ST. LOUIS — A long line of them filed into the auditorium at Harris-Stowe State University. Sheriff Vernon Betts and 23 sheriff’s deputies received their state-required Peace Officer Standards Training, or POST, certification.
"I am extremely excited about having accomplished this,“ Betts said.
Now, the 70-year-old sheriff said he and his certified-trained team are prepared to help St. Louis police keep downtown a safer place.
"We've taken guns off of folks, knives off of folks, so we know it's helped somewhat to get things down,” said Betts.
Traditionally, the city deputies' main duties consisted of courtroom security and serving restraining orders and evictions.
But now that the sergeants, lieutenants and others are certified, they have the authority to assist city police officers with making arrests, issuing traffic tickets, conducting searches and more along Washington Avenue.
"We can book them. We can fingerprint them. We can photograph them, apply for the warrants and all and not have to involve the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department,” said Lieutenant Timothy Haill.
The newly POST-certified deputies will be armed and will walk the streets of Washington Avenue on weekends.
They'll also ride MetroLink trains and guard MetroLink stations.
"We're ready," said Sergeant Whitney Windom.
But are they ready to reduce the shootings, homicides and other violence that's plagued Washington Avenue and some MetroLink stations?
These newly trained city deputies said yes.
"We're properly trained. We're just ready to get out there and work,” added Sergeant Windom.
Sgt. Windom was one of four women who enrolled in the 10-month course.