York Co. sheriff accepting applications for citizens academy

If you’ve ever wanted to know what it’s like to be a law enforcement officer, now is your chance.

The York County Sheriff’s Office is accepting applications for its Citizens Police Academy, an 11-week program that shows participants the ins and outs of what it’s like working in the multiple divisions that make up the agency.

The program consists of 11 three-hour sessions that take place on Monday nights from March 7 to May 9, with a graduation May 16.

Each week, Sheriff’s Office employees will show participants a different function of the agency, according to office spokesman Trent Faris. Among other things, participants will learn about the patrol division, criminal investigations and evidence and forensic services, with tours of the detention and communications centers and demonstrations by the K-9 and SWAT teams.

“It’s hands on,” Faris said. “It’s not just a bunch of classroom time.”

Faris said the goal of the academy, in addition to providing an overview of the Sheriff’s Office, is to create partnerships between the agency and York County residents.

“They’re the voters, they’re the public, they should get a hands-on look at what their tax dollars go to,” he said. “Hopefully, it’ll build relationships between us and the public. We want to make the Sheriff’s Office as transparent as possible.”

The program is open to people 18 and older and is free of charge. Applicants must undergo a criminal background check.

Applications are available at the Moss Justice Center, any of the York County Sheriff’s Office district locations and online at www.yorkcountysheriff.com and will be accepted through Jan. 31.

For more information, contact Evelyn Moser, Lt. Brian Boling or Sgt. Josh Solomon at 803-628-7634.

This story was originally published January 6, 2016 at 8:46 PM with the headline "York Co. sheriff accepting applications for citizens academy."