Fultondale, AL - Imagine spending 12 weeks in a training class only to learn halfway though you probably will not have the job you were promised when you finish.  That is the situation for the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office's newest class of recruits. 

Sheriff Mike Hale hired them weeks ago, but that was before the county  commission cut his budget by 16 percent and he was forced to layoff other deputies.

Now, the recruits are gambling their futures hoping their situations will change

"It's just something I always grew up wanting to do," said recruit Brandon Massey.

"It's kind of my way of helping to serve the community," recruit Arthur Agee said.

For about a dozen Jefferson County recruits in training, a $10 million budget cut to the sheriff's office may have just stolen their dream. 

For the next six weeks, they will continue training with no paychecks and no guarantee of a job.

"It is a gamble but at the same time, there's a good chance that if we leave here 6 weeks from now we still won't have a job," said Massey.

"Ramen noodles and Kool-Aid I guess," Agee joked about his method of survival.

Sheriff Mike Hale will not make the recruits sign a two year contract.  Instead, his office will pay for their $12,000 training class.

"It does show their commitment and I'm so very proud of them," said Hale.

Hale said, if he still can not hire them when they finish, he will help them go somewhere else.

"If a letter of recommendation from me helps or calling that mayor, police or sheriff I'm going to do it."

"This is an educational certification that's going to take us through the rest of our careers," said Massey regarding the training  course.  "And you know, we're not paying for it. It's free."

Having their training completed makes the recruits more attractive to other law enforcement agencies also tightening their belts.

"That opens up a lot more doors, a lot more possibilities that we could explore," Massey said.

There is word floating around the sheriff's office that he has compiled another list of employees' names to be laid off.  Sheriff Hale says that is not  true.

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