UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Just as she has her whole life, newly hired Lawrence County Deputy Sheriff Ashley Cramer strives to be a positive force every time she puts on the uniform.
“I have always been interested in law enforcement because I have always loved being there for my community and taking care of others in it. I have always loved to protect people,” Cramer said. “As a deputy, I want to be that light in the community for those who are dealing with the darkest moments of their life.”
Now, as she prepares to graduate on May 15 as vice president of the latest class to complete the Penn State–run Sheriff and Deputy Sheriff Training Program, she said she feels she has the tools to do just that.
“Everything about this training has helped prepare me to do my job. One of my biggest takeaways is that being a sheriff is not just about enforcing laws. It is about being there for people,” Cramer said. “You can do that with a little bit of communication, a lot of patience and just listening.”
Composed of 38 deputies from 21 counties around the commonwealth, the graduating class is the 73rd since Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) selected the Penn State Justice and Safety Institute (JASI), which is part of Penn State Outreach, as the academy’s administrator in 2000.
When Class President Stephen Chromey, from Monroe County, leads the graduating class across the stage, it will be the culmination of a journey that started after his father passed away a year and a half ago.
“After he died, I was kind of all over the place. So, I decided to apply for the sheriff’s department in honor of him and to also serve my community and give back to everyone who has supported me my whole life,” said Chromey. “I actually didn’t finish college, so being able to get a certificate from Penn State, which is such a reputable institution, and knowing that I’ve completed something I might have never completed in my past, makes me feel like I have really achieved something that, not only myself, but my father, my mother and my whole community can look up to.”
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.
“Everything they have been teaching us is truly going to set us up for success when we leave,” Chromey said. “From understanding crime and civil codes to understanding even the simplest things, like handcuffing or transportation, those all play into our daily roles. They have given us the tools to be a deputy for the commonwealth and help set us up for a successful career.”
Throughout the 19-week training program, trainees worked directly with the sheriffs and deputy sheriffs, judges and attorneys, and local, state and federal law enforcement officers who help deliver the training. Class Platoon Leader John Gravely, from Westmoreland County, said the diversity of the training and trainers gave him the insight needed to be successful.
“Just the wide variety and range of skills was helpful. We had judges, local police, state police and more, all sharing their knowledge and working with us,” Gravely said. “It was just a great dynamic and really great training.”
As the class prepares to go back to serve their home communities, Cramer said the bonds she made with her fellow deputies over the 19-week training program will help her as she works to make a positive impact.
“Graduating is going to be a big moment for all of us. We bonded, we cried together, we got mad at each other, but at the end of the day, we are still together, pretty much like a family because we have spent so much time together,” said Cramer. “We are a team, and at the end of the day, we are all doing the same thing and have the same goal.”
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.