PAXTON – Worcester County Sheriff Lew Evangelidis administered the Correctional Officers Oath on Dec. 1 to the 26 graduating recruits of the Sheriff’s Office’s 60th Basic Recruit Training Academy in Zecco Auditorium at Anna Maria College.
Among the 26 graduates were officers Curtis DelValle of Marlborough, Adam Fisher of Shrewsbury and Jason Moran of Westborough.
The graduates are a diverse group of recruits, each bringing unique skills and experiences to their new roles as correctional officers. These officers hail from 16 different towns across Massachusetts, and many of them are veterans or reservists. This group is the largest graduating class the department has had since 2017.
The academy is a paid, full-time 12-week program that teaches recruits how to handle and maintain the care, custody and control of inmates at the Worcester County Jail and House of Correction. The program includes both classroom and hands-on instruction, covering topics such as de-escalation, duty to intervene, fire safety, defensive tactics, first responder training, suicide prevention, mental health and substance abuse.
In the classroom, recruits learn about these topics, while hands-on training includes physical fitness, CPR/first responder, firearms, skid school and many other scenario-based exercises.
Since taking office, Evangelidis has implemented several changes to enhance the professionalism and integrity of the department hiring process. The new standards for correctional officer applications include a minimum of an associate degree, two years of military service, or two years of relevant work experience.
Additionally, applicants must pass a written exam, physical fitness test, background check and psychological screening test.
The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office is accepting applications for its 61st Basic Recruit Training Academy, which will begin in March 2024. To learn more about what it takes to be a correctional officer, please visit www.WorcesterCountySheriff.com/Careers.
