SHR

Hiring Process

Individuals applying for employment with LCSO must go through a thorough pre-employment selection process.  Convicted felons or individuals with recent drug use cannot be considered for employment.  All applicants are required to have a high school diploma or GED.  Applicants must be at least 18 years of age (21 years of age for Patrol and Jail Deputy positions).

Phase One

  • Online assessments
  • Pre-employment questionnaire

Phase Two

  • Written exam (required for all entry-level positions)
  • Pre-hire physical fitness test (sworn positions only)

Phase Three

  • Oral board interview (Veterans preference points available)

Phase Four

  • Background investigation
  • Polygraph exam (required for most positions)

Phase Five

  • Captain interview
  • After the captain interview, you may receive a conditional offer of employment.  If so, you will be scheduled for psychological testing (most positions), medical exam, human performance evaluation (deputy positions), and drug screening.

Pre-Hire Physical Fitness Test

Candidates for all Deputy positions must successfully complete the LCSO Pre-hire Physical Fitness Test. 

 

The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office uses two exercises to assess the physical fitness of patrol and jail deputy applicants. All exercises are Pass/Fail, and failing any one exercise will result in disqualification. They are performed in the following order:

  • 1.5 mile run in 15 minutes and 54 seconds or less
  • Obstacle Course

Both exercises are administered in a single testing period. Applicants are allowed up to five minutes of rest between each exercise.

1.5 Mile Run
You must complete the 1.5 mile run in 15:54 or less.

Obstacle Course
An instructor will guide you through the course and provide you additional instruction prior to the test. Time will be provided for you to work on different aspects of the course prior to testing.

You will start in the seated position.  An instructor will state a specific color for you to remember and you must repeat that color to the instructor.  Your time starts when you stand up.

The course is a total of 145 yards long and you are expected to run between obstacles as follows:

  1. Obstacle Jump: Candidates will run to and jump over a 3-foot wide obstacle. If the candidate does not completely clear the obstacle, they will be disqualified and the test will stop.
  2. Wall Climb: Candidates will run to the next obstacle, a 5-foot wall, and climb over the top of it. If the candidate does not climb over the top of the obstacle, or if time expires prior to the candidate climbing over the obstacle, they will be disqualified and the test will stop.
  3. Low Crawl: Candidates will run to the next obstacle and low crawl under a 10-foot long obstacle. If a candidate knocks down any portion of the obstacle, they will be disqualified and the test will stop.
  4. Step Climb: Candidates will run to the next obstacle, an 8-inch step. The candidate will step 12 times, the motion must be up/up, down/down as demonstrated. If the candidate does not complete the step 12 times as instructed, they will be disqualified and the test will stop.
  5. Window Climb: Candidates will run to the next obstacle, a simulated window, and will climb through a 36-inch by 34-inch opening. Candidates must not touch the top of the opening. If a candidate cannot climb through the opening, time has expired, or they touch the top of the opening, they will be disqualified and the test will stop.
  6. Suspect Identification: The candidate will run to the next obstacle which simulates different looking suspects. Candidates must clearly identify the suspect matching the color with the number. The candidate must call out the number that corresponds with the color given at the beginning. If the candidate does not remember the number or does not correctly associate the number with the color the candidate will be disqualified and the test will stop.
  7. Dummy Drag: The candidate will run to the dummy representing an incapacitated individual. The candidate will drag the entire dummy beyond the mark indicating 5 yards. If the candidate cannot complete this portion of the test, or time expires, they will be disqualified and the test will stop.
  8. Weapon Manipulation: The candidate will run to the next obstacle and safely manipulate a weapon as demonstrated prior to the test. Candidates must place the barrel of the weapon through a 6-inch opening with their unsupported dominant hand and pull the trigger once. The candidate must remove the weapon’s barrel from the opening and switch the weapon to their non-dominant hand. The candidate will place the barrel of the weapon through the 6-inch opening with their unsupported non-dominant hand and pull the trigger once. The weapon must not touch the 6-inch opening. If the candidate does not complete the test as instructed or if the weapon touches the opening, they will be disqualified and the test will stop.

Timing of the test stops once the candidate safely places the weapon down in the designated place.

CRITERIA FOR PASSING THE AGILITY COURSE

  • Candidates will get three attempts to run the course on the testing date.
  • The passing time to complete the course is 1:30, with no disqualifications.

This guide will help you prepare for the exercises that comprise our pre-hire physical fitness test. Video instructions are in the next tab down.

1.5 Mile
This table is organized by weeks and is designed to be a general guideline for your training to successfully complete the running exercises in 12 weeks. Depending on your fitness level, you may need to extend this schedule or jump ahead to find an appropriate level of challenge to increase your capacity. Unless otherwise noted, exercise should be a light jog and can be completed on sidewalks, trails, parks, or anywhere you can safely exercise without interruption.

Week Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4
1-2 15-20 minutes 15-20 minutes 15-20 minutes 15-20 minutes
3-4 20 minutes Track Day
Run 100 yards and then walk 100 yards
Repeat for 6-8 laps
20 minutes Week 3
25 minutes
Week 4 - Trial
Run both exercises
5-6 20-25 minutes

Track Day
Run 300m fast
5 minutes recovery
Run 300m fast

20-25 minutes 30  minutes
7-8 25-30 minutes Track Day
Run 200 yards and then walk 200 yards
Repeat for 6-8 laps
25-30 minutes Week 7
25 minutes
Week 8 - Trial
Run both exercises
9-10 25-30 minutes Track Day
Run 300m fast
5 minutes recovery
Run 300m fast
25-30 minutes 20  minutes
11-12 20-25 minutes 20-25 minutes 20 minutes Week 11
30 minutes
Week 12 - Trial
Run both exercises

 

REMEMBER: ALL EXERCISES IN THE PRE-HIRE PHYSICAL FITNESS TEST ARE PASS/FAIL. IF YOU CANNOT COMPLETE ANY STEP OF THE ASSESSMENT, YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE WITH THE TESTING PROCESS.

A RECORD SETTING TIME OR NUMBER OF EXERCISES COMPLETED HAS NO EFFECT ON YOUR ELIGIBILITY.  DO NOT OVER EXERT YOURSELF ON ANY ONE EXERCISE AS IT MAY AFFECT YOUR ABILITY TO COMPLETE THE OTHER EXERCISES.

LCSO Human Resources

(970) 498-5550

sheriff-hr@co.larimer.co.us