05/27/2026
The Wayne County Sheriff's Merit Commission is accepting applications to update our hiring list for the position of Patrol Deputy. Applications are available at the Wayne County Sheriff's Office and must be submitted by the close of business June 19, 2026.
REQUIREMENTS:
You must be a U.S. citizen, have no felony or criminal convictions that would prevent you from owning a firearm, have a valid state-issued driver’s license, minimum of age 21, a high school graduate or equivalent and clear a thorough background investigation.
All applicants must complete the POWER (Peace Officer Wellness Evaluation Report) test which will be held on June 20, 2026 at 9:00am at the Wayne County Sheriff's Office. Those passing the POWER test will be scheduled for the written examination at a later date.
BENEFITS:
HOLIDAYS: The position has 14 paid holidays annually plus an additional holiday in the years of the general election.
WAGES: As of December 1, 2025, the position has a starting hourly wage of $24.16.
LATERAL TRANSFER: Applicants who are experienced, meet hiring qualifications and do not require attendance at the Illinois Police Academy are eligible to transfer with up to 10 years of service to our department.
INSURANCE: Health insurance is provided by the County for this full-time position at a minimal cost of $50 a month, family plans are also available. A basic life insurance policy is also provided to the employee.
PENSION: The full-time position receives a pension in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund SLEP benefit.
VACATION/COMP TIME: The full-time employee will receive 1-week
full pay Vacation Time after completion of the first year of employment. Then 2 weeks after 2 years, 3 weeks after 7 years, 4 weeks after 15 years and 5 weeks after 20 years. Full-time employees with under 2 years of service can accumulate 2 weeks of Comp Time, those with over 2 years of service can accumulate 1 week.
PERSONAL: The full-time position will receive 3 personal days annually.
SICK TIME: The full-time position will receive paid sick time that accumulates at 1 day per month of service.
ABOUT THE WAYNE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE:
The Wayne County Sheriff's Office maintains a jail facility with a capacity of 34 inmates to serve Wayne County and its communities. The office has the security responsibilities for the Wayne County Court House. The office also carries out the duties of traditional law enforcement functions in Wayne County IL, a county of approximately 16,000 citizens spread out over 713 square miles. The Wayne County Sheriff's Office is an equal opportunity employer.
Sheriff Chris Otey
