I don't know about Virginia, but in some states in which I've lived, the state government sets the qualifications and requirements for certification for a sworn law enforcement officer in that state. Any candidate for "deputy" must meet those minimum qualifications, which usually includes a whole lot of academy training. I suspect that, if this is not grandstanding, and said sheriff (and/or sheriffs) follow through, the state of Virginia will quickly legislate this challenge out of existence by simply denying credentials to candidates who don't meet the minimum standards.
It's still a good "out of the box" solution and we need leaders thinking like that.