It’s that time of year again for law enforcement aficionados in Guilford County.

The county’s Sheriff’s Department is taking applications from ordinary people for the 2021 Sheriff’s Citizen Academy.  If you’re a Guilford County resident interested in learning about law enforcement operations – and even playing deputy for about two months – applications are now being taken for the new Academy that starts in August. 

The course, which has been very popular over the years, teaches area residents about internal operations, law enforcement rules and procedures, officer stresses, working with K-9s and much more.

The 2021 academy classes start on Thursday, August 12 at 6:30 p.m.  It runs through graduation night on Thursday, Sept. 23,

One stated goal of the Sheriff’s Citizen Academy is “to improve law enforcement/community relations through a formalized educational process.”

The Academy will present training across a wide variety of subjects.  In some ways, it’s a highly condensed version of the standard training curriculum department deputies encounter.

The classes are meant to break down some barriers between citizens and the officers who protect them, as well as potentially help recruit new officers for a department that’s had a lot of vacancies in recent years. 

The experience also helps the Sheriff’s Department become more aware of the feelings and concerns of people in the community.

The Academy will consist of two months of sessions that meet once a week, on Thursday evenings, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. – as well as two Saturday special classes.

Most classes will be held at the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office at 400 W. Washington St. in Greensboro in the training classroom. Labs will be held at various locations.

Some topics to be covered are:

  • Gun Violence
  • Gang Awareness
  • Legal Process
  • K-9 Class (Demo)
  • Drug addiction issues and the opioid crisis
  • Crime scene processing
  • Traffic enforcement
  • Jail operations

Anyone interested should visit the department’s webpage at  https://www.guilfordcountync.gov/our-county/sheriff-s-office. Applications are available there as well.

Those with questions can call Master Corporal A. Almonor at 336-641-5313 or send an email to aalmono@guilfordcountync.gov.

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