Community members from Bluffton and Beaufort who attended the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office’s Citizens Police Academy’s 10-week course recently graduated. Classes covered everything from crime scene investigation procedures, DNA processing, crime scene witness tips, gang task force activities, the history of the sheriff’s office, and open cold cases.

[caption id="attachment_20239" align="alignleft" width="300"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Sheriffs-Office-Citizens-Academy-Class.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-20239" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Sheriffs-Office-Citizens-Academy-Class-300x225.jpg" alt="Pictured above are the newest graduates who attended the Citizens Police Academy’s 10-week course offered by the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office." width="300" height="225" /></a> Pictured above are the newest graduates who attended the Citizens Police Academy’s 10-week course offered by the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office.[/caption]

As the only sheriff’s department in South Carolina that offers such an academy, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office’s goal with each class is to educate residents to the variety of responsibilities and challenges the sheriffs face protecting Beaufort County while making residents more aware of public safety issues within the community.

Water rescue, traffic challenges, tourists, SWAT, K-9, plus day to day quality of life crimes — sheriff’s deputies are well-trained professionals who welcome citizen involvement and hope that through education and participation in the Citizen’s Police Academy, residents can work more closely to support law enforcement and continue to make Beaufort County a great place to live and work.

Currently more than 2,000 Beaufort County residents have graduated from the Citizen’s Police Academy. Anyone interested in applying for an upcoming class can contact Master Sgt. Mike Jennings at 843-255-3287.