Precinct Two conducted one academy in 1994, Precinct Three has conducted six since 1993 and Precint Four conducted seven since 1994. Citizen's Academies were designed to build partnerships between citizens and their police department through education. Graduates of the program gain a better understanding of the law enforcement role in the criminal justice system and an appreciation for the many challenges facing law enforcement in today's complex society. Each of these Citizen's Academies is coordinated by the officers and staff in the local precinct. Drug Enforcement class during the SW Precinct Citizen's Academy in the spring of 1997.
Courses cover such topics as drug enforcement , major crimes investigation and patrol procedures.
A field trip to the jail and communications center and a session on familiarization of firearms held at a local firing range are also included. Students will also be given the opportunity, if they so choose, to be scheduled to ride along with a precinct patrol officer for a shift. Upon completion of the academy, students will have received a thorough overview of the operation of the King County Sheriff's Office and a closer look at their local precinct. A Steering Committee, chaired by Major Rebecca Norton, helped to build a consistent approach to the Citizen's Academies. This 13 member team looked at best practices throughout our department to develop a consistent delivery of this program.