VIRGINIA BEACH Va. - The Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office announced that it has lowered the hiring age for deputy sheriffs to 18-years-old.
Previously, applicants had to be at least 20-years-old and had to be 21-years-old by the time they completed the basic academy.
Officials say the change is an effort to widen the pool of qualified applicants and fill the office’s 38 sworn vacancies.
“Recruiting and retaining qualified applicants has always been a challenge in law enforcement, and that challenge has been made even more difficult by the COVID-19 pandemic and the social unrest we’ve experienced during the past year,” said Sheriff Ken Stolle. “We have some outstanding young people who deserve a chance to serve. They have served successfully in other departments and in the military and I believe they can be an asset to the Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office.”
The starting salary for Virginia Beach deputy sheriffs is $43,264.
Interested applicants can apply here and then must pass a written test, physical test and background investigation. The next testing dates are March 20, April 17 and May 22.
For more information on how to apply, click here or call 757-385-8808.
