Job Openings

Current Job Openings

Deputy Sheriff Position

Deputy Sheriff applications to test must be submitted by the posted application deadlines.    

Applicants must attend the Des Moines County Civil Service Commission physical fitness and written exam at the scheduled time and location. 

The Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office offers a hiring incentive for certified Iowa law enforcement officers.

As established by the Code of Iowa, Chapter 341A (PDF), the Des Moines County Civil Service Commission oversees the deputy sheriff hiring process.

Deputy Sheriff Hiring Process

1. Physical Fitness Test
   • The physical fitness test consists of three individual sections, which include a one-minute sit-up test, a one-minute push-up test, and a 1.5 mile run test. Applicants must pass all three sections of the physical test to continue in the selection process.
2. Written Exam
   • Applicants that successfully complete the physical fitness tests, will then take the written exam. The written exam is given immediately following the physical fitness test. The four-part written exam consists of questions regarding mathematics, reading comprehension, grammar and report writing skills. The exam is timed. Applicants may transfer a previous passing score taken within the last 12 months from another Iowa law enforcement agency.
3. Oral Interview with the Civil Service Commission
   • Applicants that successfully pass the physical fitness tests and written exam will be contacted by the Civil Service Commission to schedule an interview.
4. Certification of Civil Service List
   • Based on the results of the physical fitness tests, written exam, and interview, the Civil Service Commission will provide the Sheriff with a certified list of up to ten applicants.
5. Background Investigation
   • Background investigations will be conducted on the applicants that make the certified list.
6. Interview with Sheriff’s Command Staff
   • Applicants will be contacted by the Sheriff’s Office to schedule an interview with the Sheriff’s Office command staff.
7. Conditional Offer of Employment
   • As a job vacancy occurs, the Sheriff will offer the position to an applicant on the certified list, which is conditional on the applicant’s successful passing of a physical exam (including vision, hearing, and physical wellness exams), a polygraph exam, a drug-screening test and a psychological exam.

Those applicants not offered employment will need to re-submit another application during the next testing period.

Minimum Standards

All minimum standards for Iowa law enforcement officers must be satisfied. The applicant must:

• Be a U. S. citizen and a resident of Iowa or intend to become a resident upon being employed
• Be 18 years of age at the time of appointment
• Have the ability to obtain a valid Iowa driver's license
• Not be addicted to drugs or alcohol
• Be of good moral character as determined by a thorough background investigation including a fingerprint search conducted of local, state and national fingerprint files and have not been convicted of a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude
• Successfully pass physical fitness tests
• Not be opposed to use of force to fulfill duties
• Be a high school graduate or hold a GED certificate
• Have uncorrected vision of not less than 20 / 100 in both eyes, corrected to 20 / 20, and color vision consistent with the Occupational demands of law enforcement
• Have normal hearing in each ear (hearing aids are acceptable if a candidate can demonstrate sufficient hearing proficiency to perform all necessary duties of a law enforcement officer)
• Be examined by a physician and meet the physical requirements necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of a law enforcement officer
• Undergo psychological testing
• Undergo cognitive (Basic Skills) testing

Physical Testing

The minimal physical fitness performance requirements are as follows: