Hiring and Background Investigations

The Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office is an equal opportunity employer and has established the following procedure for the hiring of OPOTA Certified Deputies. The same procedure is used for Special Deputies as well as Full Time Deputies. We do have a residency requirement for all of our commissioned employees of residing in Fairfield County or one of the immediate surrounding counties. The following steps outline the requirements, procedures and qualifications for a commission with this office.

The Fairfield County Sheriff's Office no longer hires Corrections Officers for Jail Employment.

Step 1: Complete an application for the position of Deputy Sheriff or Special Deputy

1. 21 years or older at the time the application is submitted.
2. Have a valid Ohio driver's license.
3. Have a high school diploma or GED equivalent.
4. Able to read, write and speak the English language.
5. U.S. citizen.
6. You must currently be OPOTA certified.

The application must be filled out in its entirety. Your resume, copies of letters, certificates, etc. may be attached to the application as supplements only. Copies of the following documents are required:

1. Birth Certificate
2. High School Diploma or GED
3. Driver’s License
4. Social Security Card
5. OPOTA Certificate
6. Military DD-214 (if applicable)

Step 2:  After completing your application, return it to the Sheriff's Office Civil Building, 108 N. High St., Lancaster (at the corner of Main St. and High St.).  You will be contacted at a later time to schedule an interview and complete fingerprints.

Step 3:  You will be scheduled for a mandatory polygraph examination. To reschedule; 24 hours personal notice to the person who scheduled you for the polygraph is required. Failure to comply with this process will disqualify you for consideration for a position.

Step 4:  If the initial interview and polygraph does not reveal anything that precludes you from being appointed to the position of Deputy Sheriff, your application is then assigned to an investigator for an extensive background investigation into your employment history, references, schooling, etc.

Step 5:If the investigation does not reveal anything that precludes you from being appointed to the position of Deputy Sheriff, you will be scheduled for a final interview. The interview will take approximately 1 hour and will cover any questions or concerns related to your background investigation.

Step 6:Having successfully completed all of the above steps, your application will be forwarded to Sheriff Dave Phalen with a recommendation that you be appointed to the position of Deputy Sheriff or Special Deputy Sheriff. With his approval, you will be given a conditional offer of employment, subject to passing drug tests and a medical examination. A member of the Sheriff’s Office will notify you of the date and time to report for appointment.

If you qualify and are interested in a Special Deputy Commission, fill out the attached “Personal History Questionnaire” and mail it to the attention of Lt. Gary Kennedy at the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office, 221 East Main Street, Lancaster, Ohio 43130.

Click here for an FCSO application in PDF format.