There are several steps to complete before a Fairfax County Sheriff’s Deputy can fully integrate into the agency. First, a recruit must complete Deputy School, which is a month long at the Fairfax County Criminal Justice Academy. After successfully completing that course, they have six more months of intensive training with our county partner agencies at the Academy. Once they make it to graduation and receive their badge, they have more training to complete. 

Deputies Don Demarco Jones, Joaquin Cortez, and Amanda Preston proudly walked the stage Sept. 18, 2025, and had their badges pinned to their uniform. Over the next three months they participated in the agency’s Field Training Instruction program to complete their training before becoming full members of their squad Dec. 26, 2025.

Each deputy was assigned a Field Training Instructor (FTI), who taught them about working in the Adult Detention Center (ADC). 

“These deputies learned quickly and showed strong security awareness and professionalism,” said PFC Savannah Barden, one of B Squad’s FIT’s. “They paid attention to detail, adapted well, and stayed committed to learning.”

To celebrate their hard work, Barden gave each deputy a set of handcuffs engraved with their last name and badge number. This gift recognizes their achievement and marks the beginning of their careers.

Upon graduation the new deputies are assigned to a squad in the ADC. Here they continue to learn what’s expected and what it means to wear the badge. While there’s no set time range for how long it takes a deputy to complete their FTI program, these three newly qualified finished in about three months. 

“Throughout training, Deputies Jones, Cortez, and Preston carried themselves with confidence and a real desire to learn,” said 1^st Lt. Chris Loftis, B-Squad’s shift commander. “They’ve built a solid foundation, and I’m confident it will serve them well as they move forward in their law enforcement careers.”

A huge congratulations to these deputies as they officially begin their careers as Fairfax County Sheriff’s Deputies. 

And a special thank you to all of our B-Squad field training instructors who dedicated their time, experience, and knowledge to help train our next generation of deputies.