NCJ Number
164549
Journal
American Jails Volume: 10 Issue: 4 Dated: (September-October 1996) Pages: 64-66
Date Published
1996
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Sheriff John Flynn of Worcester County (Mass.) has emphasized personnel training throughout his career and says that only in this country can the son of a steamfitter grow up to become a sheriff.
Abstract
Sheriff Flynn began as a police officer walking a beat in his home town of Fitchburg, Mass. Training consisted mainly of advice from the duty sergeant. Later Flynn became the deputy master at the Worcester County Jail and House of Corrections and discovered that formal training was nonexistent. He gradually introduced training until he was elected sheriff in 1986. In 1990 he introduced the county's first basic recruit training academy, a 6-week course previously handled at State-run academies. The curriculum was subsequently expanded to 12 weeks. The final component of the comprehensive training program is inservice training for all employees. Flynn has sent 76 members of his staff to 24 regional American Jail Association (AJA) training programs in the past 4 years. He and several staff members regularly attend AJA's annual Training Conference and Jail Expo. AJA also provides technical support. Sheriff Flynn recently contracted with AJA to train his entire staff on hostage survival skills. Photograph