The sun has set on week 7 of the CSO’s 21st Session Deputy Training Academy. Once again, the class ends with the same number of candidates as when the week began. They are now functioning as a team, working together instead of against each other.
“Instead of a lot of trains on different tracks, we’re becoming one train on one track… just chugging along,” said one candidate.
This week, the 21st Session learned more crucial information and skills they’d need to perfect to work as a deputy in the Chesapeake Correctional Center. Instructors taught them about classifying inmates on their entry into the facility, caring for special populations, detecting narcotics, how to reverse an opioid overdose, how to properly conduct a pat down search, and best practices for social media use.
“Drugs, alcohol, how it affects the body, and how to detect if someone may be under the influence; I knew nothing about that previously,” said one candidate. “So that was very interesting and will be helpful going forward.”
“I actually really liked learning about TDOs (temporary detention orders), ECOs (emergency custody orders), and classification,” said another candidate. “We did a case study where we had to classify make-believe inmates and where we would put them.”
The 21st Session also chose their class officers for president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, chaplain, sergeant-at-arms, and historian. Each class officer will have a special role to play throughout the rest of the academy and at the graduation.
The class ended the week by “earning their holiday weekend” by completing their next LawFit assessment. These assessments take place every few weeks. To pass, each candidate must show an improvement from their last assessment. By the final assessment, they must achieve or surpass each guideline set for their age and gender. Academy instructors will award gold, silver, and bronze LawFit certifications based on the final results.
The entire class showed improvement, but one trainee especially stood out by completing the obstacle course in 47 seconds—a new Chesapeake Law Enforcement Training Academy (CLETA) record!
“He killed it! He hasn’t stopped smiling all day,” said Assistant Academy Director Sgt. Nikki Pascal. “Each day, they push themselves further. We’re so proud.”
Once again, the class will enjoy the rare privilege of a long holiday weekend. (Enjoy it while you can!) On Tuesday, Chesapeake City Council voted to close the city on Monday as well as Tuesday for the 4th of July weekend. When the trainees return on Wednesday, they’ll learn about court security before beginning extensive defensive tactics and firearms training.
Only 11 weeks to go, 21st Session!
