To become a sworn Special Deputy, each trainee must go through more than 160
hours of classroom training. This training includes 40 hours of medical
training, driving training, boat handling, fire fighting, water rescue, swift
water rescue, ice rescue training and defensive tactics.
In addition, Special Deputies must attend mandatory monthly, quarterly and
seasonal training to maintain their proficiency.
Point of Interest: A Hennepin County Volunteer Special Deputy receives more training than paid,
fulltime police officers in some states.
This page shows only some of the training that Special Deputies get.
Safe boat handling includes safe
pursuit of violators.
Boat fires are both spectacular and
dangerous. Each Water Patrol Boat is equipped with a fire pump and each
deputy is trained in basic fire fighting.
Water Patrol deputies train
together in
special cold water suits to become effective rescue teams.
During Winter months, ice rescue
and cold water training are done almost weekly.
Deputies train to safely handle
any situation on watercraft up to and including felony arrests
"In water" defensive
tactics help deputies protect themselves if they are ever faced with
having to defend themselves in the water.
This site is not a part of the Hennepin County Sheriff's
Office. While every attempt has been made to assure accuracy, in the event of
any conflicts between the content of this site and the
Official Hennepin
County Sheriff's Web site, then the official site will be the final
authority.