VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office (VBSO) today held its 60th Basic Academy Class (BAC) graduation, recognizing six deputy recruits’ successful completion of training.
This graduating class includes a U.S. Navy veteran and two college graduates. Their backgrounds include jobs in sales, food service, contracting, public health education and more.
Family, friends and VBSO staff attended the ceremony at Courthouse Horizons, located at 961 S. Birdneck Road. Retired U.S. Marine Corps Col. Lawrence King, the father of Training Sgt. Nicholas Davison, delivered the commencement speech.
“There are many jobs out there, you’ve chosen a profession, choosing something bigger than yourself and for the greater good,” said King. “The things you teach, the things you learn, the people you touch and the examples you set will give your life meaning beyond itself.”
This VBSO Basic Academy was 14 weeks long. Basic Academy training spans 80 classes and 500 hours, covering Virginia law, arrest procedures, ethics, cultural diversity, firearms, defensive tactics, emergency vehicle operations, first aid, crisis intervention (mental health) and more. The graduates also complete rigorous physical fitness training and courses on the VBSO’s core operations: Corrections, Court Transportation and Security, and Civil Process. They must successfully meet all Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) requirements to graduate and earn their Basic Jailer, Court Security and Civil Process certifications.
The BAC 60 deputies will be assigned to the Virginia Beach Correctional Center and bring the number of active, sworn VBSO deputies to 384.
“You’ve got the name that your family gave you and now you have the name that the Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office gave you. Bring pride to both of those names,” said Holcomb. “You will see people on their best days and people on their worst days. You, the modern-day crimefighter, the deputy sheriff, you’ll make split-second decisions that carry lifelong consequences, and you will be called to serve in moments when others run away. That is the weight of this badge that we wear and it’s also an honor.”
The starting salary for deputy recruits is $54,766.40, which increases to $57,504.72 after graduation from the Basic Academy, plus benefits. The VBSO is hiring for both sworn and civilian positions. The next testing date for sworn applicants is Nov. 8. Information on how to become a Virginia Beach deputy sheriff is available at vbso.net/sworn-positions .
Media contact: Email pio@vbso.net or contact Public Information Officer Toni Guagenti at tguagenti@vbso.net or 757-373-5012.