For some it was an early morning spent racing for a job.

Dozens of candidates for jobs at the Scott County Sheriff's Department were put to the test today in Bettendorf.

They had to complete a 1.5 mile run along with pushups and sit-ups as part of an agility drill. They're competing against each other and against physical fitness standards set by the department.

So what does it take to become a deputy?

"We're looking for people who are in good shape," says Lt. Bryce Schmidt. "We're also looking for people who have a good background, they have to have a clean background. We'd prefer that they have a college degree or some military experience."

He says the department got almost 140 applications for ten available positions. That's up from 90 last year, something the Lieutenant attributes to the struggling economy.