Monday, February 25, 2008
Pike County Sheriff Deputies Complete Training.
Nearly two dozen Class I and Class II deputies with the Pike County Sheriff’s Department finished a year-long training workshop developed by Pikeville College on Saturday, Feb. 23.
Deputies classified as Class 1 and Class 2 serve the sheriff’s department by volunteering their time. Twenty-one of these officers graduated the Pike County Deputy Sheriff’s Informational Workshop.
Pike County Sheriff Charles “Fuzzy” Keesee says he couldn’t be happier with the addition of local training options.
“I feel the program that Pikeville College is offering to the Pike County Sheriff’s Department is of great help,” said Keesee. “To be able to get training of this caliber from our local law enforcement and educational professionals so our volunteers could have a better understanding of what is necessary to enforce the law in wonderful.”
Training began last March both in the classroom and in the field. Officers learned about criminal law and procedure, arrest procedures, search and seizure, the penal code, crime scene investigations, and many others aspects of law enforcement.
Pike County Judge/Executive Wayne T. Rutherford, who attended Saturday’s graduation and pinning ceremony, said the training program developed by the college is of great importance.
“These fine people are on the front lines of defense, just like our firefighters,” Rutherford said. “And many of them have other jobs and volunteer their time to this.”
Rutherford said preparation and training was a must for individuals offering their labor and commitment to such a vital function in our society.
“We need these people prepared and working at their best,” Rutherford added. “We should always keep in mind the good service they provide to our communities.”
Pikeville College Professor of Criminal Justice Kay Hardesty and the college’s Director of Safety and Security Allen Abshire, in coordination with the sheriff’s department, spent the last year devoting their time to the program.
Full-time paid officers attend the police academy in Richmond, according to Abshire, but Class I and Class II deputies have “little opportunity for training,” he said.
“Much of the classroom material was garnered from Kay’s criminal justice program here at the college so they were able to take advantage of college-level material,” Abshire said. “Before the classes began, we came up with a list of information we thought every officer should have and offered what we could in the time we had available.”
Guest lecturers also involved with the program over the course of the last year have included Assistant Commonwealth Attorney Ron Burchett, Steve Nunemaker, a deputy sheriff and firearms instructor, and Tolbert Ratliff, a deputy sheriff and drug recognition expert.
Keesee continued to praise the local push to see Pike deputies who volunteer their time receive training on level with that of other programs across the state, saying his department was “indebted and thankful” to the college for making it possible.
“The volunteer officers are a necessity to the sheriff’s offices across the state due to the lack of funding,” Keesee said. “We are indebted and thankful to Pikeville College for providing this program…it is an invaluable asset.”
Abshire says the program will continue as long as there are new officers in need of training.
Deputies classified as Class 1 and Class 2 serve the sheriff’s department by volunteering their time. Twenty-one of these officers graduated the Pike County Deputy Sheriff’s Informational Workshop.
Pike County Sheriff Charles “Fuzzy” Keesee says he couldn’t be happier with the addition of local training options.
“I feel the program that Pikeville College is offering to the Pike County Sheriff’s Department is of great help,” said Keesee. “To be able to get training of this caliber from our local law enforcement and educational professionals so our volunteers could have a better understanding of what is necessary to enforce the law in wonderful.”
Training began last March both in the classroom and in the field. Officers learned about criminal law and procedure, arrest procedures, search and seizure, the penal code, crime scene investigations, and many others aspects of law enforcement.
Pike County Judge/Executive Wayne T. Rutherford, who attended Saturday’s graduation and pinning ceremony, said the training program developed by the college is of great importance.
“These fine people are on the front lines of defense, just like our firefighters,” Rutherford said. “And many of them have other jobs and volunteer their time to this.”
Rutherford said preparation and training was a must for individuals offering their labor and commitment to such a vital function in our society.
“We need these people prepared and working at their best,” Rutherford added. “We should always keep in mind the good service they provide to our communities.”
Pikeville College Professor of Criminal Justice Kay Hardesty and the college’s Director of Safety and Security Allen Abshire, in coordination with the sheriff’s department, spent the last year devoting their time to the program.
Full-time paid officers attend the police academy in Richmond, according to Abshire, but Class I and Class II deputies have “little opportunity for training,” he said.
“Much of the classroom material was garnered from Kay’s criminal justice program here at the college so they were able to take advantage of college-level material,” Abshire said. “Before the classes began, we came up with a list of information we thought every officer should have and offered what we could in the time we had available.”
Guest lecturers also involved with the program over the course of the last year have included Assistant Commonwealth Attorney Ron Burchett, Steve Nunemaker, a deputy sheriff and firearms instructor, and Tolbert Ratliff, a deputy sheriff and drug recognition expert.
Keesee continued to praise the local push to see Pike deputies who volunteer their time receive training on level with that of other programs across the state, saying his department was “indebted and thankful” to the college for making it possible.
“The volunteer officers are a necessity to the sheriff’s offices across the state due to the lack of funding,” Keesee said. “We are indebted and thankful to Pikeville College for providing this program…it is an invaluable asset.”
Abshire says the program will continue as long as there are new officers in need of training.
# posted by Joe Kinzer @ 11:05 PM 
