, and legal processes of the Sheriff's Department.
• Working knowledge of the criminal and civil papers issued by the courts and the practices involved in serving them.
• Working knowledge of county, state, and federal laws relative to civil and criminal procedures.
• Working knowledge of the content and purposes of legal papers and the practices involved in serving them.
• Considerable knowledge of the operation of two-way radio equipment and related FCC regulations.
• Working knowledge of the geographical layout of the county as to location of roads, important buildings, and other landmarks.
• Skill in the use of firearms and other law enforcement equipment.
• Ability to exercise sound judgement in emergency and routing situations and to adopt quick, effective, and reasonable courses of action.
• Ability to speak clearly, distinctly, and politely.
• Ability to deal tactfully and courteously with the public.
• Ability to prepare and maintain clerical records.

Minimum Qualifications

High school graduation or equivalent and demonstrated work experience to perform job duties, such as experience in local or federal law enforcement, military police, or other law enforcement settings; OR graduation from an associate degree program with emphasis in criminal justice or related field; OR graduation from an accredited four-year college or university. Preferred: Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET). Note: Applicants must attach a copy conferred degree or an unofficial transcript to their application before submitting. Failure to include this documentation may result in the delay of your application process. An official transcript will be required no later than the date of hire.

You can easily determine whether you meet the Guilford County Sheriff's Office's illegal drug policy by answering the following questions:

1. Have you used marijuana at all within the last year?
2. Have you used any other illegal drug (including anabolic steroids) at all in the past 10 years?
3. Have you ever sold, distributed, manufactured, or transported any illegal drug?
4. Have you ever used any prescription drug or used a legally obtainable substance in a manner for which it was not intended within the past three years (36 months)?

*If you answered "Yes" to any of these questions, you are not suitable for employment with the Guilford County Sheriff's Office.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions

An employee in this position must be able to physically perform the basic life operational functions of climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, reaching, standing, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, fingering, grasping, feeling, talking, hearing, and repetitive motions. Additionally, the employee must be able to perform heavy work exerting up to 100 pounds of force occasionally and/or in excess of 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or in excess of 20 pounds of force constantly to lift objects. The employee is required to have visual acuity to determine the accuracy, neatness, and thoroughness of the work assigned. Employee is subject to both environmental conditions (activities occur inside and outside), extreme cold (temperatures below 32 degrees for periods of more than one hour), and extreme heat (temperatures above 100 degrees for periods of more than one hour). Driving is essential. Motor Vehicle Reports may be verified for valid driver's license and that the driving record is compatible with the county's driving criteria. If a personal vehicle is operated for county business proper insurance is maintained as per Guilford County's vehicle use policy.

Guilford County is committed to providing Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) to employees and applicants for employment regardless of color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation or political affiliation. The County is committed to complying with all applicable federal, state and local laws that pertain to employment, and to providing a work environment that is free from discrimination of any kind. If you need an auxiliary aide, make the request forty-eight (48) hours in advance of the time the accommodation is needed by calling 336-641-3324.

We are excited about the opportunity of having you as a prospective new employee! You probably already know our county is a wonderful county to live in, but did you know it is also a wonderful place to work? We offer Health Insurance (UnitedHealthCare) to all benefitted employees working a minimum of 20 hours per week. The shared cost of the premium is based on scheduled/budgeted hours. If you are a full-time employee working 40 hours a week you can expect to pay less than $35 a month for medical coverage, dental coverage for $4 a month and vision coverage for $5 a month. That's less than $45 a month for medical, dental & vision coverage; that's unheard of. Telehealth UHC Virtual Visits are available to you with no copay or out of pocket expense. We are excited to inform you Guilford County has an Employee Wellness Center (24/7 access) with strength training equipment, cardio machines and a group exercise room with virtual or in person coaching from our Wellness Specialist! Employee Assistance Program, 100% funded by the county. A superb benefit for you and your family absolutely free. Confidential help with personal or work-related issues. 13 paid holidays, 12 sick days, and 12 vacation days a year. That's 37 paid days a year, totaling almost 2 months of paid time off. Employer contributes 5% into your 401(k) - no match required. Enrollment in the State Retirement Plan by contributing 6%. Longevity pay beginning at five years of service. We provide a $10,000 Life and AD&D benefit to eligible employees. Flexible spending accounts (FSA) allow you to set aside tax-free dollars for health care and dependent care. Voluntary Life, AD&D, Short-Term and Long-Term Disability.