Citizen's Academy

The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office offers the Citizen’s Law Enforcement Academy. This Academy will familiarize El Dorado County residents with many aspects of law enforcement and the role the Sheriff’s Office plays in the community.

The Sheriff’s Office institutes the concepts of Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving (COPPS). The goal of the COPPS program is to open a positive line of communication with our citizens and to involve the community in some of the decisions regarding law enforcement.

By attending the Academy, citizens will develop a better understanding of the guidelines under which an officer functions and why officers handle situations the way they do. Also discussed is the role of law enforcement and how members of the community can come together to address serious crime and social issues.

A few examples of the Academy’s course content include community relations and dynamic looks into our patrol functions, K-9 program, property crimes, gangs, narcotics, probable cause, search and seizure, court decisions, traffic laws, criminal investigations, crime scene investigation, arrest and defensive tactics and performing actual vehicle stops.

In order to receive the full value of this Academy and to be able to observe procedures firsthand, the Academy includes a four hour block in which each class member is assigned to ride along with a patrol deputy while he/she works the beat.

The Academy is offered periodically and continues for 16 weeks. The class runs one night each week, on Tuesday’s from 6:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. The Academy classes are held at the Sheriff’s Placerville OES training facility. The Citizen’s Academy is offered on a first come first served basis to El Dorado County residents and is free of charge.

The upcoming Citizen’s Academy will start on Tuesday, July 22, 2014 for 16 classes ending Tuesday, November 4, 2014.

This program has been very well received and enjoyed by all who have participated in the past. Academy applications are available on the Sheriff’s Website at https://www.edcgov.us/Sheriff/Programs/Citizen_s_Academy.aspx

Questions regarding the application process can be directed to Sean Fitzgerald at (530)-621-5714, email fitzgers or Community Services Officer Teresa Wren at (530) 621-6533, email wrent.

El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Office
For Press Releases & Information: https://pio.edso.org