Student Internship Program

Job Description

Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office Student Internship Program

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, in a joint effort with local universities and colleges, offers a Student Internship Program designed to foster partnerships within the community. This program provides an invaluable learning experience for university and college students, allowing them to engage with the administrative, operational, and support functions of a criminal justice organization.

Interns will gain practical experience and establish professional relationships that could potentially lead to future employment within the criminal justice field. The program is coordinated by the Training Services Bureau and Human Resources, with Human Resources overseeing background investigations and intern assignments.

Program Details:

• Program Focus: Learning and practical experience in administrative, operational, and support functions within a criminal justice organization.
• Potential Outcomes: Opportunity to establish relationships that could lead to future employment.
• Coordination: Shared between the Training Services Bureau and Human Resources.
• Supervision: The Human Resources Intern Coordinator directs intern assignments and determines the number of participating students based on resource availability.
• Compensation: This is an unpaid internship. Interns do not receive wages or compensation from the Sheriff’s Office.
• Maximum Hours: 300 hours.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Age: Must be at least eighteen (18) years of age.
• Academic Standing:
  • Enrolled in a two (2) or four (4) year degree program.
  • Must be a junior or senior standing at an accredited university or college.
  • Minimum 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale.
  • Academic probation is not acceptable.
• Policy Compliance: Must be in compliance with the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office Drug Free Policy and Tattoo/Ornamentation Policy.
• Background:
  • Must successfully pass a background investigation conducted by the Human Resource Bureau Background Investigation Unit.
  • Any felony arrest will preclude participation.
  • All misdemeanor arrests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and may result in exclusion.

Application Process and Required Documents:

Prospective interns must submit the following documents a minimum of ninety (90) days prior to the beginning of the target semester:

• University/College Advisor Letter: A signed letter from the applicant’s university/college advisor requesting placement, including:
  • Student’s full name, date of birth, social security number, present address, and phone number.
  • Inclusive dates of the semester during which the internship is requested.
  • Total hours required by the university/college.
  • Number of hours per week required by the university/college.
  • Contact information for the applicant’s university/college advisor and/or intern coordinator.
  • List of any rules, regulations, etc., required by the university/college for the agency and/or intern.
• Transcripts: A copy of applicant’s official transcripts from all universities/colleges attended, including the present sponsor.
• Letters of Recommendation: A minimum of two (2) letters of recommendation from the applicant’s current university/college faculty or staff.
• Identification: A photo copy of intern’s current Driver’s License and Social Security card.
• Sheriff’s Office Forms:
  • Completed notarized Internship Application.
  • Signed notarized Sheriff’s Office Release of Liability waiver.
  • Proof of medical insurance.
  • Personal Inquiry waiver.

Selection Process:

1. The Human Resource Intern Coordinator or their designee will interview prospective intern applicants to determine suitability.
2. Qualified student applications will be forwarded via the chain of command to the Administrative Division Commander or designee.
3. The Administrative Division Commander or designee will make the final determination for selection.
4. Any deviation from the stated criteria must be addressed in writing to the Administrative Division Commander.

Post-Internship Requirement:

• Interns will be required to submit a comprehensive report (APA Style) detailing their internship experiences and assessment of the Sheriff’s Office.
• This report must be submitted on the last day of the program; otherwise, a final evaluation will not be sent to the intern’s university/college.