ONONDAGA, N.Y. (WSYR-TV)- 26 recruits were sworn in by the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office and will be attending the academy to potentially become members of law enforcement.
Two of the recruits are 21-year-old Hayden and Hunter Barton. They’re twins, born three minutes apart and they say they don’t know what to expect. “man I don’t know, I think it’s going to be a lot, a lot to take in,” said Hayden.
Hayden and Hunter say, they’ve always dreamed of becoming a part of the law enforcement community. “One day I was just in a grocery store when I was a little, I was probably like three or four, and in come a couple cops and I was like huh, that would be pretty neat to be just like them one day and all of a sudden I turned my head, looked the other way, and just started going after law enforcement and here I am today.”
It will be 29 weeks full of classroom training, practical skills, defensive tactics, how to properly operate a police vehicle, along with many other types of training. Onondaga County Sheriff Gene Conway says, they’ll need support. “Take the opportunity to lean on your family and friends for support, it’s just like anyone else in our daily lives. We have good days we have bad days, and for those days that are bad days, reach out for help and support because it will be important for you to get that.”
Hayden and Hunter say they’ll be there for each other. “Just push each other, be there for each other when we need to be, and help each other out and just be each others self motivators.”
Training at the academy starts on Monday, October 25. Graduation for those who make it through will be in May.