8 Alexandria Deputy Sheriffs, 13 Police Officers Graduate From Academy

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Alexandria will gain eight new deputy sheriffs and 13 police officers who graduated from the Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy last Wednesday.

The new sheriff's deputies include Deputy Dominic Austen, Deputy Reyhan Can, Deputy Erick Cromer, Deputy Erika Elton, Deputy Jada Goodwine, Deputy Jasmine Jones, Deputy Md Uddin and Deputy Adam Yacoub. Sheriff Sean Casey and members of his command and training staff were on hand to congratulate the deputy sheriffs at the academy graduation at Northern Virginia Community College's Alexandria campus.

Recently retired Sheriff Dana Lawhorne was the guest speaker at the ceremony, offering words of encouragement to new deputies and police officers. Graduates received certificates from relatives who have served in law enforcement. One highlight was Jones receiving her certificate from Deputy Nora Jones, who also serves with the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office.

The Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Academy provides basic training for police officers and deputy sheriffs with an employment offer from a participating agency in Northern Virginia. Sheriff's deputies completed six months of training, which includes emergency vehicle operations, firearms qualifications, defensive and control tactics, crash investigation, basic legal training, jail and courthouse procedures, fair and impartial policing, active bystandership, policing in diverse communities and other areas. Police officers undergo 20 weeks of training at the academy, including areas such as criminal and motor vehicle law, rules of evidence, laws of arrest, search and seizure, conflict resolution, investigative procedures, firearms qualifications and defensive driving.

Police officers and sheriff's deputies' next step will be field training.