The Daviess County Sheriff’s Office is welcoming two new deputies after they graduated from the Department of Criminal Justice Training (DOCJT) Class 558 — the first class to complete training at the new DOCJT Madisonville Academy.
Deputy Shawn Longest and Deputy Chris Vessels both held leadership roles throughout the six-month academy. Vessels served as Class Leader, and Longest was Squad Leader — roles that Sheriff Brad Youngman said reflect their dedication and commitment to exceeding expectations.
“I’m thrilled to have Deputy Longest and Deputy Vessels join our ranks. Each of these men brings unique and meaningful experiences with them that will benefit the people of Daviess County,” Youngman said. “Having the new DOCJT nearby was very helpful for our recruits as well as our agency in terms of less travel time back and forth during the six months they attended.”
Youngman also expressed his excitement to have the academy in Madisonville.
“While the location of the police academy has not been an issue for us in the past, there’s no doubt it’s a win for western Kentucky to have a campus closer than Richmond,” he said.
Longest, who previously served as a lieutenant at the Daviess County Detention Center, said graduating with the first Madisonville class was rewarding and convenient.
“It feels great to be done with it,” Longest said. “To finish up the first academy in the western part of Kentucky — it’s been an ongoing process to get that approved through the state. It was a smaller class, so we got a lot more hands-on [training] than you might typically get.”
Vessels, an active Army National Guard officer and former active-duty soldier, said having the academy closer to home allowed him to focus more on training and spend more time with family.
“It was really great being close to home. You don’t spend a whole lot of time traveling. You spend more time with your family before the training week,” Vessels said. “With a smaller class size, you get a lot more reps at everything they want you to know how to do. It really just drives home the training.”
Both deputies emphasized the support they’ve received from the sheriff’s office throughout the process.
“It’s a really close-knit culture,” Vessels said. “They’ve been really accepting of us new guys and really showed us what we needed to know before we got there. I’m really glad I’m working for them.”
Longest and Vessels said they’re both excited to be serving the residents of Daviess County.
