Liberty County Sheriff Steve Sikes, Chief Deputy Jon Long and jail administrator Jeff Hein officiated the swearing-in ceremony for several new deputies Wednesday morning at the Liberty County Justice Center.
After the ceremony, two deputies also received their promotion stripes.
Hein said many of the new deputies recently had started working at the Liberty County Jail, and a few had just been hired. He said that, at one point, the jail was a bit under staffed due to deputies being promoted from jail staffers to patrolmen. He said the sheriff likes to promote from within the department, so all jail staffers are required to meet the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council requirements.
Sikes said the training gives the newly deputized jail staff the opportunity to work toward promotions within the department. They can become patrol officers and work toward becoming investigators, K-9 officers or narcotics division employees.
Hein said that, at the moment, the department has reached its hiring peak. He added employment opportunities arise as people retire, become promoted or transfer to other agencies.
Sworn in were David Abbgy, Christopher Ashdown, Stephen Coleman, Dennis Donaldson, Harley Freeman, Jeffrey Hall, Mitchell Howard, LaDora Lewis, joseph McEady, Richard Michalowicz, Natasha Poertner, Sanguiettia Sibert, Alee Waters, Jody Voissem, Cary LaPalm and Jordan McPherson.
McEady then was awarded his sergeant stripes, and Donaldson earned his lieutenant pins.