Essex Sheriff Bolsters Ranks Amid Correctional Officer Shortage

DANVERS, MA — The Essex County Sheriff's Department added nearly three dozen new officers and promoted 10 others on Wednesday as it looks to bolster its ranks amid what has been called a "dire" and "critical" shortage of officers in recent years.

Essex County Sheriff Kevin Coppinger said in February that the department was dropping the 21-year-old age requirement to 19 years old and offering a $2,500 signing bonus to attract new officers — some directly out of high school.

On Wednesday, Coppinger swore in 32 new officers and promoted 10 at a Basic Training Academy graduation at Northern Essex Community College.

The new officers recently completed a 12-week academy that included training in department protocols and procedures, as well as training in de-escalation, mental health, medical response, driving skills, and physical fitness.

All of the graduates will be eligible to become Deputy Sheriffs for Essex County in a year.

"This is one of our largest and best classes of recruits," Coppinger said. "They have completed their training with great competence, professionalism, and dedication to one of the toughest jobs in law enforcement.

"We look forward to these men and women joining our ranks and doing their best to serve the good people of Essex County."

The new officers are: Larissa Alegria Ribeiro, Jason Arango Torres, James Bijeol, Gabriel Carvalho, Luiz Da Silveira Goncalves, Scott D'Entremont, Anthony DiFilippo, Analee Durand, Shanna Furlonge, Samuel Gagnon, Armando Garcia, John Haight, Ian Harris, Eric Higgins, Jeton Hoxha, Connor Huston, Drew Mackay, Rafael Martinez Nivar, Brendan McCarthy, Weslley Montero, Yanni Moraitis, Daniel Moran, Donald Norton, Carlos Ocasio-Deleon,Giovanni Ortiz, Djeph Pierrot, Kevin Poor, Joshua Price, Elizabeth Quimby, Santiago Quintero, Michael Stewart and Sean Walsh.

During the ceremony, Sheriff Coppinger also promoted 10 employees:

• Scott Sullivan to Chief Legal Counsel
• David Earle to Assistant Superintendent of Middleton
• Kerri Patterson to Director of Security
• Vicki Barry to Assistant Director of Pretrial & Reentry Services
• Caroline Siebert to Civil Process Office Supervisor
• Richard Tarby, Steven Purpora, and Wayne Rodgers to Classification Worker
• Samantha Keeney to Executive Assistant/Recruitment
• Cortney Otolo to Training Clerk

The Essex County Sheriff's Department is still looking for new officers and still offering the $2,5000 signing bonus. New officers make $68,000 to start with the 19-year-old age requirement still in place.

Those interested in applying can do so here.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at [email protected]. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)