12 Bexar County sheriff's deputies promoted to corporal

SAN ANTONIO – The Bexar County Sheriff's Office promoted 12 deputies to the rank of corporal Friday.

A promotion ceremony for six male and six female deputies was held at the University of Texas at San Antonio's downtown campus.

"Corporal is a very important rank. They bridge the gap between our first line supervisors, which are our sergeants and our deputies that work on the force," Sheriff Javier Salazar said.

Salazar said the promotions bring about formal and informal leadership in the jail as corporals will be expected to impart their wisdom to co-workers of lower and higher ranks. Salazar said the new corporals will be encouraged to "lead up, and down."

"This is an unusually large number of corporals being promoted at the same time but it'll give us a shot in the arm in the jail," Salazar said.