Ian Lentz, Police Officer, Kent PD

I worked as a corrections officer for the City of Kent for two and a half years. My time in corrections provided me with the level of confidence and command presence necessary to be successful as a patrol officer on the streets. Working in the Kent Jail allowed me the opportunity to develop relationships with several of the officers and see first-hand their level of training and commitment to excellence. The patrol division as a whole is professional and highly trained. I was supported and encouraged by both my peers at the jail and the patrol officers to explore what the Corrections Officer to Police Officer program had to offer. My testing was streamlined, convenient and conducted in-house.

My experience as a Kent Corrections Officer helped me to find success as a patrol officer on the streets. I encourage anyone interested in this unique opportunity to gain relevant experience for a law enforcement career, to consider Kent Corrections.

Sergeant Rick Armstrong

I have worked for the City of Kent Correctional Facility, (CKCF) for over a decade; in that time I have been provided with multiple opportunities to grow personally and professionally. My co-workers and supervisors have helped to mold me into the person I am today with their compassion, tutelage, & camaraderie. It really does feel like an extended family here with the support and guidance that I have received at work and at home. My team does just about everything we can to support one another.

During my tenure, I have been afforded the opportunity to participate in a variety of professional growth opportunities. I have been assigned as a Field Training Officer, interviewed prospective CO candidates in oral board interviews, provided emotional guidance on our Peer Support Team, and connected with the Kent community during Shop-With-A-Cop. I was recently promoted to the rank of Sergeant and attribute my career success in part to the encouragement I received to hand select the trainings that interest me, along with these opportunities to develop new skills. One of the most rewarding roles I’ve assumed is mentoring the newly hired corrections officers, and watching them grow into part of our CKCF family, along with mentoring the new corrections officers who decide to join the Kent Police Department through our CO to PO program.

The City of Kent Corrections Facility encourages and allows me to have a good work to home life balance. CKCF is cognizant of how scheduling can affect family life and makes it a priority to manage work load, schedules and time off in a responsible way. I feel very supported at CKCF with my professional and personal life needs and goals. When you really break down all the pros & cons I can’t imagine another correctional facility comes close to what the City of Kent offers.

Officer Kenneth Holifield

I began my corrections career at the Washington State Department of Corrections in 2005. I lateraled to The City of Kent Corrections Facility, (CKCF) in 2015. I was apprehensive about the idea of starting over at a new department, but when I arrived I was immediately embraced by all of the Police and Corrections staff.

In three short years, I earned the opportunity to work in the Programs Department supervising a Work Crew of inmates conducting homeless camp and graffiti clean-up. Every day I get to work shoulder to shoulder with Kent Police Officers while doing my Work Crew duties. Working at the CKCF has been wonderful because I am surrounded by high-performing and supportive co-workers and staff.

The training that the City of Kent provides is unequalled. The Command Staff consistently creates and supports innovative ways to help us develop new skills that apply to our everyday job, while encouraging our personal professional aspirations. I am proud of what I do and what I have accomplished here at the Kent Jail. I would recommend this profession, and the City of Kent, to anyone seeking a great work environment that supports individual employee career growth. Joining the City of Kent Corrections Facility was a great move for me, and I highly recommend my department!

Officer Amber Horejsi

I have experienced many facets of law enforcement; 21 years of it as a corrections officer. I have worked as a C.O. in both a large department that holds 800 inmates as well as in a small department that holds 25 inmates. I have found the City of Kent Corrections Facility is the right size to provide opportunities to grow as an officer and allows you to stay busy, while still maintaining a small agency feel. Corrections officers with Kent gain experience working all areas of the jail, not just one post for years like bigger facilities. If you want to pursue additional training, Kent Correction Administration invests in your professional development as you work to become the officer that you strive to be.

During my 6 years with Kent I have held positions as both a Field Training Officer and a Background Investigator. Kent Corrections also offers opportunities to engage the community by encouraging Corrections staff to participate in recruiting, Shop with a Cop, Cornucopia Days and teaching Police Science at Kent Meridian High School. If you are looking for opportunities for personal and professional growth, Kent Corrections is a great place to work. I highly recommend this department!