Deputy Sheriff Lieutenant

How to apply

Complete an online application by visiting Montgomery City-County Personnel's Online Employment Center at www.montgomerypersonnel.com. Paper applications are no longer accepted. Completed applications will be accepted online until 5:00 p.m. on the closing date.

Purpose of examination

The purpose of the exam is to establish an employment register to fill any vacancies for the classification that may occur over the life of the register. If there are less than five qualified applicants, an examination will not be administered, and all candidates will be placed on the employment list.

Examination dates

Qualified candidates who apply to compete in the selection process will be notified in writing of specific dates, times, and locations at which to appear for the selection process.

Examination orientation

An orientation session will be held to familiarize candidates with the examination on February 26, 2019 at 2 PM in the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Administrative Conference Room. The orientation session is not mandatory. A candidate orientation guide will be distributed at the meetings. If you do not attend the orientation, you may obtain a guide after the date of the orientation at the front desk of the Montgomery City-County Personnel Department. A copy will also be emailed to candidates with their exam schedule notice approximately one month before the exam date.

Examination description

The competitive examination process will consist of four types of exercises. These exercises include a scene management exercise, a role play, a writing sample, and a structured oral interview. More detailed information will be provided during the orientation session and in the candidate information guide.

Structured Oral Interview: The structured oral interview will consist of several situational questions or problems. Each question describes a problem or scenario and asks the candidate to explain how he or she would handle the problem or scenario as a lieutenant. The problems presented during this exercise will be related to supervision, management, and/or administrative type issues rather than technical law enforcement issues. The structured oral interview process will be recorded for rating at a later date.

Scene Management Exercise Overview: This exercise presents information about a situation in progress to determine how the candidate would respond and direct others to respond to the situation. Initially, the candidate is provided with a brief summary. Then, the candidate is presented with verbal information about unfolding events related to that situation. This verbal information is used to simulate radio traffic with dispatch and/or employees on the scene. The candidate verbally explains how he or she would initially handle the situation and then respond to the events that occur during the situation. The exercise will be recorded for rating at a later date.

Meeting Exercise Overview: The meeting exercise is developed to simulate typical interactions between lieutenants and other individuals, particularly subordinate personnel and citizens. The exercise consists of work-related, one-on-one situations involving problems encountered by lieutenants. In the meeting, the candidate takes the role of a lieutenant and a role player takes the role of either a subordinate or a citizen. The candidate is provided with background information explaining the general situation and is asked to handle the situation as he or she thinks a lieutenant should. The role play exercise will be recorded for rating at a later date.

Writing Sample: The writing sample exercise is designed to test whether candidates have the ability to write the kinds of reports required at the rank of lieutenant. In the writing sample exercise, candidates are required to read some background information concerning an incident, a complaint, or a memo at the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. The candidates can request additional resources to provide more detail for inclusion in their written documentation. Then, the candidates are asked to write a report, summary or memo in response to the information.

Performance dimensions

The exam has been designed to measure the knowledge, skills, and abilities which are important for a lieutenant to possess on the first day of the job. Those knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) which were judged by subject matter experts to be important and which are amenable to testing have been grouped together into areas of similarity to form performance dimensions. It is these seven dimensions upon which the assessment center has been based.

The following information provides a description of these dimensions as well as the test weight of each dimension. More detailed information about the exercises, weights, and KSAs underlying each performance dimension will be provided at the candidate orientation and in the orientation guide.

1) Oral Communication (OC) – 15% The extent to which one can give an oral presentation and communicate on a one-to-one basis by listening and responding.

2) Supervisory Ability (SUP) –15% The extent to which one uses subordinates and establishes procedures to monitor and regulate activities of subordinates.

3) Written Communication (WC) – 15% The extent to which one can communicate in writing and review the writing of others to include grammar, punctuation, spelling, logical order, and meeting the needs of the reader.

4) Human Relations (HR) – 14% Perceiving and reacting to the needs of others. Objectivity of perceiving impact of self on others.

5) Problem Analysis (PA) – 14% The extent to which one possesses the skill of identifying problems, securing relevant information, and identifying possible causes of problems.

6) Technical Law Enforcement Knowledge (TECH) – 14% The extent to which one possesses the knowledge needed to act as a law enforcement officer in the field and to direct others in the performance of their duties.  

7) Planning and Organizing (PO) – 13% The process of establishing a course of action for self or others to accomplish a specific goal.

Disqualification from competition

The Personnel Department and/or expert shall disqualify an applicant or candidate from competition upon determination that:

1. The application was not received by the filing deadline.

2. The applicant fails to meet the minimum qualifications specified in the announcement.

3. The candidate fails to appear at the announced time and place for testing.

4. The candidate is found to be cheating. Cheating involves any attempt by an individual or group to enhance test scores by means other than actual knowledge or ability, including but not limited to, efforts to give or receive information about the test content or correct responses before, after or during a test. Examples of cheating during a test would be:

a) attempting to gain access to the test under false pretenses

b) failing to follow instructions given by the test administrators or proctors

c) talking to another candidate during the test

d) removing or attempting to remove test materials from the test site

e) leaving the testing room, holding room, or other location without permission from the test administrator

f) attempting to use notes, hand held computers or calculators when instructed not to

g) looking at another person’s test paper or answer sheet

h) working on a test section after time has been called

i) giving or receiving test information to or from another person  

The Personnel Department may not exercise discretion in waiving these requirements for qualification except as may be required by law in connection with military personnel called to active duty.

The Personnel Department will provide written notification of the disqualification and the reason for disqualification to the applicant or candidate within five (5) days from the determination of the disqualifying circumstance.