KCSO welcomes new corrections deputy graduates at BC
With a ceremonious greeting from a drumline and flag bearers raising the U.S. and California flags, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office and Bakersfield College welcomed a new class of corrections deputies from the Adult Corrections Academy at a graduation ceremony Friday morning.
Hosted at the college’s indoor performing arts center, hundreds of family members and friends sat in the audience waiting to see their loved ones receive their badges from Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood. The academy class 23-03 certified 12 deputies to work in correctional and detentions settings.
“I could not be more proud of these students. They worked very hard to get here,” said Chris Frank, the program’s lead recruitment training officer and senior detention deputy at the KCSO.
The Adult Corrections Academy equips students with a certificate to work as a corrections officer in county, city or private jails. Frank said students fulfill 210 hours of state-mandated training, 200 hours of KCSO department-specific training, 240 hours of on-the-job training and rigorous firearms training.
One of the graduates, Amaritpal Singh, said he is proud and ready to serve the community as a detentions deputy. His family and friends expressed their pride in Singh with balloons, flowers and stuffed animals as he came out of the performing arts center Friday.
Singh said prior to the academy he was a KCSO Explorer in the cadet unit. He said he grew to love the academy and the programs offered by the KCSO.
“I found family in the department, so it really meant a lot to me to become a detention deputy,” Singh said.
Associate professor Todd Dearmore helped facilitate the academy at the college. He said not only do KCSO and Bakersfield College have a great collaboration, but he has a personal connection with both.
Dearmore said he used to work at the KCSO and he started as an Explorer when he was 16 years old. He was going through a tough time in his life, he said, and the KCSO’s program helped him find his purpose.
“This is a passion of mine,” Dearmore said, “I served in the military and I also served our community and there’s nothing that makes me more proud than that.”
The 23-03 class leader, Andrea Olivo, said the academy required weeks of dedication, commitment and sacrifice but it was a noble journey.
“Let us not forget that our journey does not end here; it is only just the beginning,” Olivo said.
The new graduates are now eligible to work at the KCSO or other local law enforcement agencies as correctional and detention officers. Dearmore said anyone who is interested in joining the next academy class can sign up on the Adult Corrections Academy website.