The Steuben County Sheriff’s Office is preparing to graduate its next class of cadets — the deputies that will staff its jail.

That includes Isaack McIlroy, who joined the class from Schuyler County.

He’s among a group of nearly 10 cadets participating in the six-week course that involves classroom and physical training.

“For me, it was always something I wanted to do since I was a kid," said McIlroy. "I went to college for criminal justice."

The team reviews defensive tactics under the instruction of Officer Travis Waight.

“The main thing is we want to make sure that they're going to go home safe at the end of the evening," he said. "They are going to, at some point in their careers, are going to encounter different cases, circumstances where they may have to become in control of a combative subject."

The curriculum is regulated by the state and is similar for every county across New York.

Cadets receive training in penal law and the handling of narcotics, chemical spray, firearms and other various weaponry. Still to come in this course: a session when the cadets will get sprayed and have the option to get tased, so they know how that feels.

But Officer Waight says it’s the communication and deescalation skills they teach that carry the most weight.

“I would say the best tool that we have right now is our mind," he said.

Cadet Brendon Hughes says he feels prepared physically and mentally.

“They've done very well on training us how to keep our emotions together and keep our keep our calm," he added.

The county jail will still face a staffing shortage once this class is up to speed and on the job.

“We would love to bring in some of the state correctional officers who have been terminated, in lieu of this strike," said Steuben County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Ryan Thompson. "We have had some come in that had to resign prior to the end of the strike. And, they have a start date with us, but as far as any other ones that have inquired, we're kind of at a standstill since the executive order that came out from Gov. [Kathy] Hochul."

All the more reason for the best preparation possible for the future deputies.

“I think that everybody in the class is going to do very well,” said Hughes.