BECKLEY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – The newest member of the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office took his oath of duty on Monday, as Deputy Stephen Frey was sworn in before Raleigh County Circuit Court Judge Kirkpatrick.
The hiring of Frey was approved earlier this month by the Raleigh County Commission, and will see the newly appointed Deputy returning after taking a brief leave of absence less than a year ago. Having previously been a member of the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office for nearly a decade, Frey took time away to explore his options, but found himself eager to return to the department where he says he now knows he belongs.
“When I left I went to the post office, but it just wasn’t working out,” Deputy Frey said of the temporary change. “I had nine years experience here, and this is where I belong. Sheriff Canaday is an awesome guy, so I’m excited to work under him.”
Frey will be filling one of the three open positions available with the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, and encourages others to consider pursuing a career there.
“I think it’s a great job. They have really good benefits, good retirement, health benefits; It’s a great place to work, and the people that work here are amazing,” he says, detailing the close relationships formed between officers on the job.
“I mean working together, it’s close to your family. Especially on the type of calls you go on, there some of them can be dangerous. So it’s good to have that family and brotherhood where everybody backs each other up. It’s a really good place to be.”
Raleigh County Sheriff Jim Canaday also touched on the hiring process, noting that the Sheriff’s Office is currently seeking qualified candidates to fill multiple roles within the organization.
“We’re hiring for a number of positions, we have two open right now. We will be accepting applications until June the 9th. We will also have a pay raise effective July 1st. So we’ll be able to apply the pay raise effective July 1st to new hires.”
Sheriff Canaday indicates that they pay will be between $48,000 and $50,000, and that accepted applicants will get to enjoy the brand new Sheriff’s Office headquarters supplied with top-of-the-line equipment.
“We just moved into a new headquarters, it’s a beautiful building; state-of-the-art. The facilities are great and we try to have the best equipment.”
He says that ideal candidates should demonstrate passion for the Raleigh County community and should be invested in bringing about positive change for the residents of the area.
“The job is great. It really gives you the opportunity to stretch out and affect the change. So many people are concerned about the city, the county, the state, the state of affairs; and this is the type of job that would allow you to actually affect the change. I think the folks that make the best candidates for law enforcement officers are those that are highly motivated and also have a sense of caring. They have a heart for their community, a heart to serve, and they want to make a difference.”
The rehiring of Deputy Frey will mark the filling of 55 of the 57 available employment slots Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Canaday on Monday remarked on the return of the officer, the nature of his initial departure, and what it means to have him back with the department.
“Deputy Frey is a great officer. He wanted to explore some other opportunities and chose to come back. He felt that we were a good fit for him and a better fit for what he wanted to do. It’s tremendous to have him come back, we’re really excited to have him come back.”
Finally, Sheriff Canaday commented on the relationship of the department with the Raleigh County Commission, noting that the commission has always been willing to support members of local law enforcement.
“Over the past, let’s say 10 years, we’ve probably gotten close to $17,000 in pay raises. The County Commission has always been very supportive of the Sheriff’s Department; very supportive of law enforcement. They want to try to make the Sheriff’s Department a competitive place to work. The benefits of working here are excellent: vacation, sick time, take-home cruiser – we now even allow take-home cruisers if you live within 45 miles of the county – so, the Commission has been extremely supportive and we have a great relationship.”
Those interested in applying for a position with the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office may acquire an application at the Raleigh County Clerk’s Office located at the Raleigh County Courthouse or at the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office.