The Orange County Sheriff ’s Office is going into local neighborhoods to recruit candidates for its job openings.

Agency details diversity, opportunities for potential hires

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office held a recruitment event Friday in Pine Hills to attract community members into a life of public service.

While the department’s recruiters travel throughout the southwest looking for job candidates, the event Thursday was held at the ICP Orlando Christian Church at 5850 Clarcona Ocoee Road.

Sheriff’s Office Spokeswoman Deputy Ingrid TejadaMonforte said deputies from the communities they serve often have a greater understanding than others.

“It’s always a benefit because you know where the community is coming from,” she said. “You know what the needs were five years ago and where they are now.”

Sheriff Jerry Demings has been increasing patrols in Pine Hills since December. Violent crime increased in the community near the end of last year, and the Sheriff’s Office and the Orlando Police Department ramped up their presence there.

Tejada-Monforte said that recruiting in different areas within the community promotes diversity in the department.

The Sheriff ’s Office had another career fair in April in the 1800 block of North Econlockhatchee Trail, where she said there is a Hispanic presence. “We are a diverse agency,” Tejada-Monforte said. “There’s a good amount of diversity on the west side where there [are] black, Asian and creole communities.”

The Sheriff ’s Office is seeking patrol deputies, full-time and part-time court security deputies, 911 operators, school crossing guards and other civilian positions.

Career fair attendees spoke with deputies from many different specializations at the event, from K-9 and narcotics unit members to school resource and public information officers.

Tejada-Monforte said this showed candidates the wide variety of opportunities available to Sheriff ’s Office employees after they spend at least