BUCYRUS–A Bucyrus grad inspired by his dad is also pursuing a career in law enforcement.

Mason Kent, 22, the son of longtime Crawford County Sheriff Scott Kent, graduated from the Columbus Police Training Academy’s 136th class on Jan. 14. Now he’s a full-fledged patrolman with the Marion Police Department and sporting a shiny, new badge.

Kent, one of 62 graduates, was sworn in and received his badge during a ceremony in the academy’s auditorium on Jan. 13. The pinning honors – naturally – were done by dad. “It was pretty exciting,” the elder Kent said. “It’s exciting to see what he’ll accomplish in his career.”

Mason, the oldest child of Scott and Kimberly Kent of Bucyrus, grew up around the Sheriff’s Department, where his father has worked since 1995. “He certainly influenced my decision,” Mason said. “Ever since I was pretty young, it seemed the way I was leaning.”

Through the years, Mason was often his dad’s sidekick. “He’s been around law enforcement a lot,” said Kent, who was promoted to sheriff in 2013.

“If I would go in on payday, I’d take him with me, or if I had some other running to do. Ever since he was a little kid, he always seemed to be interested in it.”

Mason, whose high school friend also worked at the sheriff’s office, graduated from Bucyrus in 2017.
He went on to earn two degrees from Ohio University in Athens – a BA in criminology in December 2020 and a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology in May 2021.

He was hired last February by the Marion Police Department, which enrolled him in the academy as a conditional offer of his employment. He started the 1,240 hour-long program on June 14. An intensive program focused on coursework, physical fitness, and training in defensive tactics and shooting firearms.

Mason said the class, which started out with a total of 70 recruits, concluded with scenario-based training, which ran the gamut from routine traffic stops to deadly force encounters.
“It takes a lot of determination and the right mindset,” he said. “You have to want to make it to the end.”

He said he has fond memories of the course and what it’s done to prepare him for his career. “It was a fantastic experience,” he said. “Graduation was a very surreal moment. You spend all this time working toward it. It’s also very nerve-wracking but in a fun way.”