Middlesex Sheriff’s Office Holds 39th Basic Training Academy

Thirty-one new corrections officers graduated from the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office Basic Training Academy in a ceremony held Wed., Feb. 24, at Arlington Town Hall. Ryan Athridge and Maurice Magras, Jr. of Medford were among the graduates.

Twenty-seven of the academy graduated joined the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office, while four joined the Norfolk Sheriff’s Office.

“Corrections officers play a vital role in ensuring the fair and impartial administration of justice,” said Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian. “But beyond that, they also play a key role in helping those who become incarcerated address underlying issues – including addiction and lack of education – which may have contributed to their criminal activity. Far too often the hard work, dedication and professionalism of these men and women go unnoticed. Graduations like this one provide us an opportunity to celebrate and share who we are and what we do.”

In addition to Sheriff Koutoujian, graduates also heard from Executive Office of Public Safety & Security Secretary Daniel Bennett, Norfolk Sheriff Michael Bellotti, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan, Carlisle Police Chief John Fisher and Arlington Police Chief Frederick Ryan, who offered the keynote address.

Those who graduated Thursday received 12 weeks of classroom and practical training focused on interpersonal
communications, corrections and criminal justice systems, transportation procedures, defensive tactics, firearms and first responder training, among other areas. Graduates had to successfully pass both classroom and physical fitness tests and also participated in on the job training.

The graduation program also featured a special ceremony during which several members of the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office were recognized by Sheriff Koutoujian and Chief Fisher for their actions during an off-duty incident on January 3.

Having left the Middlesex Jail and House of Correction at the conclusion of their shift, eight members of the office, including Officer Peter Gavin, were among a group of motorists who encountered a young woman from Carlisle who had parked her car and made her way around a fence to the edge of the highway overpass. Officer Gavin, utilizing his training and communication skills, engaged the woman in conversation and eventually helped talk her into coming back off the edge.

For his actions that afternoon in Billerica, Officer Gavin was presented with the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office Humanitarian Award.

The graduation marked the fifth during Sheriff Koutoujian’s four-plus year tenure, with 200 academy- trained officers joining the ranks of the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office in that time. Prior to 2012, the last academy was held in 2008.

– Submitted by Middlesex Sheriff Peter Koutoujian’s office