ALFRED — They’ve spent four weeks in the classroom and three more “shadowing” experienced officers. Beginning this week, the five young men sporting crisp, neatly ironed green and brown uniforms will begin working shifts as newly certified corrections officers at York County Jail.

The new officers, who hail from Cornish and Old Orchard Beach to Sanford and Springvale, got their badges and certificates Friday, as their parents and other loved ones looked on, completing the seven-week Corrections Officer Academy conducted onsite at the jail, and passing a Maine Criminal Justice Academy certification test.

The first in his family to pursue a law enforcement career, Dustin Comeau of Sanford said he’s finding the prospect of his new job exciting, even though he’s aware of the stresses involved with keeping watch over men and women sentenced to up to a year in jail, or those incarcerated pending trial on any number of alleged crimes ”“ up to and including murder. The job shadowing, he said, was particularly beneficial.

“Being able to go out on the floor, you learn the most,” said Comeau, who said he hopes to be a road deputy someday.

The graduation was the fourth since York County Jail began hosting a full Corrections Officer Academy onsite. Until 2012, the jail hosted two of three modules of the training program, with the final portion at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy at Vassalboro. But scheduling difficulties and expenses involved with sending recruits to Vassalboro for two weeks caused jail officials to offer the entire program in Alfred.

With the graduation of the five new officers Friday, the jail is almost at its full roster of corrections staff, said York County Sheriff Maurice Ouellette. Back in the fall of 2011, there were 28 vacancies among a staff of 89. Some corrections workers leave for jobs in other jurisdictions, and some just don’t like the work ”“ or the schedule in a facility that must be staffed 24 hours a day, the sheriff said.

Ouellette said turnover for corrections staff is fairly high. According to a 2009 report called “Understanding Staff Perceptions of Turnover in Corrections,” posted on the National Institute of Corrections website, prison turnover can be as high as 45 percent, but typically tends to range between 12 and 25 percent.

The application process includes an extensive background check, fingerprinting, an oral exam, interviews and a physical agility test, among other requirements, that come prior to training.

Lt. George Abbott, who has worked at York County Jail since the late 1980s, said training includes ethics, constitutional law, Maine statutes, conducting searches, contraband, response to events like fires, suicide prevention and a host of other topics.

Dean Perrone of Old Orchard Beach said he’d always wanted to work in law enforcement and sees corrections as a way to begin his career.

Connor Bogan of Springvale, who studied criminal justice and psychology at the University of Maine at Farmington, is the second in his family to pursue a corrections career ”“ his brother, Ryan, graduated from the program and is working at York County Jail.

Nathan Watson of Cornish studied criminal justice for a year in Massachusetts before signing on for the corrections program.

“I’ve always wanted to be a police officer. I thought I’d do this and see where it takes me,” he said.

“I wanted to get my foot in the door” with law enforcement, said Ben Milo of Sanford, who is also a member of the U.S Army Reserves 94th MP Company.

So far, he’s liking the job.

“It seems like I may do this for a long time,” said Milo.

Cameras flashed as proud parents and grandparents watched the graduates get their badges.

“Today, they’re part of the law enforcement community,” said Capt. Dan Bean. “It’s an honor to welcome them into that family today.”

“Welcome aboard, stay safe, work together” and watch out for each other, Ouellette told the officers.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, Ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.