Qualifications

• 21 years or older at time of academy graduation
• U.S. citizenship or legal resident who has applied for citizenship
• High school diploma or GED certificate
• Valid California driver's license at time of appointment
• Pass written examination and qualifications appraisal interview
• Good physical condition; weight/height in proper proportion
• Complete medical examination required.
• Vision 20/100 or better, correctable to 20/30 or better each eye.
• Hearing must be unimpaired.
• Good moral character. No felony conviction.
• Physically and emotionally able to perform LE duties
• Pass physical capability and psychological tests.
• Complete full basic academy before final acceptance.
• Military personnel must be assigned to area for at least 2 years.

Sheriff's law enforcement reserve deputies are assigned to stations throughout San Diego County. They work in solo patrol units, providing all levels of law enforcement from the day-to-day duties of a patrol deputy to assisting in major emergencies. Also, they provide crowd and traffic control at community events and at crime scenes.

Because of the diversity of San Diego County, law enforcement reserves can be found responding to radio calls ranging from domestic violence to armed robbery in high crime urban areas one day, or in the next day tracking down and destroying a marijuana field the in the county's immense back country. Of course, a reserve deputy is apt to spend some shifts writing reports, issuing traffic tickets and providing cover for another deputy.

Law enforcement reserve deputies are required to work a minimum of two eight-hour patrol shifts a month, and attend monthly unit meetings and training.