BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The Kern County Sheriff’s Office is hosting monthly hiring events in Bakersfield to recruit new deputies and promote diversity in law enforcement, offering 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 is opening its doors to prospective deputies at a monthly hiring event held at the Regional Training Center in Bakersfield. The event welcomes applicants at all stages from those just starting out to experienced officers transferring from other agencies.
“The future of KCSO could be you,” is the message organizers hope to convey.
“Every month we have this event for people who would like to become a trainee or deputy sheriff,” said Sarah McCurtis with Kern County Human Resources.
McCurtis said the event typically draws about 70 attendees, many of whom complete on-site testing as a step toward a career in law enforcement. She emphasized the value of in-person interaction, noting that many applicants are used to navigating the process online without the opportunity to speak directly with staff.
“You apply online for a lot of positions and don’t get to talk to anybody. Here, you get to experience that and get hands-on insight into what you’ll actually be doing,” McCurtis said.
Attendees can also begin the background check process a vital step for all applicants.
McCurtis said the department is especially encouraging women and candidates from diverse backgrounds to apply.
“If you're a woman interested in law enforcement, now is the time. We would like more women and a more diverse group of people because I think that’s really needed in our community,” she said.
Detention Deputy Vanessa Garcia, who began her own career through a similar event, echoed that sentiment.
“I was reading somewhere that women only make up maybe 27-point-something percent and that includes detentions and patrol,” Garcia said. “I want to see that number go up.”
Garcia, now nearly three years into her role, said she continues to learn every day and wants to support those just starting their journey.
“I tell everybody you learn every day. I still learn a lot,” she said.
Garcia encourages anyone with even a passing interest 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 said.
The event provides a unique opportunity for attendees to connect directly with law enforcement professionals and explore careers in public safety whether beginning or advancing their path in the field.
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