Putnam Sheriff Registering For Citizens Academy

The Putnam County Sheriff’s Department is set to kick off its yearly Citizens Academy which gives residents insight on the department’s day-to-day operations.

Putnam County Sheriff Eddie Farris said the program gives first-hand experience in investigations, patrols, dispatch, jail tours, police car rides, and shooting police firearms. Farris said this is one of many ways the department can connect with the community.

“Most citizens, most people individually really have no idea what the sheriff does or what the sheriff’s office do,” Farris said. “In fact, most citizens never make any contact with us for any reasons, but yes we are glad to share that. We certainly take pride in being what I believe is one of the best sheriff’s offices in the country.”

The sheriff’s department has held the Academy yearly since 2015. The Academy is a 10-week-long academy that meets on Thursday nights from 6 PM – 9 PM. Spots are limited, so to register reach out to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department. The deadline for applications is July 26th.

“It’s been very successful,” Farris said. “We always usually have a full class that’s around 25 to 26 people in a class and people have just gave us high reviews and remarks for the class, and I think people leave here realizing they have a better understanding of how we do things and not only that but why we do those things.”

Farris said the citizens help the department keep a high standard as the department has been very transparent with the citizens.

“The citizens help us do that,” Farris said. “We certainly at the end of the program, we want some feedback and we try to do things better, and we certainly want to make our class better.”

Farris said he hopes to do the class twice a year in the future.