In Rutherford County, a new group of deputies has officially joined the ranks of the Sheriff's Office following a demanding nine-week orientation program. Chief Deputy Keith Lowery, along with Deputy Chiefs Chris Kauffman and Brian Harbaugh, bestowed badges upon the twelve law enforcement officers in a ceremony that marked their readiness to advance to the next phase of their training. Notably, SROs Richard Presley, Phil Teston, and Anthawn Weakley are set to commence SRO training, while Judicial Services Deputy Michael Izzo awaits state training before judicial training specialization, as reported by the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office.
According to the department's social media announcement, new patrol Deputy Derek Gallegos and Deputy Raekwon Hatton will embark on the basic classes at the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy. Meanwhile, Deputy Dominic Martinez, Deputy Kelsie Smith, Deputy Haley Battles, Deputy Colton Pursell, Deputy Ronald Killings Jr., and Deputy Christopher Young are being paired up with experienced field training officers for on-the-job training. This next step involves a 12-week period learning to respond to calls under this expert guidance, followed by potential TLETA attendance depending on their assessed readiness.
Training Sergeant Sean Vinson shed light on the rigorous orientation that included firearms training, chemical weapons handling, defensive tactics, report writing, building checks, and court preparation. Vinson was clear about the department's stance on the seriousness of training, stating, "We don’t take training lightly in this department." The command staff, led by Chief Deputy Lowery, emphasized the expectation for deputies to exhibit three core qualities: the "mind of a guardian, the spirit of a warrior and the heart of a servant." Lowery, expressing the sentiments of Sheriff Mike Fitzhugh, congratulated the deputies for their achievement and dedication to service, as per the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office.
