The Southern Maryland Criminal Justice Academy celebrated the graduation of 13 correctional officers and four support services personnel at a ceremony held Jan. 30 at North Point High School for Science, Technology and Industry. The correctional officers completed a 10-week training program which began Nov. 17. Six of the graduating officers joined the Charles County Sheriff’s Office, two joined the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office and five joined the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office. Two of the support staff members are assigned to the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office while the others are assigned to the Calvert and Charles county sheriffs’ offices, respectively. 

At the ceremony, Academy instructors presented awards to students who excelled in two categories. Joshua Krum of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office earned the scholastic award, having achieved a 97.9 percent grade point average. Glenn Knott of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office earned the physical fitness award, scoring 736 out of 800 possible points. The class boasted a 94.9 percent final class academic average. Their class motto, chosen by the students at the beginning of the training program, was “Never give up, never surrender.”

Calvert County Detention Center Capt. Thomas “T.D.” Reece, who is retired from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office’s Corrections Division, was the keynote speaker for the ceremony. Ed Schauf of the Legal Studies Department at the College of Southern Maryland spoke about the articulation agreement between the Academy and the College, which provides each graduate with six college credits toward a criminal justice degree. Chaplain Gerald Graham of the Calvert County Detention Center — one of the support services personnel who participated in the class — delivered the invocation and benediction. Mark Radcliff, correctional coordinator for the Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commissioners, shared opening remarks. The class speaker, Officer Bethany Cordell of the Charles County Sheriff’s Office, and the Academy’s Board of Directors — Charles County Sheriff Rex Coffey and St. Mary’s County Sheriff Tim Cameron, as well as Milton Crump, director of the Calvert County Detention Center who spoke on behalf of Sheriff Mike Evans, the board’s president — also shared remarks. Calvert County Sheriff’s Deputy Andre Mitchell performed the national anthem and the Charles County Detention Center’s Honor Guard presented the colors. 

The Southern Maryland Criminal Justice Academy congratulates the following graduates:

Correctional Officers:

Charles County
Bethany Cordell
Marvin Hines
Jason Johnson
Christopher Morris
Kevin Robinson
Michael Samara

Calvert County
Dayania Carroll
Joseph Ward, Jr.

St. Mary’s County
Benjamin Allen
Brandon Foor
Glen Knott
Joshua Krum
Evita Potts-Montgomery
 
For more information about attending the Southern Maryland Criminal Justice Academy, visit www.ccso.us, www.firstsheriff.com or http://www.co.cal.md.us/residents/safety/law/sheriff/.