The San Diego County Sheriff's Department plans to hire 2,000 people through 2016, including deputies and civilian workers.
The hiring spree is a result of the recent California prison realignment that allows those convicted of most nonviolent and nonsexual crimes to serve their sentences in county jails instead of state prisons.
The agency said Wednesday in a statement it needs additional employees to help staff county jails, including a new facility in Santee. The department will host recruiting events in the coming weeks.
