New Suffolk police recruits facing tough challenge

Staff

Published Friday, January 30, 2004

Suffolk News-Herald

The Suffolk Police Department has 10 new recruits who will leave the city in March to train at Chesapeake Public Safety Academy. Those who finish the rigorous course will begin serving and protecting local citizens in October.

Lieutenant Debbie J. George is among the supervisory officers looking forward to the recruits completing their training. She described them as an extremely enthusiastic group with diverse backgrounds.

George added that the men and women should be a great asset to the city.

"While it will still be months before the additional manpower is realized on the streets, their hiring allows us to move forward with many proactive initiatives, with some confidence that needed manpower will be forthcoming," said George.

The recruits gathered recently in the departmental assembly room, meeting with Sergeant Allan K. Iversen Jr. He serves as an instructor with the Training Division of Chesapeake Police Academy.

Iversen, with 18 years of service to the citizens of Suffolk, said the recruits will endure physical training including weight training and 60 hours on the shooting range, but some of the hardest instruction will come in the classroom.

They will spend another 60 hours in defense tactics and 50 hours of driver's training unlike any in Hampton Roads. They will go through water safety training and hazardous materials instruction. Search and seizure and arrest procedure training will take 80 hours and they'll learn how to handle domestic violence situations.

Traffic training will take 30 hours and accident investigation takes another 40.

"Due to state requirements, the course takes 24 weeks," said Iversen. "When the recruits graduate from the academy, they'll go through a field training program which is another three months long. It'll be a full 10 months before they are completely on their own."

George, an 18-year veteran of Suffolk Police, said the training to become a police officer is tough both academically and physically.

"You have to really want to become a police officer and you have to have the support of your family or you are not going to make it," she said. "They must prepare for weekly tests and they have to study every night while at the academy. It's tough!"

Sammy L. Williams III is the oldest of the group and the father of five, including two in college, is a native of Lexington, Ky. A graduate of Western Kentucky University, he spent 22 years at IBM, and almost three years with the North Carolina Central University Police. He was also a Chief of Special Police with the Christian Faith Center Special Police Department.

Paul Hutta is a 31-year-old native of Pearl River, N.Y., who's excited about being in a city on the verge of great economic growth.

He spent 11 years as a food specialist in the Army and he's a fitness enthusiast who enjoys outdoor activities.

Brian Loveless, 29, also hails from New York, and he's married with two sons. It's been his lifelong dream to become a police officer. He's an athletic type who enjoys working out at the Y and playing basketball with his sons. He's also a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity. His advice to everyone; smile and be happy!

Aaron Huddleston, a 29-year old Texan, is also a fitness enthusiast who enjoys outdoor activities like skiing with his wife, Jessica.

He spent almost five years in the Navy prior to committing himself to law enforcement.

Jeffrey R. Pedley, 39, is from Jacksonville, Fla., coming to Suffolk after checking out several other police departments. He met several Suffolk police officers and his conversations with them convinced Pedley that it is a good time to be in Suffolk. He's engaged to Megan O'Bryan. After retiring from the Navy with 21 years of service as an electrician, he's a golfer and enjoys reading.

Audeene D. Ott is one of only two women in the group, came to Suffolk from San Diego with her Navy husband, Greg, who is serving in Hampton Roads. She's making a big career move after a Navy career, and believes that her anthropology degrees from the University of California at San Diego will be of help in law enforcement. She loves the small-town feel of the ever sprawling city of Suffolk and she is excited about serving as a police officer.

Recruit Heather Brooks is a native of Seoul, Korea, whose parents served as missionaries. Her dad, Gordon Lloyd and mother, the late Catherine Lloyd, reared her to be a strong, independent woman who knows her heart. Her heart's desire is to be a police officer and she believes that she is prepared with a degree in social sciences. She is working toward a Master's degree in criminology soon.

Now living in Suffolk, David C Wellford is a 38-year old Texan with two teen-aged sons and his wife, Tari. He is heavily involved in church activities and he is truly enjoying living in Suffolk. He said it is his desire to help the citizens of Suffolk since it is now his home.

Timothy Mason, U.S. Navy retired, is a 42-year old native of Huntington, W.Va., and he and his wife Kimberly have a son and daughter. He said he truly enjoys the quiet lifestyle in Suffolk and he's proud to have been chosen to serve as a police officer for the city.

Adam E. Brown is a 25-year-old native of Boulder City, Nev. with four years service in the Navy. He almost missed this interview because he was attending an autopsy in Virginia Beach.

"It was surreal," he said. "Not like on television at all. It's hard because you aren't used to seeing something like that. It's interesting, though, and I learned a lot like the gun trajectory and things like that."

Brown has worked in dispatch for the past couple of months and he said he would certainly be patient and understanding when he's on the other side of the microphone.

"They go through a lot back in dispatch," he said. "I've had a lot of good experience already and I look forward to serving as a police officer."

Brown and his wife, Kristina, have a 3-year-old son, and they "love Suffolk" for its history and the fact that it maintains its small town atmosphere while moving ahead economically. He also loves the fact that he's just a few miles from one of his favorite pastimes; surfing.

The 10 recruits will be joining a department that is losing quality, experienced personnel to retirements that will take place over the next two years.

Major Richard Hurd retired last week after 35 years with the department. Sergeant Vic Pisani also retired in January with 30 years. Others who will leave the department in retirement include Officers John K. Cooke, J.H. Jackson, J.M. Milteer, Special Investigator Gary Parker, and Sergeants John J. Marx and Steve W. Smith.

"This is about 240 years of extremely valuable knowledge we are about to loose," said Cooke.

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