The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office welcomed five new sheriff’s deputies at their recent graduation from Allan Hancock College Basic Law Enforcement Academy. The class of 19 recruits completed a comprehensive California Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST), 862-hour course of instruction.

Some of the academy instruction included community policing, report writing, laws of arrest, search and seizure, firearms, ethics, investigation procedures, patrol techniques, arrest and control, physical training, CPR/First Aid, and emergency vehicle operations.

Just before the graduation ceremony, Undersheriff Sol Linver led a swearing-in ceremony in which he welcomed Eric Brimer, David Cardenas, Jesse Evert, Christian Harrington and Ross VanTassel.

The event was shared with the graduates’ close family members and included a badge-pinning ceremony when recruits have their badges pinned on their uniforms by their mothers, fathers, and significant others.

The shared moment marks the culmination of six months of hard work by the recruits and unwavering support from the family members who stood by them.

As four of the deputies celebrated this moment with their families by their side, Deputy Evert’s family joined in via video chat, a last-minute solution when their flight from Arkansas was overbooked and they were unable to attend in person.

In keeping with the theme of family bonds, Linver closed the swearing-in ceremony by welcoming the new deputies to the Sheriff’s Office family and shared a quote from Brad Henry, former governor of Oklahoma:

“Families are the compass that guides us. They are the inspiration to reach great heights, and our comfort when we occasionally falter.”

Those interested in careers in law enforcement or know someone who is, can visit SBSheriff.org to apply.