Solon Economou

The Sheriff wants YOU!

Third Annual Citizens Academy to begin in March

Sheriff's Citizens Academy in session.  Photo courtesy of the Sheriff's website.

There are at least two ways to get into Barnstable County Sheriff Jim Cummings' Correctional Facility in Bourne.  One is to commit a crime, and the Sheriff will be glad to provide you with accommodations in his splendiferous establishment.  You may have to perform a little road clean-up work or the like, but it's a small price to pay for guaranteed room and board.

The second way is to sign up for the Sheriff's third annual Citizens Academy.  Sheriff Cummings announced the dates for the Academy today.  The eight-week course will start on Monday night, March 23rd, and run on consecutive Mondays till the middle of May.  The sessions will start at 6:00 pm and run for 2 1/2 hours.

Sheriff Cummings says, "Our mission is a lot more varied than...running a house of correction and jail.  This is a great opportunity for interested citizens to see exactly how we go about our business."

Space is limited to 30 attendees, and enrollment is first come, first served.  In the first two years of this popular course, the Academy had to turn applicants away.

The modern, 4 1/2-year old, Correctional Facility is currently home to more than 400 inmates.  Besides experiencing the popular (for those not obligated to remain) facility tour, Academy attendees will see how K9 teams sniff out drugs; observe Sheriff's criminal investigators and how they use state-of-the-art technology to help solve crimes; inspect the Emergency Communications Center, a mobile van that can take and send messages from the site of major ongoing incidents; and much more.

Sheriff Cummings says, "Our mission is a lot more varied than...running a house of correction and jail.  This is a great opportunity for interested citizens to see exactly how we go about our business."

To sign up for this popular Academy, go to the Sheriff's website at www.bsheriff.net.  There you will be able to access an application form as well as liability-release and background-check paperwork.  If you don't have access to a computer or have questions about the Academy, call Shaun Cahill at 508-375-6121 who will be glad to help you out.