It’s spring, and that means high schools and colleges are preparing for graduation ceremonies, which means this is a great time of year to think about your future and your financial security. At the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, we have some amazing career opportunities for you to consider, along with outstanding benefits that go along with full-time employment.
Have you ever thought of being a law enforcement or corrections officer? It has never been a better time to become a deputy sheriff or detention deputy than right now. The current salary for deputies is $62,993 – $80,145. For those with no law enforcement experience at all, we offer full-ride scholarships to attend the law enforcement or dual academy at Polk State College. Plus, we will pay you a $3,000 monthly stipend to attend.
Can you imagine graduating from high school, being paid while you attend an academy, and then upon graduating from that academy, making $62,000 a year? And I haven’t even told you about our benefits! We have excellent medical, dental, and vision insurance; life insurance; paid holidays; Florida state retirement; employee assistance program; free employee health clinic for the whole family; and take-home vehicles.
If you don’t have a college degree and you want one but can’t afford to get one, have no worries. Once you are hired by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, we will pay your tuition at the current state hourly rate. You can start earning your degree right away. If you already have a degree, we will pay you extra: $360 for an Associate, $960 for a Bachelor’s, and $1,560 for a Master’s (annually).
If you already have experience as a law enforcement or corrections officer, we are offering a $2,000 sign-on bonus, plus 80 hours of PTO and higher pay for your prior experience. If you live outside of Polk County, you will receive an additional $2,000 bonus upon hire, and if you live outside of the state of Florida, we’re offering a moving allowance and a $5,000 hiring bonus. The State of Florida is also offering a $5,000 recruitment bonus to all new law enforcement officers and officers who move from out of state.
Polk County is growing, and in order to keep up with that growth, we are building a sixth patrol district in the Poinciana / NE Polk County area which will absorb the calls for service across Poinciana and parts of Davenport. The new district is slated to open in the fall of 2025, which means we have even more amazing opportunities for you or someone you know to become a deputy sheriff!
Start your new career and secure your future today. Please go to www.joinpolkso.com to learn more and apply. Questions? Call our Human Resources office at 863-298-6440 or HR@polksheriff.org.