WCSO Now Taking Sheriff’s Citizens’ Academy Applications until March 8

The Wilson County Sheriff’s Office is now taking application for the Sheriff’s Citizens’ Academy, with classes slated to begin March 8.

If you’ve ever considered a law enforcement career or just wanted to know how the WCSO operates on the road, inside the jail, what it’s like to be a dispatcher and any number of other skills required within the Sheriff’s Office, the Sheriff’s Citizens’ Academy is the place for you. The WCSO will be taking applications through March 8.

The upcoming Academy includes a 10-week course that meets from 6-9 p.m. every Tuesday at the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office located at 105 E. High St., Lebanon, TN. All applicants must pass a background check in order attend.

There are no minimum physical requirements, just a desire to learn more about law enforcement and get exposure to day-to-day aspects of the many facets involved in enforcing the law and assisting fellow citizens.

“This class is designed to help foster a better understanding between the citizens and the Sheriff’s Office,” said Wilson County Sheriff’s Lt. James Lanier, who oversees the Academy along with a number of other veteran staffers at the Sheriff’s Office. “It familiarizes the citizens with how the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office operates in a hands-on situation. This course shows how different the Sheriff’s Office is from the other law enforcement offices in Wilson County and how much more responsibility the Office has compared to other agencies.”

Some of the classes include topics such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, domestic violence, patrol procedures, Schools Resource Officers, Civil and Criminal Warrants, DUI awareness, handcuffing procedures and other law enforcement functions. The course also includes hands-on activities, field trips such as a three-hour jail tour, a visit to the firing range, lectures by Communications dispatchers, a representative from the District Attorney’s Office, demonstrations in boating safety and the Office’s Special Response Team among other activities.

Leigh Mills, a past graduate of the Sheriff’s Citizens’ Academy and current Academy Alumni Association President, said of the program, “I was extremely impressed with the program and believe other Wilson County residents can benefit from seeing exactly what the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office encounters from day-to-day. The Sheriff and his staff have created an excellent, intensive course that helps all of us better understand how the department serves the community. Each week, participants are taken through a series of classes that provide a close-up view of law enforcement techniques and shown exactly how much responsibility the Sheriff’s Office has with regard to the jail, courts, and process service functions we might otherwise never see. Presenters offer an entertaining and interactive way to learn the role of the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office and how it relates to our community. I would encourage anyone who has not done so to apply for this course. From graduation, participants are also encouraged to help serve the community by joining the Alumni Association, where they will have a chance to volunteer and support the Sheriff’s Office.”

Sheriff Robert Bryan started the Sheriff’s Citizens Academy four years ago to offer the community and business people a voluntary opportunity to get a better understanding of and full exposure to the Sheriff’s Office. The upcoming fourth class is limited to 25 citizens. To apply, contact Elizabeth Anderson at wcso95.org or call at 615-444-1412, ext. 255 or email her at eanderson@wcso.org.