Sheriff Looking For Young Deputies
September 2, 2011 – To encourage positive behavior, the Beckham County Sheriff’s Office will select five students from grade schools across the county as Junior Deputies each month during the school year.
Beckham County Sheriff Scott Jay said he wants to use the Junior Deputy Program to encourage good characteristics among students while they’re still young.
“It’s pretty simple,” Jay said. “We want to have the opportunity to build a rapport with these kids in the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades across the county. We want to promote positive behaviors and attitudes.”
There are three criteria for selecting the winners.
“They have to achieve three things that are going to be beneficial for their future: good grades, good community involvement—or citizenship—and positive character traits.”
Teachers are going to send nominations at the end of each month to the Sheriff’s Office, and personnel there will pick the Junior Deputies. Winners will receive various prizes.
“We designed a Beckham County Junior Deputy medallion. They’ll get a certificate and a t-shirt. The shirt has a medallion on the back that says ‘Don’t meth with me.’”
Winners each month may also receive certificates from Pizza Hut and Sonic, Jay said.
“We want to encourage those things—good grades, good citizenship, being polite, helping others and being involved in their community. We want them to know how important those things are, and how important they will be as these kids grow into adulthood.”