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Investigate a mock crime scene, visit the jail




Class participants will have the chance to shoot a weapon on the firing range. SUBMITTED

Class participants will have the chance to shoot a weapon on the firing range. SUBMITTED

Solving a mock crime scene, touring the county jail, and shooting a police-issued firearm are just some of the things residents are invited to do in the upcoming Sumner County Sheriff’s Citizens Academy.

The free 10-week program kicks off Tuesday, Jan. 23 at 6 p.m. and gives residents a firsthand look at what rules, regulations and laws the officers operate within, as well as the ins-and-outs of the sheriff’s office and the criminal justice system. 

“It lets them know what resources we have available,” Chief Deputy Aaron Pickard said. “There is so much to the sheriff’s office; we have nine different divisions and you really can’t understand it until you come and (go through) the citizen’s academy.”

Always popular with the citizens is the portion of the program where participants get to work their own crime scene with the help of the department’s detective division.

Pickard said a death investigator will be at a class to go through some actual cases and show how they were resolved and what techniques were used to work the scene. Then class participants will get to work their own mock crime scene and come up with a cause of death on their own.

After an introduction to firearms familiarization, attendants will also have the chance to fire a weapon at the gun range.

“We will go out to the range with certified firearms instructors and give folks that want, the chance to fire some of the weapons we carry every day,” Pickard said.

In addition, encounters with some of the other departments at the sheriff’s office include a visit to Animal Control, information from School Resource Officers, an active shooter safety planning lesson, and a complete tour of the Sumner County Jail.

“We will go into the bowels of the jail from top to bottom,” Pickard said. “It’s like its own city with a doctor’s office and store.”

For those who want a front seat to what it’s like to drive impaired, that will be offered also.

“Our DUI group comes in and sets up a track and lets them have vision goggles so that they can see the difference being impaired makes if you are trying to drive,” Sheriff Sonny Weatherford said.

Dinner will be provided by local restaurants will and served during each of the Tuesday night classes, Pickard said, adding that classes are usually over around 9 p.m.

Applications are available at the sheriff’s office or online at www.sumnersheriff.com/programs/citizen_academy. Each participant will receive a certificate and T-shirt.

All applications must be physically turned in by noon on Jan. 18 and classes are limited to 30 people, Pickard said.

 “It’s a great opportunity for the citizens of Sumner County to see what the sheriff’s office does every day because our office is different from a police department,” Weatherford said. “They get to witness what we do and it doesn’t cost the citizens anything because we have sponsors.”

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