Public Safety Jobs

Sheriff Careers 
Founded in 1854, your Sheriff's Office is one of Washington's oldest and most respected sheriff offices.  Responsible for law enforcement, corrections and emergency management, we serve a growing community of over 210,000 residents and are responsible for an area of over 2500 square miles along our international border with Canada.

Whatcom County's Sheriff is Bill Elfo. He heads a department of over 190 staff. The Corrections Division consists of the Main Jail, a maximum-security facility located downtown; the minimum-security Jail Work Center in the Irongate area; and a Jail Alternatives Center, which supervises programs (Electronic Home Detention/Monitoring, Work Release, In- and Out-of-Custody Work Crews) to allow offenders to satisfy court requirements without being held in the Jail.

Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office conducts on-going recruitment for Deputy Sheriff and Corrections Deputies. The Civil Service Commission maintains a continuous eligibility list of qualified candidates to fill openings as they become available. 

Veteran's Preference is available to applicants based on military service.  Please review the Hiring Process tab for more information.

  1. Basic Requirements
  2. Hiring Process
  3. Lateral Candidates
  4. Benefits
  5. Job Details

The basic requirements to be a Deputy Sheriff or Corrections Deputy are:

  • Requires a high school diploma or GED
  • College-level coursework in the area of corrections, law enforcement, law and justice, police science or social services is desired, but not required
Among other special requirements, a successful candidate, must:
  • Be a citizen of the United States or lawful permanent resident
  • Be at least 21 years of age
  • Read and write the English Language
  • Have a driver's license and a driving record that meets County standards
  • Pass testing including:
    • Written - administered through Public Safety Testing - see Hiring Process Tab
    • Physical agility - administered through Public Safety Testing - see Hiring Process Tab
    • Background check
    • Physical examination
    • Psychological examination
    • Polygraph test
    • Other civil service examinations
  • Prospective applicants should check our list of automatic disqualifiers (PDF) before applying