Attend the Citizens Law Enforcement Academy

Date:       Feb. 21 – April 25, 2013

          Time:     6 – 8:45 p.m., Thursday Nights Only                                

           Place:    St. Sylvester Catholic Church

                             6464 Gulf Breeze Pkwy., Gulf Breeze, FL. 32563

All too often a person’s perception of law enforcement is that which is learned from crime-action television shows or movies. Although these captivate the public’s imagination they are not always reality based.  Those that depict “real life” situations only reflect a small portion of reality.

In view of this, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office wants to educate the local citizenry on the agency’s internal structure and the integral part that the agency plays in the local community.

By attending the “Citizens Law Enforcement Academy” you will learn how to better protect yourself from being a crime victim, how to report crime, and the ramifications of committing a crime. You will receive knowledge on officer training & equipment, what constitutes a crime, and how to differentiate between “reasonable suspicion” and “probable cause.” You will watch police K-9s in action, learn about the Special Weapons and Tactics Team (S.W.A.T.), see how a crime scene is handled and incriminating evidence is collected. You will learn the “Shoot/Don’t Shoot” methodology, the use of firearms & tasers and what it is like to be an inmate behind bars. (A  Saturday will be set aside for a tour of the county jail and evidence section along with a demonstration of officer firearms training at the firearms range of the main Sheriff’s Office in East Milton, for those who are interested.)

This academy is FREE and open to residents 18 and older. To register for this class, go online towww.santarosasheriff.org, click on Services and Programs and go to the Citizens Law Enforcement Academy article & complete the application. Application forms will also be available atSt. Sylvester Catholic Church. For questions call 983-1236.