Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown presented 16 county residents with certificates after they completed 10 weeks of classes as part of the Sheriff’s Citizen’s Academy. The graduation took place on July 19 with a celebration and barbecue at Stow Grove Park in Goleta.
The citizen’s academy is designed to give residents an inside look at just some of what the sheriff’s office does on a daily basis. The class toured the jail, fired handguns, and participated as role players in SWAT training. Students also observed a K-9 operation demonstration and participated in a question-and-answer forum with a narcotics detective and a dispatcher.
Taylor Davis, a paramedic from Santa Barbara who graduated form the program, said in a press release that the experience was life changing.
“The citizen’s academy gave me a new appreciation for the incredible dedication and passion that the deputies at the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office have for their community and the service they provide,” he said.
A North County Sheriff’s Citizen’s Academy will be held in the fall. To be eligible, students must be at least 18 years old. Spots are limited for the program, which is free of charge.
For more information, visit sbsheriff.org.
