WASHINGTON COUNTY – Sheriff Cory Pulsipher is inviting residents of Washington County to attend the Sheriff’s Citizen Academy, which is an eight week Thursday evening course to be offered beginning Sept. 15.
Undersheriff Bart Bailey said that one of the Pulsipher’s goals when he was elected was to help the community understand the role of the sheriff’s office, which is different than that of the police departments. Bailey said that this is the first time in 12 years such an invitation to the community has been offered.
“It is my goal to help the community learn more about their Sheriff’s Office,” said Pulsipher.
The Sheriff’s Citizen Academy will cover all operational aspects of the sheriff’s office. Each week participants will spend three hours learning about the mission of the county sheriff, uniformed patrol operations, jail operations, investigations, SWAT, firearms and pursuit intervention technique.
Bailey said that it will give “opportunity [for those attending] to meet the deputies in a social setting so they are a little more comfortable with [the deputies]. So, if they call on a burglary, they can be a little more comfortable [when the sheriff’s deputies respond].”
“Our goal is actually to offer this citizens academy to as many as possible. It’s limited to 40 [per session, they anticipate offering subsequent sessions],” said Bailey.
People may contact the sheriff’s office via email or phone call (contact information given at the close of this article).
Bailey said, “There is a form [to be submitted], which allows us to do a limited background check, it’s the same background check that we would do for any citizen that waned to do a ride-along for the night. Pretty much, if you’re over the age of 18, you can make a ride-along request. Because of the some things we’ll be going over, SWAT demonstration, emergency management, jail, etcetera, those aren’t necessarily appropriate for someone with a criminal background … to see. So for example the security control room, secure areas of the jail, are not appropriate for those to see that side of that.”
The class will begin Thursday, September 15, and continue weekly through November 3. Classes start at 6 p.m.
Community Outreach Director, Oscar Garcia, who is also a training director for the sheriff’s department hailing from a Riverside County, California, where he was a deputy, is heading up coordination of the program.
Garcia may be contacted at telephone (435) 656-6522 or by email him at [email protected], to learn more and to reserve spots in the academy.
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