Montgomery County approves four correctional cadet positions for sheriff’s office

The Montgomery County Commission on May 27 voted unanimously to establish four Correctional Cadet positions (pay grade A03) for the county detention facility. Sheriff Derrick Cunningham requested the change in a staff memo describing the cadet role as an entry-level position that prepares employees to advance to correctional officer trainees after meeting age and screening requirements.

Sheriff Derrick Cunningham said cadets would perform paraprofessional office and field support duties under correctional-officer supervision and that applicants must be at least 18 years old, possess a high‑school diploma or equivalent (or be a high‑school senior), and pass a physical-agility course, background check, drug screen, polygraph and medical exam. The memo states that once a cadet turns 19, the employee would convert to trainee status and be required to attend the Correctional Officers Academy.

Cunningham’s memo described the financial impact as manageable within the detention center’s current fiscal-year budget. It recommends funding the four new cadet positions by using savings from existing vacant correctional-officer positions and suggests eliminating two correctional-officer positions during FY2026 planning to maintain budget stability.

The motion to approve the new positions was made by Vice Chairman Carmen Moore‑Zeigler and seconded by Commissioner Justin Castanza; the commission recorded the motion as carried unanimously. The commission did not record dissenting comments or amendments to the staffing plan during the meeting.

The commission’s action directs county staff to implement the new positions and to incorporate the changes into current budget documents; no additional funding request was listed on the agenda.