GIFFORD — In an effort to bridge the gap between the black community in Gifford and law enforcement officials, the Sheriff’s Office has brought its Citizen’s Academy to a local youth center.
Deputies have held classes for the academy at the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office for the past 20 years, according to Lt. Ladell Young. While some deputies continue to teach citizens at the Sheriff’s Office this year, other deputies are now teaching the classes at the Gifford Youth Achievement Center, 4875 43rd Avenue.
This is the first time Citizen’s Academy classes have been held at the center.
The classes began Aug. 29 and are held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. every Tuesday at the center. The academy is a 10-week program where citizens listen to presentations from deputies about special operations, drug awareness, identity theft, crime scene and crime stoppers, legal training, the SWAT team, 911 dispatch and more.
For special operations, citizens learn about the aviation, K-9 and marine units.
Deputy Roberta Barker speaks to citizens at the 1st Citizen’s Academy at the Gifford Youth Achievement Center.
“It’s definitely valuable information. It gives you a better sense of what deputies do,” said 63-year-old resident Bessie Weaver, who attended Tuesday’s class on identity theft. “They’re human and have feelings. They have to go through the same things we do.”
Each class at the center usually has about 20 people, which range in ages from late teens to 60s, Young said. Anyone 18 and older can show up and take the classes; registration is not required.
On Tuesday, citizens learned about identify theft and fraud. Deputy Roberta Barker gave out tips to prevent identity theft and burglaries such as locking your glove box in your vehicle, not leaving your garage door opener in your vehicle, having flood lights at your home, manually locking your vehicle instead of using automatic locks and using a credit card instead of a debit card for purchases.
Deputy Roberta Barker speaks to residents at the 1st Citizens Academy at the Gifford Youth Achievement Center. Citizens who take the 10-week program listen to presentations on special operations, drug awareness, identity theft, crime scenes, legal training, the SWAT team and more.
Posted by Nick Samuel on Tuesday, September 26, 2017
A graduation ceremony for citizens taking classes in Gifford will be held Nov. 14 at the auditorium inside the Sheriff’s Office, Young said. The graduation ceremony for citizens taking the classes at the Sheriff’s Office , which are on Thursdays from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., will be held Nov. 16 at the auditorium.
