College Internship Program

College Internship

The Denton County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) encourages the educational growth of college students as they pursue a career in law enforcement. A DCSO internship will expose you to the important functions of patrol, detention, communications, criminal investigations, mental health, forensics, and other activities and allow you a firsthand experience of the world of law enforcement. Such experiences will further your education in college and beyond.

Those accepted into the internship program are unpaid and expected to follow a strict schedule. The Denton County Sheriff’s Office internship will not exceed 150 hours per intern.

College Intern Application Steps and Requirements

1. An intern applicant must be a student with a college that has an active MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) on file with the DCSO. Please inquire with us if your school has a MOU on file as it takes time for the approval process. If not, it will be the intern’s responsibility to facilitate with University staff to have the MOU signed, return the MOU to the DCSO, and await approval before beginning the next step. The intern applicant should only apply for an internship if the hours will count toward your “Junior” or “Senior” year in college.
2.  The intern applicant must be able to complete a Personal History Statement (link below) and return it to the DCSO (along with any supporting documentation). Proof of enrollment at your college in an internship-credited class must be provided to your assigned background investigator. 
3. The intern applicant must successfully pass a comprehensive background check. 
4. Interns are expected to maintain a neat, clean, and professional image at all times at the DCSO. 
5. Upon acceptance for an internship, the intern is expected to observe regular and odd hours, including overnight hours. Shifts range from 8 hours to 12+ hours throughout the program and can be any day of the week. Interns should expect shifts during normal business hours from 8 AM to 5 PM or overnight shifts. 
6. The intern will be expected to track all hours observed and communicate effectively with the internship program coordinator at the DCSO. It will be the responsibility of the intern to communicate to the coordinator the minimum hours needed for the successful completion of the internship for college credit. The DCSO Coordinator will only fill out internship completion paperwork at the end of the program from your school (if applicable). Please ensure your school understands that school-issued paperwork throughout the program will not be completed by DCSO employees. 
7. Assignments are geared toward three main focuses: Operations (e.g., patrol), Corrections, and Forensics. No matter which discipline you are seeking in college, you will be exposed to much more than your college discipline within your internship.

Applicants will only be considered after completing the required forms. Email Captain Kelly Fair your completed personal history statement and a cover letter outlining details of your for-credit college internship program, including a college verification point of contact for consideration in this exclusive program.