The Kern County Sheriff’s Office holds monthly hiring events in Bakersfield to recruit new deputies and promote diversity in law enforcement, which include on-site testing and career guidance.
- The Kern County Sheriff’s Office hosts a hiring event each month at the Regional Training Center in Bakersfield.
- The event is open to new applicants, trainees, and experienced officers transferring from other agencies.
- KCSO is actively encouraging more women and candidates from diverse backgrounds to apply.
The Kern County Sheriff’s Office will host a monthly hiring event at the Regional Training Center in Bakersfield for prospective deputies. The event welcomes applicants at all levels, from those just starting out to experienced officers transitioning from other agencies.
“The future of KCSO could be you,” is the message organizers hope to send.
“Every month, we hold this event for people who want to become trainees or deputy sheriffs,” said Sarah McCurtis of Kern County Human Resources.
According to McCurtis, the event typically draws about 70 people, many of whom complete on-site testing as part of their path to a career in law enforcement. She emphasized the importance of in-person interaction, noting that many applicants are accustomed to completing the process online without the opportunity to speak directly with staff.
“You apply for a lot of jobs online without speaking with anyone. “Here, you get to experience that and gain hands-on knowledge of what you’ll be doing,” McCurtis explained.
Attendees can also begin the background check process, which is necessary for all applicants.
McCurtis stated that the department is especially encouraging women and candidates from diverse backgrounds to apply.
“If you are a woman interested in law enforcement, this is the time. We’d like to see more women and a more diverse group of people because I believe that’s what our community needs,” she said.
Detention Deputy Vanessa Garcia, who started her own career in a similar situation, echoed this sentiment.
“I was reading somewhere that women only make up maybe 27-point-something percent and that includes detentions and patrol,” Garcia informed me. “I want to see that number go up.”
Garcia, who has been in her position for nearly three years, says she is still learning new things every day and wants to help those who are just starting out.
“I tell everyone that you learn every day. “I’m still learning a lot,” she said.
Garcia encourages anyone who is even remotely interested in law enforcement to attend and ask questions.
“If you want to go into SWAT, we have people here who can answer your questions,” she informed us.
The event offers attendees a one-of-a-kind opportunity to connect directly with law enforcement professionals and explore careers in public safety, whether they are new to the field or looking to advance.
