[michaelcj]

Most LE positions are Civil Service and require taking the CC exam [written], an oral board and a physical agility test to get on the "eligibility" list for the agency(s) you are interested in. Depending on where you place on the list... the hiring authority Then chooses from the top three candidates on the list for each position. THEN:

Each candidate chosen goes through an in-depth background check, psychological exam, polygraph exam, and another oral interview or board. THEN:

If you are chosen and provisionally hired you get sent to the LE BAsic training academy where "eventually" you will get to shoot your gun "the way they want you to". After you have been through all this you will probably go through a period of field training with a trained FTO.

Some Sheriff's Offices are indeed responsible for running the county jail in their jurisdiction and it is not uncommon for new deputies to be assigned there for a while before a road assignment, but many jurisdictions have different "departments" with their own training for corrections officers.

Bottom line in this long ramble is that how well you shoot or how much you like to shoot is so far down the list of the agencies concerns it is not even on it as far as initial hiring considerations. Of course once trained you will be expected [required] to maintain proficiency and qualify regularly.

Good luck with your search. As important as any physical skill, OR MORE SO, is to bone up on your oral and written communications skills, reading comprehension [law is written in an interesting language], and inter personal communications. They will get you a much higher place on that initial eligibility list than any physical skill. And that's as it should be.

Teaching shooting is relatively cheap and easy to do, Good Judgement, Common Sense, ect... not so much.

Again good luck... keep after it... it is a worthwhile and honorable profession.

Mike J