DUTCHESS COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

The Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office was formed in 1717 after Sheriff Corneles Van Denbogart was assigned the position by the King of England. In 2017, under the leadership of Sheriff Adrian “Butch” Anderson, the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office completed 300 years of service to the County of Dutchess.

The Sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer of the county. Accordingly, the Sheriff’s Office provides law enforcement services throughout the entire 825 square miles of Dutchess County. This includes 20 towns, 8 villages and 2 cities with a total county population of approximately 300,000 residents. Annually, the Sheriff’s Office handles about 60,000 calls for police service. 

LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION

The Sheriff’s Office Law Enforcement Division is organized into several bureaus and specialized units that provide a myriad of law enforcement and public safety services to our communities.

BUREAUS

• Patrol Bureau
• Detective Bureau
• Special Operations Bureau
• Training Bureau
• Civil Bureau
• Pistol Permit Bureau
• Records Bureau
• Emergency Management & Logistics Bureau

SPECIALTY UNITS

• K-9 Unit
• Emergency Services Unit
• Crisis Negotiations Unit
• Motorcycle Unit
• All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Unit
• Marine Patrol Unit
• Underwater Search & Recovery Unit
• Crime Scene Technician Unit
• Crash Investigation Unit
• Fire & Arson Investigation Unit
• Unmanned Aerial Systems Unit
• Polygraph Examination Unit
• School Resource Officer Unit
• Community Policing Unit
• Various interagency task forces

DEPUTY SHERIFF EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS

• Starting salary of $52,170 (2022) with top salary of $88,980 after 6 years (2023)
• Shift differential of 5% for 4pm-12am shift and 10% for 12am-8am shift.
• 10 paid holidays plus paid vacation days, personal days and sick days
• Additional longevity pay after 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years of service
• Medical, dental, optical and life insurance
• College tuition reimbursement
• Opportunity for specialty unit assignments
• Opportunity for promotion to the ranks of Detective, Sergeant, Lieutenant and Captain
• 25-year NYS Retirement Plan and Deferred Compensation Plan (457b plan)

QUALIFICATIONS FOR CIVIL SERVICE EXAM

• Must be at least 18 years of age with a high school diploma or GED to take the exam.
• At least 20 years of age to be eligible for appointment
• Cannot be more than 35 years of age to take the exam (Except with full time military service)
• Be a U.S. citizen (Dutchess County residency required to be appointed a deputy sheriff)
• Have a valid driver’s license
• No felony convictions (certain misdemeanor convictions may bar you)

QUALIFICATIONS FOR PHYSICAL FITNESS TEST

After you pass the civil service exam and your score becomes eligible, you must then pass the physical fitness test:

APPLICANT PROCESSING

After you pass your physical fitness test, your applicant processing will include:

• Initial applicant screening interview
• Complete background investigation
• Polygraph Exam
• Psychological Exam
• Medical Exam
• Final Interview

(Note: applicants may be disqualified at any point during this process for failing to meet the standards)

HOW TO APPLY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE EXAM

Applications, as well as Recruitment and Examination Announcements for the Deputy Sheriff/Police Officer civil service exam are available at the bottom of this page when the announcement is open as well as at the Dutchess County Department of Human Resources, Monday through Friday between 9:00am and 5:00pm at the following address:

Dutchess Co. Department of Human Resources 
Dutchess County Office Building - 5th floor 
22 Market Street Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
Phone: 845-486-2169 Fax: 845-486-2186 
dcpersonnel@dutchessny.gov 

DUTCHESS COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE CIVIL SERVICE EXAM & PHYSICAL FITNESS TEST PREPARATION CLASSES

To be notified of civil service exam and physical fitness test preparation classes being offered at no expense, register your name, phone number, and email address with the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office Training Bureau at: DCSOtraining@dutchessny.gov 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

If you would like additional information, please contact our Recruitment Team, by emailing: DCSOTraining@dutchessny.gov.

SHERIFF’S OFFICE MISSION STATEMENT

The Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office, as part of, and empowered by the community and in order to attain and preserve public confidence, is committed to protect lives, property and the rights of all people; to maintain order, to enforce the law impartially and to uphold the Constitution of the State of New York and the Constitution of the United States of America.

We will always provide fair and equal service to ALL members of our community. We will work in close collaboration with other law enforcement agencies and always work in cooperation with the community agencies and groups to promote an understanding of, and the competence in our efforts in law enforcement.

To fulfill our mission, we will serve in partnership with the community and we will always strive to attain the highest degree of ethical behavior and professional conduct.

All members of the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office will commit to improve every day. We will treat people the way we would want to be treated and encourage our community partners to strive to achieve the same standard.