About our Community:
Decatur County is located in Northwest Kansas, bordering Nebraska on the north and 71 miles from the Colorado border. We are 990 square miles of Kansas prairie with agriculture being the primary revenue source. The county is home to approximately 2700 people, with 1700 living in the county seat of Oberlin and the balance scattered across the county or in outlying communities.
Decatur County has an excellent school system, providing K-12 from the District campuses in Oberlin. We have a small Christian school in Oberlin, and there are home-schooled families in the community as well. There are several daycare providers in Oberlin, including a county-operated daycare center.
Are you looking for a nice rural community in which to raise your family, away from the perils and hubbub of the big city? We may be what you are looking for!
About the Office:
The Sheriff’s Office has four full-time Law Enforcement Officers, several part-time LEO’s, one reserve deputy, and one full-time Jail Administrator. All full-time sworn LEO’s have assigned vehicles and cover call as needed. Part-time LEO’s, once fully signed off for solo patrol, can cover shifts or call as needed. The Sheriff’s Office also maintains a 12-bed jail facility in the courthouse. It is strongly preferred that deputies with the Sheriff’s Office live within the County or immediately adjacent to the county border for on-call coverage and emergency callout needs. Outside residency requests will be considered by the Sheriff on a case-by-case basis.
The city of Oberlin has a four-person police department, while the Sheriff’s Office provides law enforcement services for the rest of the county, including the smaller cities. The Sheriff’s Office and the Oberlin Police Department enjoy an excellent working relationship, and currently all city PD officers are also sworn deputy sheriffs with authority throughout the county.
About the Job:
This is the senior non-elected administrative position within the Sheriff’s Office and is responsible for (under the direction of the Sheriff) supervising operations of all major divisions of the Office, including patrol and corrections. The Undersheriff assumes command of the Office in the absence of the Sheriff. Those duties are varied, but include supervision of Patrol and Corrections staff, assisting the Sheriff with administrative duties within the Office, including but not limited to reviewing reports, Field Training with new deputies, acting as the on-call supervisor for the Sheriff’s Office on a rotating schedule, assisting with writing and implementing policy, and coordination and interaction with allied agencies. A full job description is available upon request.
Minimum Qualifications:
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Minimum 21 years of age
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Meet all standards and qualifications to be a certified Law Enforcement Officer in the State of Kansas
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Possess a Kansas CPOST Full-Time LEO certificate, or out-of-state equivalent with the ability to challenge the Kansas State certification process.
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Be in good standing with KS CPOST if currently certified in Kansas
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Five years’ experience as a law enforcement officer handling a wide variety of cases and calls.
Preferred:
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Ten years’ experience as a law enforcement officer, with experience as a line supervisor in a law enforcement agency.
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Experience required is negotiable based upon type and quality of prior experience.
Salary and Benefits:
- Monthly jail stipend
- Overtime after 43 hours per week
- Family benefit plans available at additional cost.
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County cafeteria plan available
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County Sick Bank available for voluntary participation
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MASA Ambulance transport insurance plan offered by County
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Paid Life Insurance policy provided by the County
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KPERS Retirement
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$3000 moving incentive for outside hires, payable over two years.
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Uniforms and Safety Equipment provided except for footwear
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Assigned Take-Home Vehicle provided
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Modern equipment and technology
- Modern patrol fleet of Durangos, Tahoes, and Pickups
- AXON Body and Fleet cameras
- Modern Radar equipment
- Modern radio equipment on the state 800mhz radio system
- CAD and RMS/JMS system brought online in 2023
- In-Car laptops with CAD and RMS access
- In process of purchasing digital citation software
We are looking for someone with sufficient law enforcement experience to have the ability to interpret statutes and evaluate situations to resolve conflicts to the benefit of the community. Many of our LEO’s in the county (all agencies) are young officers with five years or less of patrol time, and you will be expected to be an example and mentor to those officers as we mold the next generation of LEO in Decatur County. If you are a senior patrol officer or supervisor looking to move into management in a low-pressure environment, we might be worth a look.
If you are interested in our slice of paradise, or have further questions, please contact Sheriff David Wachendorfer at DCSheriff@dccoks.org or (785) 475-8100.
Decatur County is an Equal Opportunity Employer
