The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office welcomed its newest class of correction officer recruits during a swearing-in ceremony held at the Yaphank Correctional Facility.
Thirty-five recruits, 29 men and six women, took the oath of office and will now begin a rigorous 15-week training academy.
Six members of the class bring prior military or law enforcement experience, including service with the NYPD. Upon completion of training this summer, they will join a corrections force of more than 840 officers.
Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. addressed the recruits during the ceremony, reminding them that they now hold positions of authority in Suffolk County and that “with that authority comes great responsibility.”
The academy curriculum includes instruction in direct supervision, de-escalation techniques, report writing, defensive tactics and firearms training, among other areas designed to prepare officers for the demands of working inside a correctional facility.
The new recruits will eventually be assigned to either the Riverhead or Yaphank correctional facilities, which together house nearly 1,800 incarcerated individuals at maximum capacity. Both facilities accommodate minimum, medium and maximum security populations and feature specialized housing units, medical and mental health services, rehabilitation programs and visiting areas.
Yaphank is home to the Sheriff’s Addiction Treatment Program, a Veteran’s Pod, a 55+ Pod and the Choose To Thrive program for female incarcerated individuals, as well as the START Resource Center. Riverhead houses the Sheriff’s Choose Your Path program.
Beyond facility operations, the Corrections Division includes administrative and special operations bureaus responsible for budgeting, compliance inspections, records management, grievance processing, emergency response, gang intelligence and other critical functions.
Officials said the addition of the new recruits will help maintain safe, secure and professionally managed facilities while supporting the division’s broader mission of rehabilitation and community safety.