The Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office held its 54th Basic Academy Class graduation ceremony today, recognizing 17 recruits’ successful completion of training.
Family and friends attended the ceremony at the Law Enforcement Training Academy in Virginia Beach. Sheriff Ken Stolle gave the keynote address.
“You have the greatest responsibility of anybody in the community, and I can’t think of a greater honor than to be trusted by your community to protect them and their families,” Sheriff Stolle said to the graduates. “I ask you all to consider this, if somebody is having a hard time and they can’t get anything done, nothing is working right for them, they've got to turn to somebody for help. If you have a bad reputation or the community doesn’t trust law enforcement, they’re not going to turn to law enforcement. It is your responsibility to make sure they trust law enforcement; you must be above reproach. … Without you there is no other solution.”
The 17-week Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office Basic Academy includes training in Virginia law, ethics, cultural diversity, firearms, defensive tactics, emergency vehicle operations and first aid. The graduates also completed rigorous physical fitness training and courses pertaining to the Sheriff’s Office various functions: Corrections, Court Transportation and Security, and Civil Process. They each successfully met the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services requirements for graduation and have earned their Basic Jailer and Civil Process certifications.
The deputies will be assigned to the Virginia Beach Correctional Center and bring the number of active, sworn Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office deputies to 398.
Any questions or requests for additional information from the news media may be directed to Toni Guagenti, Public Information Officer, at (757) 373-5012 or tguagenti@vbso.net .