Hannah Gordon, an Ohio Hi-Point Criminal Justice senior from Bellefontaine High School, secured a valuable paid internship this year with the Logan County Sheriff's Office, working weekends as a corrections officer at the jail. Gordon is the first Criminal Justice student since the program was launched last school year to have a paid internship with a path to employment after graduation.
As a corrections officer, Gordon books people in and out of the jail and runs watch tours, which includes walking and monitoring every block in the jail. She also helps deliver food and water to all the inmates. She says teamwork and communication are key concepts to getting the job done.
“What prepared me the most to be a corrections officer is learning the basic skills of being an officer,” said Gordon. “In my Criminal Justice program, we’re always told to be kind to someone in a tough situation because if you give people respect, they will give it back to you.”
Tim Klingelhofer, a Corrections Lieutenant with the Logan County Sherriff’s Office said, “Hannah is doing great. It’s hard to start in this profession when you’re young and stay in it, and she’s done great. She’s taken to this, learning all aspects of the corrections field, and can book someone in and do the watch tours, and understands the emergency procedures.”
In the Criminal Justice program, students explore a variety of career opportunities in criminal investigations, forensics, emergency response, and security. Students study constitutional law; learn and implement patrol protocols and tactics through a variety of simulations; practice investigative skills; and gain skills in arrest techniques, search and seizure, and fingerprinting. Newly implemented at OHP is a forensic science course to provide additional academic and real-world learning for students.
Through the study trips and guest speakers from law enforcement agencies like the Logan County Sheriff’s Office, Bellefontaine Police Department, Champaign County, Washington Township, Ohio Highway Patrol, Army National Guard, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and more, OHP’s future law enforcement officers were able to connect and network with others in the profession while gaining additional knowledge, skills, and hands-on experiences.
“I think Mr. Jordan has done a great job getting the Criminal Justice program started," said Klingelhofer. "Hannah came here so prepared. I’m completely impressed with it."
"Hannah is a great young adult, who is a perfect example of an individual who knows her goals and works hard to achieve them," said Jordan.
Gordon's paid internship with the Logan County Sheriff's Office with a pathway to full-time employment after graduation is just the beginning of her law enforcement career. Gordon plans to go to the police academy when she turns 21 with the goal of becoming a police officer. “This job is what I’ve been looking forward to since I was a little kid,” she finished.