UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — After 19 weeks of training, 35 newly hired deputy sheriffs from counties around the commonwealth will return to their home communities prepared to serve after completing the Penn State-run Pennsylvania Sheriff and Deputy Sheriff Education and Training Program.
The class will graduate at 11 a.m. May 17 in Deans Hall of the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center.
They will take with them the lessons they learned and the bonds they made, said Class Platoon Leader Richard Myers, from the York County Sheriff’s Office.
“Whether it was during physical training or in the classroom, when there was someone struggling, everybody in this class came together. I think that is something our class has been very successful with, just coming together to get through all the challenges that we have had on our journey here,” Myers said. “The 19 weeks of training here are not the easiest, but when we get back, we are going to be applying everything we learned and bring it all together.”
During the academy, trainees received instruction in several law enforcement areas, including Pennsylvania crime codes and civil procedures, cultural diversity, ethics, firearms, first responder/first aid, defensive tactics, courtroom security and physical training.
The graduating class will be the 68th since the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) selected the Penn State Justice and Safety Institute (JASI) as the academy’s administrator in the year 2000. Sheriffs and deputy sheriffs; judges; attorneys; and local, state and federal law enforcement officers help deliver the training.
“I really gained from the instructors who are from all different backgrounds. So, you gain a vast amount of knowledge while you are here to take back once you are back on the job,” Myers said.
The opportunity to make an impact in the community he grew up in drove Class President Christopher Rudolph to become a deputy sheriff with the Dauphin County Sheriff's Office.
“I grew up in Harrisburg, and it has its rough parts. When you are young, and you see things that morally people should not be doing, it gives you that drive to want to do the opposite and help people,” Rudolph said. “This academy really helps you find your moral compass and helps you find out what you believe in. We are doing good things here, and when we go back, we will take everything we learned here and apply it in the field.”
Class Vice President Jessica Mazzante is transitioning to the Lycoming County Sheriff's Office after serving as a probation officer for six years. She hopes to be an example for her 10-year-old daughter.
“I am doing this for her, to show her that you can make big drastic changes in your life and get through them,” Mazzante said. "I am going to have a sense of accomplishment during graduation. I have previously been in law enforcement, but going through this shows me that I can pursue anything and get through it. I have people on my side and my family to help me pursue my dreams. When I get back, I am going to feel more confident in things that I do, because I made it through this.”
The Sheriff and Deputy Sheriff Education and Training Program provides certification and re-certification for approximately 2,100 active sheriffs and deputy sheriffs across the commonwealth. To learn more, visit the PCCD website.
JASI is a Penn State Outreach program.