New Internship Program Inked with Chesapeake Sheriff's Office

August 14, 2015

Dean of the College of Arts and Letters Charles Wilson and Chesapeake Sheriff Jim O'Sullivan

Aspiring sheriffs in Old Dominion's Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice will have access to summer internships and state certification thanks to a new partnership between the University and the Chesapeake Sheriff's Office.

Charles Wilson, Dean of the College of Arts and Letters, and Chesapeake Sheriff Jim O'Sullivan signed a memorandum of understanding Aug. 10 for the program that will provide academic credit and valuable experience for selected applicants.

Through the fall semester, juniors will be able to meet with representatives of the Chesapeake Sheriff's Office and apply for an internship by Dec. 31.

Applicants will undergo a thorough background check, and seven cadets will be selected as interns for the summer of 2016 before their senior year.

Interns will earn academic credit during the program and would complete the Chesapeake Sheriff's Office Basic Jailor Academy training in firearms, driving and defensive tactics.

Cadets who pass the training tests would be fully certified by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services by the end of the summer and eligible for potential paid seasonal or substitute work with the sheriff's office while they remain students.

The agreement also applies to students from Norfolk State University.