New class of deputy sheriffs set to graduate from Penn State-run training academy
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (WTAJ) — After 19 weeks of intensive law enforcement training, 38 newly hired deputy sheriffs from across Pennsylvania are ready to return to their communities with new skills, certifications and a shared sense of purpose.
The group will graduate at 11 a.m. on May 16 at The Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center, marking the completion of the Pennsylvania Sheriff and Deputy Sheriff Education and Training Program, administered by the Penn State Justice and Safety Institute (JASI).
This is the 70th class to graduate since the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency designated JASI as the academy's administrator in 2000. The program certifies and recertifies approximately 2,100 sheriffs and deputies across the commonwealth.
Class President Madison Rush, from the Washington County Sheriff's Office, said the training was both a personal milestone and a family honor. Her peers selected her to lead the class through the academy's rigorous curriculum.
The trainees received instruction from law enforcement professionals throughout Pennsylvania. The curriculum included courses on crime codes, civil procedures, ethics, diversity, first responder skills, firearms, defensive tactics, courtroom security and physical training.
Cambria County's Nathan Fisher served as class vice president. Mercer County's Joseph Buccini, a former military police officer and class platoon leader, said returning to serve at age 50 was especially meaningful after previously attending Penn State and working in the private and public sectors.
The program combines classroom instruction with real-world training from judges, attorneys and officers from all levels of law enforcement. Upon graduation, the new deputies will begin work in counties across Pennsylvania.
To learn more about the academy, visit the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency website.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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