photo by: Douglas County Sheriff's Office

Participants learn about fingerprint analysis during the 2024 Douglas County Sheriff's Office Citizens Academy.

The registration period opened on Thursday for the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Citizens Academy where residents can get a closer look at how law enforcement operates in the county.

The seven-week academy focuses on putting citizens in the shoes of Douglas County law enforcement with classes on driving skills, building searches, use of force, and other law enforcement techniques, according to a release from the sheriff’s office.

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

Registration is open now through Feb. 28. The academy is held on Thursday evenings from April 10 – May 15 with two Saturday session. Meals will be provided and applicants must be at least 18-years-old to participate, the release said.

Residents can register from the sheriff’s website, www.dgso.org, under the Resources tab for community programs, or call 785-813-9055 for more information.

“We encourage anyone who wants to know more about the Sheriff’s Office to apply, and we are excited to show a new group the work our deputies, corrections officers and civilian staff do every day for this community,” Armbrister said in the release.