VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office is getting a taste of show business!
On Thursday, a new A&E series called "Booked: First Day In" will premiere featuring VBSO. It promises an exclusive look inside the Virginia Beach jail, the work of deputy sheriffs, and what happens when someone is arrested.
According to a news release, the series takes place inside the Virginia Beach Correctional Center, as well as California's Stanislaus County Detention Center and Florida's Flagler County Inmate Detention Facility.
"I am incredibly proud of the work that my deputy sheriffs do every day, and I was excited for the opportunity to showcase that work to the world," said Sheriff Ken Stolle.
The camera crew only filmed arrestees who agreed to participate in the show.
The featured deputies work in "intake," where they are responsible for the safety and security of everyone brought to the correctional center. They search arrestees for drugs, weapons, and other contraband. They also take fingerprints, take mugshots and outfit them in jail jumpsuits.
“It’s important that the public sees and understands what we do," Stolle said. "This show will give viewers a greater understanding of our criminal justice system and the important role that the Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office plays in public safety.”
The Virginia Beach Correctional Center had more than 11,347 arrests last year.
A&E wrote that each one-hour episode will follow the story of an arrestee as they move through the system and recount what led them to their time in jail.
“Transparency is the cornerstone of everything we do, so we had no qualms about giving camera crews access to our facility,” said Chief Deputy Rocky Holcomb. “We had a great experience working with the production team and are proud to show the integrity, professionalism and compassion of our deputies.”
You can catch the first episode at 10 p.m. Thursday on A&E.
