By CHRISTOPHER TUFFLEY
christopher.tuffley@newssun.com
SEBRIING -- It was a full house in the jury assembly room at the courthouse Wednesday morning. Fifteen former Avon Park police officers were sworn in as deputy sheriffs.
Mayor Sharon Schuler, City Clerk Cheryl Tietjen, and AP city councilors Paul Miller and Brenda Gray were on hand to congratulate the 13 men and two women.
"I'm very proud of every one of you. You look so handsome," Schuler said during the ceremony.
"Please understand, I wish you well in any endeavor, and please accept my best wishes."
Sheriff Susan Benton, who swore the new deputies into the department, expressed her admiration.
She welcomed "15 of the finest men and women" to the force, and thanked Avon Park for its vision, adding, "Change is extremely difficult for everyone."
She said that she was proud of how well the new deputies are adapting to serving in a new agency and how quickly they moved through the application process.
"An agency is only as good as the people's trust in it," Benton said.
"We have all kinds of rules and regulations. We hold ourselves responsible. Because they know the dos and don'ts (of the Sheriff's Office), unit supervisors and line sergeants are the ones that make or break an organization.
"You all are the pivotal point. Congratulations."
Some of 15 deputies still await the last two days of specialized training. Most however, are expected to be out patrolling the streets by today. None will be assigned to Avon Park, at least in the foreseeable future.
Benton also thanked and congratulated her human resources staff, who helped the new deputies get processed in two months.
"Don't know how we managed to be ready for the start of a new fiscal year," she said, " but we did. It has to be a historical record, working though the process so fast. It took drive and tenacity."
Two deputy sheriffs were honored for their promotions to sergeant, Anthony McGann and Scott Williams.
McGann's mother pinned on his new badge during the traditional ceremony.
"Ow," McGann said, as his mother accidentally speared him.
Friday, October 05, 2012 - www.newssun.com/100512-ct-AP-deputies