DELAND -- Ever wonder what it's like inside the busiest law enforcement dispatch center in Volusia County? Or what it takes to train a deputy? Interested in learning about gun safety, gangs and drug investigations? Want to know more about the inner workings of the Sheriff's Office? Residents
will have the opportunity to find out all of this, and more, during the upcoming launch of the Volusia County Sheriff's Office's Citizens Academy, agency spokesman Gary Davidson said.
Free of charge, the Citizens Academy is a 30-hour class designed to give residents a behind-the-scenes look at the operations of the Sheriff's Office. Applications are being accepted now for the first class, which will start on May 10. The classes will run for 10 consecutive Monday evenings, between 6 p.m.-9 p.m., except for a break on May 31 for the Memorial Day holiday. A graduation ceremony will be held on July 19.
"The Citizens Academy is a great way for residents to enhance their understanding of law enforcement and get a first-hand look at what we do and how we do it," Volusia County Sheriff Ben Johnson said. "Through these classes, residents will get to know the deputies and learn valuable information that will help keep the community safe. It will be time well spent for everyone involved."
Participants will learn about various aspects of law enforcement, tour Sheriff's Office facilities and have the opportunity to fire a gun and ride with a deputy on patrol. They'll also get to see SWAT, bomb team,
motorcycle and K-9 demonstrations, participate in hands-on exercises, such as processing a crime scene, train on the Sheriff's Office's firearms and driving simulators and participate in mock traffic stops and a mock news conference.
The class is limited to 25 participants. Applicants must be at least 18-years-old and will be required to undergo a background check. Applications can be obtained through the Volusia County Sheriff's Office web site by clicking on the following link:
http://www.volusia.org/sheriff/CITIZENSACADEMYAPPLICATION.pdf
Applications must be completed and returned by April 2. Completed application forms can be mailed to the following address:
Volusia County Sheriff's Office
Citizens Academy
P.O. Box 569
DeLand, FL 32721-0569