Placer academy offers behind-the-scenes view of Sheriff’s Office

The Placer County Sheriff's Office is accepting applications for its Community Awareness Academy, a program designed to provide county residents insight into the workings of the department and encourage community involvement.

The free classes will be held from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays March 2-30 at the Auburn Justice Center, 2929 Richardson Drive, Auburn. The registration deadline is Feb. 13.

Each of the nine sessions will cover a different topic, with presentations by units within the department, including air operations, search and rescue, bomb squad, special enforcement team, marine unit, investigations and hostage negotiators, according to a Sheriff’s Office news release. A demonstration also is scheduled by the sheriff’s K-9 team.

In addition to the classroom sessions, academy participants will take field trips to the Placer County jails, the morgue, 911 operations center and the air operations hangar.

The goal of the academy is to provide greater awareness and understanding of law enforcement’s role in the community, according to the news release. Participants must be at least 18 years old, live or work in Placer County and agree to submit to a minor background check. Walk-ins will not be accepted.

To sign up for the academy, call Community Services Officer Shannon Scofield at 916-652-2409, or email her at sscolfiel@placer.ca.gov.

This story was originally published February 2, 2017 at 7:48 PM with the headline "Placer academy offers behind-the-scenes view of Sheriff’s Office."