When lawmakers are hired at the VBSO, they are sworn in as recruits and work with certified legislators at the Virginia Beach Correctional Center for about six months before attending the Basic Academy. During the first few months, they are mentored and supervised by a training officer and determine if the position is right for them (and vice versa). Then, they attend the 17-week VBSO Basic Academy, where they learn the tools of trading and earn their Basic Jailor and Civil Process certifications from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS). To do this, they must meet all the criteria of the DCJS and pass their exams. They must also qualify with their firearm and pass ambulance operations and defensive tactics. Returning to the police academy in 1999, I was usually very fit, but over the years I fell in love with long-distance running and weightlifting, which will serve me well the second time. Another advantage: the academy is very well located: the Law Enforcement Training Academy on South Birdneck Road. This is the former Seatack Elementary School and is used by the VBPD and VBSO to train new police officers and MPs. In August 2021, I joined the Virginia Beach Sheriff`s Office as the first sworn public information officer. When hired, the command hoped to combine my PIO experience with my law enforcement experience.

But there was a catch: I had to go back to the Basic Academy. It brought me here, just three days before the start of the Basic Academy (again). This time, I have two children and 23 years of experience under my belt (17 as a law enforcement officer). Who says you can`t teach an old dog new tricks? The academy is well structured to ensure that recruits meet all the physical/tactical requirements of the DCJS, including physical training, LawFit, defensive tactics, firearms, ASP baton, pepper spray, tear gas, etc. The academy is very strict and not everyone will make it. It is part of the training process. We want the most trained, disciplined and fittest assistants on our team. We want those who graduate to succeed in their careers as law enforcement officers and be able to overcome the unique challenges of the job. We owe it to each other and to the citizens who trust us to protect and serve them. Not everyone can – or should – do this job. Over the next 17 weeks, I will share with you the highlights of my journey as part of the VBSO Basic Academy Class 52-22. Along the way, I hope to help educate others about the duties and training of Virginia Beach Sheriff`s Office deputies and share the successes of our recruit class.

I`m Margie Hobbs, one of two public information officers in the Virginia Beach Sheriff`s Office. Twenty-three years ago, I was 23 years old and had no children. I was young with limited life experience, but I had a desire to serve and make my community a better place. So I applied to the Virginia Beach Police Department, and four months later I walked through the doors of the Virginia Beach Police Academy, which was then housed in a trailer near the Police Department`s special operations complex. I was one of the few women in the department at the time, so I was determined to show that I could do the job as well – if not better – than my male colleagues. Five months later, I graduated and became a certified enforcement officer. My background has been a little different since I was hired to work in the Office of Public Information rather than in prison, but my education will be about the same as any other member of Parliament. How can I expect this academy to be different from the first one I attended? I`m 23 years older, have children, and bring with me many different law enforcement experiences – and life experiences – that I`ve gained over the years.

So this time I`m approaching this academy from a completely different perspective. In addition, I am now also a DCJS certified instructor, so I look forward to being a student again and absorbing the information presented by the world-class instructors in our department. What is the purpose of this Back to Basics blog? I want to show those who have never experienced it the difficulties of university education. I want to show that this career is a viable option for women, minorities and those who may be just over 18 (like me). I want to show the camaraderie that forms between recruits, because these mutual experiences connect you like nothing else. Even after all these years, my VBPD Class #27 rookie remains tight. I want to show the caliber of our training and the overlap with the Virginia Beach Police Department. For example, both departments train in defensive tactics, firearms, active fire response, pepper spray, ASP baton and crowd management, to name a few. It prepares us to work together, which we often do. With that in mind, another difference I`ve seen so far is that the Virginia Beach Sheriff`s Office and the Virginia Beach Police Department have grown closer over the years, collaborating on special events in the city and patrolling the ocean side by side during summer operations. I think it benefits both departments and, most importantly, the public. Make sure your information is up to date.

Plus, use our free tools to find new customers. I`m no longer a fresh-eyed 23-year-old, but I still have the same desire to serve and make our community a better place. The 52. The basic class of the VBSO Academy starts with 22 recruits: 15 men and seven women, including myself. The youngest is only 18 years old. I`m the oldest recruit at 46, but the second oldest is not too far behind (he`s 43). P.S. Accept donations of ice blocks and ibuprofen now. Over the years, I have been a patrol officer, public information officer and sergeant in operations, white-collar crimes and special investigations, where my unit investigated computer crimes against children and prescription fraud. After the police department, I worked for Virginia Beach Emergency Communications & Citizen Services, where I was a public information officer, recruiter, and instructor. I intend to be one of those who will go through the finals in 17 weeks.