photo by: Douglas County Sheriff's office

Deputy Carson Rhoades shows a resident a piece of equipment used by the sheriff's office during the 2023 Douglas County Sheriff's Office Citizen's Academy.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has opened applications for the 2024 Citizen’s Academy to give residents an in-depth look at the way law enforcement works in the county.

The academy is a seven-week program that meets on Thursday nights starting on April 4 and includes two full-day Saturday sessions, according to a news release from the office. The academy will focus on the duties of both uniformed and civilian members of the sheriff’s office and will include tours of the office’s corrections and operations divisions.

Participants will learn about deputies’ driving skills and car-stop techniques, field sobriety tests and building searches, as well as defensive tactics and the use of force, the release said.

“This agency is proud of what our Citizen’s Academy has become, especially with the amount of hands-on experience we are able to give members of the community as well as the forum to have candid conversations about law enforcement, corrections and our community,” Sheriff Jay Armbrister said in the release.

Applicants have until March 22 to apply and applications are open to all Douglas County residents over the age of 18. The online application is available on the sheriff’s website. For more information call 785-841-0007 or Morgan Haney at 785-813-9055.

photo by: Douglas County Sheriff’s Office

Residents view a 2021 Dodge Challenger Scat Pack Edition, “Super Bee,” used as a patrol vehicle and recruitment tool during the 2023 Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Citizen’s Academy.

photo by: Douglas County Sheriff’s Office

Douglas County Sheriff Jay Armbrister leads a class during the 2023 Citizen’s Academy.