Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden has announced the graduation of 25 recruits from the 35th Basic Course for County Corrections Officers.
The graduation, held at the Monmouth County Police Academy, Freehold Township, on Nov. 21, comes after the completion of a 12-week curriculum that prepares recruits for careers as corrections professionals, according to a press release from the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office.
“It takes dedication, courage and compassion to have a career in law enforcement,” said Golden, whose agency runs the police academy. “As these corrections officers join the ranks of professional men and women, those values will guide them in safeguarding lives and property and preserving peace in a correctional environment.
“I commend the family and friends of today’s graduates for the support they provided to each of these graduates during the past 12 weeks of transition from recruit to corrections officer,” he said.
Of the 25 recruits, 14 will serve at the Union County Department of Corrections, 10 will serve at the Middlesex County Department of Corrections and one will serve at the Hunterdon County Sheriff’s Office, Corrections Division, according to the press release.
Training for the Basic Course for County Corrections Officers is coordinated by Staff Sgt. Christopher Citarella of the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office, Corrections Division.
Throughout the 12 weeks, the corrections officers engaged in physical training and drill and learned how to properly use firearms, batons, handcuffing techniques and mechanical restraints. They were also trained in unarmed self-defense and emergency medical response.
Classroom instruction included topics on law enforcement and ethics, stress management, contraband and evidence processing, characteristics of inmates and drug interdiction and identification, according to the press release.
The presentation of awards went to Leigh D. Smith, Hunterdon County Sheriff’s Office, Corrections Division, for marksmanship and academics; Kyle R. Reardon, Middlesex County Department of Corrections, for physical training; and Christian A. Paez, Middlesex County Department of Corrections, for merit.
To date, 690 corrections officers have completed the Basic Course for County Corrections Officers at the Monmouth County Police Academy, according to the press release.
