Community
BEHIND THE BADGE
Correctional deputy hopefuls get tough training in and out of the classroom BY SHERIFF IAN PARKINSON
A
couple of columns ago, I wrote about a pre-academy we had for patrol deputy candidates. At that time, I talked about the intensive training the candidates get even before they get to the actual academy. On the correctional side, the training is no less intensive. The idea is we want deputies who are well trained to respond to any situation, whether they are out on the streets or inside the jail. Recently we had a class graduate from a correctional deputy training academy. This training, like all the training taught at academies, is intense and not for the faint of heart. But that’s why we train like that — to get the absolute best out of our candidates, and to expose to them all the demands this job can entail and all the responsibilities which we expect of them. Let’s start by telling you some of the training these men and women go through before they can graduate from the academy. First, the academy is heavy on classroom instruction to make sure the candidates understand the different protocols and procedures we must follow in the jail. The cadets learn multiple disciplines when going through the academy. Some of the main subjects include classes on cultural diversity, the Americans with Disabilities Act accommodations, effective communication skills, suicide prevention awareness, crisis intervention, and use of force training. Many of these classes are designed to de-escalate situations within the jail. Why an emphasis on this? Because it makes the environment in the jail safe, not only for the inmates, but also for our correctional deputies.
The latest class of the San Luis Obispo Sheriff’s correctional deputies academy poses during its graduation ceremony. Contributed photos
right here on the Sheriff ’s Office campus. Normally, cadets would be sent to an academy where they would live, eat, sleep, and train at an off-site facility. But the Sheriff ’s Office contracts with a company called 10-8 Tactics and Training, which runs the academy right here at the Sheriff ’s Office. The instructors at this company are all current or former law enforcement supervisors. Why do we do this instead of the traditional method? Because it’s a huge cost-savings for the Sheriff ’s Office This intensive six-week training is hosted and San Luis Obispo County.
Physical activity and agility are also important components of this training. The cadets need to be physically fit. As a result, we put the cadets through some practical scenarios. For instance, they’re taught about search techniques both for housing units and patdowns of the inmates. They also learn about defensive tactics, cell extraction of inmates, arrest and control measures, and firearms training.
8 | april 2022
Working as a correctional deputy in the jail is not for everyone. It can be difficult, physically, and emotionally draining work. Most days you are dealing with a population that can be dismissive of you and the law enforcement profession to sometimes downright hostile. But at the end of the day, you can rest assured that as a correctional deputy you have kept the inmates, yourself, and your community safe. That’s why we expect so much of our correctional deputies. Because we know, you would expect nothing less. Central Coast Journal
