Join Our Team
Become a Deputy
Learn about the qualifications, application process, and steps required to serve and protect as part of the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department.
All applications for Raleigh County Deputy Sheriff are to be filed electronically. The beginning salary range is $54,620.00 to $56,420.00 effective July 1, 2026. The nature of the work to be performed is general law enforcement duties. The job duties of a Deputy Sheriff are, but not limited to, road patrol, investigations, court security, school resource officer, home confinement, K9 Officer, and swat.
The minimum qualifications required for a Deputy Sheriff are: to be the age of 18 or older; a high school diploma or GED; pass all three aspects of the physical ability standards test (see physical ability standards); pass the written examination (a 70 is considered passing); and undergo a complete background investigation, a complete medical and a complete psychological examination.
The Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department offers Train-with-a-Deputy to help you prepare for the physical ability standards test. Click here to learn more.
If you accept an offer to become a Raleigh County Deputy Sheriff, you must then complete 16 weeks of training at the WV State Police Academy. Upon completion, you will be a Certified Law Enforcement Officer in the State of WV with reciprocity to other states.
Are you a certified law enforcement officer?
There is a $5,000.00 sign on bonus for West Virginia Certified Officers possessing a current certification.
All applicants that are current certified law enforcement officers by the State of West Virginia, or who have been similarly certified by any other jurisdiction and are eligible for such certification under the Rules and Regulations of the Law Enforcement Training Subcommittee of the West Virginia Division of Criminal Justice Services, with twelve years’ experience or less, would meet the requirements of fitness based upon his or her continued certification as a law enforcement officer.
Therefore, would be waived from participating in the physical ability testing upon proof that the applicant is, in fact, a current certified police officer. The said certified police officer applicant would still, however, be required to pass the written test and all medical examinations prior to the hire date.
Should proof of current certification not be provided to the Civil Service Commission prior to the scheduling of the physical ability testing, the certified police officer applicant would be required to participate in the physical ability testing.
Prior Law Enforcement Service Preference: Those applicants who achieve a passing score on the competitive written examination and who have previously been certified as a law enforcement officer by the State of West Virginia, or who have been similarly certified by any other jurisdiction and are eligible for such certification under the rules and regulations of the Law Enforcement Training Subcommittee of the West Virginia Division of Criminal Justice Services, will be awarded one point per complete year of prior law enforcement experience, not to exceed a total of five points, in addition to the points scored on the written examination provided that the certification is current or is eligible for immediate renewal without having to attend the full Police Training Academy Program. Persons claiming preference must submit a copy of his or her prior certification to the commission with the application.
Procedures for Equivalency Certification and Reciprocity Requirements can be found here.
Are you a veteran or disabled veteran?
Veterans Preference: To receive five points for veteran preference, separation from active duty must have been under honorable conditions. This includes honorable and general discharges. A clemency discharge does not meet the requirements of the Veterans Preference Act. Active duty for training in the Military Reserve and National Guard programs is not considered active duty for purposes of veteran preference. Any applicant who claims veteran’s preference, and who has made a passing score on the written examination, shall have five preference points added after the applicant’s eligibility is verified. Persons claiming preference must submit a copy of his or her armed forces DD-214 to the commission with the application.
Disabled Veteran Preference: Any applicant who claims Disabled Veteran Preference, and who has made a passing score on the written examination shall have five points added after the applicant’s eligibility is verified. Persons claiming preference must submit a copy of his or her Proof/Letter of Disabled Veteran Status with the application.
All persons interested in becoming a Deputy Sheriff are encouraged to complete the electronic application. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. You must upload all required documentation (as requested in the application) and submit along with completed electronic application. See list of required forms and documentation here.
The Civil Service Commission and the Sheriff’s Office will use the online testing program provided by the West Virginia Division of Personnel for all future entry level tests. Upon completion and submission of your online application, with the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, you will be directed to the West Virginia Division of Personnel website to complete a second application.
Once you are on the West Virginia Division of Personnel website, you will have to create an account with login credentials, using your email address and a password. Make note of the login information you use (email address and password), complete the online application for Deputy Sheriff Entry Level B. You need ONLY to address all areas marked with an asterisk. It is NOT required or necessary to upload any supporting documentation with the West Virginia Division of Personnel application.
Retain the login credentials (email and password) for the account you created, as you will need them for the final written test.
The final written test is administered by the Civil Service Commission on laptops they will provide. You will receive an email on the scheduled testing date, from CourseMill, containing a link to the final written test. DO NOT access the test link prior to being instructed. Opening the test link prior to approval will void the test and will result in immediate discontinuation from this hiring process.
Completed application submissions will be held until the next hiring phase. If you wish to know if there is currently an open hiring phase you may contact Deputy B.J. Adkins at the Sheriff’s Department or the secretary of the Civil Service Commission at tfernatt@raleighcounty.gov or (304) 890-0507.
Upon initiating a new hiring phase, applicants will receive an email from the secretary of the Raleigh County Civil Service Commission, acknowledging notification of an active hiring phase and receipt of completed application. Applicants will also receive in this email an attendance confirmation form providing the testing date/time that will need to be completed and returned to the secretary in a timely manner as indicated in the confirmation email.
Please note that in the event the application is incomplete or incorrectly completed and/or copies of the required items were not submitted with the application, you will not be permitted to take the physical ability test and this will result in immediate discontinuation from the application process.
In summary: please carefully complete your application in full and upload all required information and documentation. All required forms/documents must be uploaded in the correct format (jpeg or pdf) and not to exceed maximum size of 3MB prior to submitting the application. See the quick links below to pertinent items/information referenced above.
Written Test Study Guides-