Virginia Beach, Va. — The Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office (VBSO) today held its 61st Basic Academy Class (BAC) graduation, recognizing 12 deputy recruits’ successful completion of training.
This graduating class includes five military veterans, including three who served in the U.S. Marine Corps, one in the U.S. Navy and one in the U.S. Coast Guard. Two of the Marine Corps vets are married, Deputies Aaliyah and Jared Giel. Several deputies in the graduating class have either an associate or bachelor’s degree, joining our ranks from all walks of life including graphic design, VBSO mail clerk and 911 dispatcher.
Family, friends and VBSO staff attended the ceremony at the Law Enforcement Training Academy, 411 Integrity Way. Virginia Beach Councilwoman Jennifer Rouse delivered the keynote address.
“I’m here to say on behalf of myself and my colleagues on City Council ‘thank you;’ thank you for what you have agreed to do; thank you for the work and training you’ve put in to be excellent at what you do,” Rouse said. “Under the leadership of Sheriff (Rocky) Holcomb, I’ve seen the work of the Sheriff’s Office elevate the bright spots in our community in an area where we would think it’s bad and negative, and, maybe even scary with all the stigmas and stereotypes around this work and the people that you serve. I know I’ve seen a lot of efforts to humanize the department. That’s what you’re signing up for, to protect and to serve, but to also rehabilitate the folks who are in our jails who may come out and rejoin us, and hopefully we all rebuild together.”
Rouse’s speech was preceded by a few words from Holcomb.
“When you began this journey, you stepped into one of the most demanding and honorable professions in public service. Over the past months, you’ve been tested physically, mentally and emotionally; you’ve been challenged to learn not just tactics and procedures but discipline and integrity,” Holcomb said. “And through the process, you’ve earned something that can’t be given…the right to wear this badge. Make no mistake, this badge is not a symbol of authority, it’s a symbol of trust; it represents the faith that our community places in us every single day.”
The VBSO Basic Academy training spans 80 classes and 500 hours over 17 weeks, 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 61 deputies will be assigned to the Virginia Beach Correctional Center, joining the ranks of the VBSO’s 400 sworn deputy sheriffs.
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 Feb. 7. Information on how to become a Virginia Beach deputy sheriff is available at vbso.net/sworn-positions.
You can watch the graduation, which was live-streamed by the Virginia Beach’s Media Services division, at facebook.com/vbsheriffsoffice .
Media contact: Public Information Officer Toni Guagenti at tguagenti@vbso.net , 757-385-8446 or 757-373-5012.