SUQUAMISH — They met the stringent requirements during the application and selection process. They worked, studied and practiced through more than 230 hours of classroom and practical training in the field.
And with raised hands and the requisite administered oath of office, 19 candidates reached their goal of becoming commissioned reserve police officers or reserve sheriff’s deputies during graduation ceremonies for the West Sound Regional Reserve Academy, Class 2011-1, July 16 in Suquamish’s House of Awakened Culture.
Bainbridge Island Police Department: Officer Charles Arntz, Officer Mark Crowthers, Officer Matthew Johanson, Officer Adam Yates.
Clallam County Sheriff’s Office: Deputy Art Tordini.
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office: Deputy Ed Bowers, Deputy Trevor Hansen, Deputy Ashley Moore, Deputy Jeremy Vergin.
Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office: Deputy Anthony Bucat, Deputy Mike Leiter, Deputy Noland Williams.
Port Orchard Police Department: Officer Brian Rickard, Officer Jason Smith.
Port Townsend Police Department: Officer Amber Parypa.
Poulsbo Police Department: Officer Kenneth Harris.
Sequim Police Department: Officer Kindryn Domning, Officer Brandon Stoppani.
Suquamish Police Department: Officer Jason Olsen.
The reserve officers and reserve deputies come from varied careers. Of the Kitsap County Sheriff’s new reserve deputies, Bucat, 23, is an emergency medical technician/ambulance operator living on Bainbridge Island; Leiter, 39, is a Marine Corps gunnery sergeant stationed at Naval Base Kitsap – Bangor; Williams, 27, is a plumber apprentice living on Bainbridge Island.
The Kitsap County Sheriff’s reserve program consists of volunteers who augment the staffing of regular sheriff’s deputies in many of their routine duties. “Reserve deputies receive no compensation other than a sense of pride one feels from contributing to their communities by participating in law enforcement service, sometimes in potentially dangerous environments,” sheriff’s spokesman Scott Wilson said.
Typical duties performed by reserve deputies include criminal patrol, prisoner transportation, security checks of commercial / residential properties, traffic control and crime scene security. Reserve deputies play a large role in specialized events such as the Kitsap County Fair and Stampede, various festivals and community celebrations.
“I can’t praise our volunteers enough,” Sheriff Steve Boyer said in a press release. “During the past four years, sheriff’s reserve deputies have contributed more than 6,000 manhours toward the completion of routine, but essential, sheriff’s office duties.
“Whether they are reserve deputies, Citizens on Patrol, Explorer Cadets or those who assist with clerical support functions, volunteers enable the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office to meet its mission requirements as fiscal resources become increasingly more stringent.”
The academy class began in March, meeting two nights per week for four hours each evening, plus eight hours every Saturday. The Suquamish Police Department assumed responsibility as the overall host agency for the reserve academy, however, training took place in various locations around the West Sound area, from Bremerton to Port Townsend.
The road wasn’t easy, Wilson said. Within Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office, there were about 40 applications submitted for consideration for selection to attend the academy. Out of that number, three passed the stringent background review and moved ahead to the academy.
Of the 27 candidates who started academy training, 19 have completed the requirements established by the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission in order to be sworn and commissioned.
Academy subject matter included elements of criminal law, criminal procedures, firearms instruction and qualification, defensive tactics and emergency vehicle operations. Instructors include full-time sheriff’s deputies and police officers from West Sound law enforcement agencies, attorneys from the prosecutor’s office and others with expertise in specific curricula.
