Application Process

What to know before you apply:

• You must meet all minimum requirements before applying
• You must be in excellent physical condition
• You will undergo an extensive and thorough background investigation
• You will undergo a polygraph examination, medical and psychological examination
• The entire process can take over 6 months
• PROSPECTIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND DETENTION DEPUTY TRAINEE APPLICANTS CAN ONLY APPLY TO ONE SPECIFIC POSITION

Getting Started

The first step in joining the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) is to thoroughly review the qualifications and ensure you qualify for the position and if  within the State of Florida take the FBAT or CJBAT test first. You should then complete an online application with Hillsborough County Civil Service and send your FBAT/CJBAT scores. The Civil Service application must be completed on-line. The link below will get you to the Civil Service Board job postings. PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU PROVIDE CIVIL SERVICE WITH THE DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED TO QUALIFY. Find the applicable Law Enforcement, Detention Deputy Trainee or Civilian position, click on that position and follow the instructions.  You must also take and satisfactorily pass the Criminal Justice Basic Abilities Test (CJBAT) or Florida Basic Abilities Test (FBAT) which is a State of Florida requirement. There are three (3) local testing facilities; one each in Pinellas County, Hillsborough County and Pasco County and numerous other locations throughout the State of Florida.
• Hillsborough Community College  contact cgreen@hccfl.edu
• Pasco Hernando Community College 727-816-3381
• Police Applicant Screening Service 727-864-3822 (Allstate Center, St. Petersburg) 
NOTE: You must achieve a passing score of 71% for Law Enforcement and 77% for Detention on the FBAT or CJBAT.

Hillsborough County Civil Service Job Board

PHASE ONE:  Pre-Screen/Physical Abilities Assessment (PAA) for Law Enforcement Deputy, Detention Deputy and Reserve Deputy positions only

IF YOU ARE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, DID YOU TAKE THE FBAT OR CJBAT TEST AND QUALIFY WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CIVIL SERVICE?
IF NOT, YOU WILL NOT BE PROCESSED UNTIL YOU DO SO

Applicants will submit a profile and a pre-screen questionnaire to determine if they are within our hiring guidelines. Applicants that are deemed ineligible for further processing will be advised they are outside our guidelines. To create a profile, prospective applicants will access the profile portal through the HCSO Careers Page. 

To Create Profile and Complete Pre-Screen
• Go to Job Listings: Create a profile.
• Click on View all job positions.
• Click on the position you are applying for. (You can only apply for one) After the job description, scroll to the bottom and
• Click Options: Apply for this job and follow directions to start the profile and prescreen questionnaire. (LOGON AS A NEW USER NOT A RETURNING USER)
Click Here to access the profile portal and pre-screen questionnaire. 

The Physical Abilities Assessment (PAA) is designed to test the applicant's aerobic and anaerobic fitness levels. All candidates must present their completed Medical Clearance Form completed by a physician or medical facility prior to the test. Applicants who fail to have the required medical forms completed will not be permitted to participate in the test. Applicants who fail the PAA will have one opportunity to re-test. If they do not pass a second time, they will have to wait one year to take the PAA again. Applicants successfully completing this stage will be issued instructions to access. 

NOTE: You cannot access the HCSO application portal without being issued instructions by the Recruitment and Screening office.

PHASE TWO:  Personal Interview and Polygraph Examination

This is a critical phase of the process. You will have a personal interview with a Background Investigator and your entire application will be reviewed with you. At that time, any areas of concern will be addressed with the applicant. Any areas of deception will be grounds for termination from the process. During this phase, the applicant will be fingerprinted, photographed, and submit to a pre-employment polygraph examination. Any information developed concerning any current or past criminal activity may be referred for further investigation to the appropriate authorities.

PHASE THREE:  Oral Interview

Applicants will be presented before an Oral Board consisting of three ranking members of the Sheriff's Office Command Staff.  Candidates who successfully complete this phase will be scheduled for further processing.

PHASE FOUR:  Background Investigation

Applicants who have successfully completed the phases listed above will undergo an extensive background investigation. During this phase, information concerning the applicant will be solicited from personal references, employers, neighbors, friends, schools, law enforcement agencies, credit bureaus, etc. Any derogatory information developed at this stage will be basis for disqualification.

PHASE FIVE:  Selection/Medical Examination/Psychological Evaluation/2nd Polygraph

Applicants completing the stages will be referred for Selection. If selected, the applicant will receive a Conditional Offer of Employment (COE). Upon the acceptance of the Conditional Offer of Employment, the applicant will be required to successfully complete this final phase. The applicant will be scheduled for a medical examination to include a pre-employment drug test, a psychological evaluation, and an additional polygraph examination. Applicants who have satisfactorily completed all phases of the hiring process will be placed into the pool of eligible applicants. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office's selection process is highly competitive and seeks the "best qualified" applicants for the position of Law Enforcement Deputy and Detention Deputy Trainees. Positions are filled based on the needs of the agency.

Out of Town Applicants

Certain accommodations are made for out of town applicants (two hour or more commute from the Tampa area). These accommodations do not diminish the strict adherence to minimum qualifications, testing standards and integrity issues that may, at some point, disqualify the applicant. It is imperative that the out of town applicant is sure he or she is qualified and physically capable of passing the Physical Abilities Assessment. It is anticipated that Out of Town applicants will be required to travel to the Tampa area at least twice during the application process.

Download the application procedures for out of town applicants.