The new cadets are (front row) Cadet Charlie Resh; (back row, from left) Cadet Kevin Vogt, Cadet Ryan O'Meara, Cadet Ashley Menice, Cadet Callos McCallum, Capt. Matthew Doyle, Cadet Carson Leggitt, Cadet John Chisolm and Cadet Corey Alden.

Stafford Sheriff's Office starts new program for cadets with intellectual or physical disabilities

By Tierney mcafee

Date published: 11/13/2007

The Stafford County Sheriff's Office recently welcomed nine new members, ages 13-22, to its troops.

Each of the new members has either intellectual or physical disabilities. They are a part of the office's new cadet program, the Sheriff's Special Star Force Cadets.

Sheriff Charles Jett, one of the program's founders and a member of the Board of Directors for Special Olympics Virginia, says he is looking forward to the many ways the community will benefit from the program.

"The goal is to give youth with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to experience law enforcement," Jett said. "But just as importantly, it's meant to give deputies opportunities to interact with a segment of the community that oftentimes is set off to the side."

As part of the program, the cadets will learn the divisions, roles and personnel of the Stafford County Sheriff's Office.

They will meet monthly for activities that will cover law enforcement rules and responsibilities such as traffic safety, special operations, crime scene investigation and community relations.

They also will participate in community events and service projects, such as crime prevention clinics, awareness campaigns and fundraisers for the Special Olympics.

"This program will allow them to experience their dream without putting them in harm's way," Jett said.

Jett, who has worked in the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics for 17 years, founded the program along with Capt. Steve Carey.

According to Jett, the program is the first of its kind in the country.

"We decided to just pioneer and do it," he said. "We're hoping we'll be able to increase the numbers as time goes by and we explore different aspects of the program."

The cadet's induction ceremony was held at the Stafford County Board of Supervisor's Chamber, with Judge H. Harrison Braxton Jr. presiding.

"You have no idea how proud we are of all of you," he said to the cadets.

Rick Jeffrey, the president of Special Olympics Virginia, says the deputies have already made a genuine connection with the cadets.

"The great interaction with these young people has created an attitude change which has allowed [the deputies] not only to support the cadets, but to make them one of their own," Jeffrey said.

The cadets were in uniform for their first time at the ceremony. They were each presented with an official certificate of oath and a mission coin that features the core values of the Sheriff's Office: passion, integrity, fairness and professionalism.

Jett says he's learned that there are more similarities than differences between the deputies and the cadets.

"We think folks with intellectual disabilities are a group of folks that can probably teach us more than we can teach them," he said.

Date published: 11/13/2007

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