Thirteen weeks of rigorous training came to a celebratory end for the newest deputies with the Newport News Sheriff’s Office. The four individuals graduated from the Hampton Roads Criminal Justice Training Academy on Wednesday, December 9, 2009.
The same room that was used daily for PT (physical training) and practical training like ASP Baton and Defensive Tactics was transformed for graduation night. The ambiance was welcoming. The mood was upbeat. You could feel the excitement as family, friends and colleagues gathered in the multipurpose room. Instead of dropping to the floor and doing pushups, the new deputies proudly marched across the floor to accept their certificates of completion.
This is just the beginning of the law enforcement careers of Deputies J. Owens, A. Ireland, C. Kasongo and D. Payne. The very next day provided them an opportunity to see where their professional lives could go.
On December 10, the Annual Newport News Sheriff’s Office Promotion and Awards Ceremony was held. The Sheriff’s Office publicly congratulates its sworn personnel, civilian personnel and volunteers for their individual accomplishments that occurred over the course of the year.
Robert Coleman and Cornell Thomas were recognized for their recent promotions. They were both promoted to Captain, effective December 1st. Captain Coleman began his career with the Newport News Sheriff’s Office in 1996. He has been a shift commander in corrections and court security. Now he is the Inmate Services Commander and supervises Classification and Records, and Medical Services. Captain Thomas has over 15-years in law enforcement, and that does not include his Air Force career. He proudly served in the United States Air Force for a decade. Thomas is now the Jail Annex Administrator. That facility, dedicated in December of 2008, is a rehabilitative correctional center offering a wide array of inmate programs aimed at helping offenders transition back into the community upon release.
In addition to the captain promotions, the ceremony recognized three new sergeants. L.M. Chandler, D.K. Clinard and J.P. Reisinger were each promoted to Sergeant, effective November 15th. They have a combined 20-years with the Newport News Sheriff’s Office.
Lieutenant Kathleen Carey was presented with the Sheriff’s Medal commending her meritorious performance of duty as the Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer. The Sheriff’s Office “Volunteer of the Year” received the Citizen Service Medal. So far this year, Iria “Evangelist” Walker amassed over 300 volunteer hours at the Newport News City Jail.
The Newport News Sheriff’s Office subscribes to the concept of the Master Deputy Career Development Program, which encourages professional growth. Ten men and women were appointed to the rank of Master Deputy since January of this year. They were called one-by-one at the Promotion and Awards Ceremony to come forward and receive accolades for their achievements. They are: C.P. Bannon, S.D. Boothe-Hardy, P.A. Chapman, Jr.; S.L. Chapman, W.G. Churchill, J.J. Hostetler, K.W. Jackson, E.D. Morales, S. M. Sheridan, and C. Q. Woodhouse.