Berkeley County civil service commission adopts sweeping hiring rule changes for deputy sheriffs

The Berkeley County Deputy Sheriff Civil Service Commission unanimously adopted three addenda to Article II (Employment) at a special meeting on July 1, 2026, revising how deputy sheriff candidates are certified and processed for hire. The changes take effect immediately, the commission said.

Commission President Dale A. Buck opened the meeting and recognized Commissioner D. Scott Wilson, who led the drafting of the revisions. Wilson told the commission the amendments replace gendered language, streamline procedures and remove a prior distinction between “new and/or previously certified law enforcement applicants.”

Why it matters: the amendments alter the county’s hiring pipeline for sworn deputies — changing application deadlines, clarifying fitness-test procedures, specifying documentation for veteran and law‑enforcement preferences, and setting a uniform probationary term. That affects who is eligible for certification and how quickly vacancies can be filled.

Key changes adopted include: a requirement that the Sheriff submit a written vacancy notice with date and reason; a standardization of eligibility so previously certified and non‑certified applicants are treated the same; an online application process with a deadline of three business days before the examination; and a 12‑month probationary period for new hires. The commission also clarified that written examination scores carry forward only if an applicant accepts the conditions for carrying the score and still must complete the physical agility test.

The commission adopted detailed standards for the Physical Agility Test and the written exam briefing as part of Addendum RR2026‑006. Attachment 1 makes the agility test pass/fail and sets minimums: 28 bent‑leg sit‑ups in one minute, 18 conventional push‑ups in one minute, and a 1.5‑mile run in 14 minutes 36 seconds or less. The addendum also specifies testing procedures for sit‑ups and push‑ups (arms crossed on sit‑ups, chest must touch evaluator’s fist on push‑ups) and states there are no retests within that testing cycle. Attachment 2 confirms local proctoring rules, a two‑hour time limit for the written exam and that the West Virginia Division of Personnel scores written tests.

The rules keep veteran preference and certified law‑enforcement preference in place as score adjustments: applicants who provide a certified DD‑214 may receive veteran preference per WV Code §6‑13‑1 et seq., and applicants with verified POST or equivalent certification may receive five bonus points only after verification and achieving a passing written score.

The three addenda were adopted by unanimous voice votes. President Buck moved to approve Addendum RR2026‑005 (the Article II revisions); Commissioner Wilson seconded. The motion carried; Buck declared RR2026‑005 adopted, effective July 1, 2026. President Buck made the motion to approve RR2026‑006 (Attachments 1 and 2); Commissioner Wilson seconded and the motion carried. President Buck then moved to approve RR2026‑007 (index updates); Commissioner Stephen J. Vigh III seconded and the motion carried. The meeting adjourned by unanimous voice vote.

What to watch next: the addenda direct that the county post the revised rules and distribute them to the Sheriff and the leadership of the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office; the attachments also reference rules under Title 149 (149CSR2) and the West Virginia Division of Personnel, which will continue to administer and score written exams. Applicants and the Sheriff’s Office will follow the updated procedures for future hiring cycles.

The commission’s signed minutes and the addenda are recorded with the Berkeley County Clerk and will be posted on the county website per the addendum language.