Registration open for DCSO Public Safety Academy

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Registration is now open for the 2020 Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Public Safety Academy, to be held in the agency's Bend office. This 6-week course is designed to give attendees an in-depth look at the different divisions of the Sheriff’s Office and educate the community about what your sheriff’s office does and is responsible for.

In addition to the classroom instruction, participants can go out on patrol ride-a-long and tour the Deschutes County Jail. There are also two optional Saturday sessions during the academy.

The academy is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, January 22, 2020 and will run Monday and Wednesday evenings through February, excluding President’s Day.   There is no cost to attend this academy.

The deadline for receiving applications is January 10, 2020.

Interested persons can pick up an application at the main Sheriff’s Office in Bend at 63333 West Highway 20, Bend, OR  97703. Additional information and an on-line application can also be found at www.deschutes.org/sheriff. (Click on “Community” then “Community Programs” and then select “Public Safety Academy”).

Anyone with questions can call Lt. Joe DeLuca at 541-312-6020.

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is a full service agency that oversees the adult jail, provides patrol, criminal investigations, civil process and search and rescue operations. Special units include SWAT, Marine Patrol, ATV Patrol, Forest Patrol, along with four K-9 teams. Founded in 1916 and today led by your duly elected Sheriff L. Shane Nelson, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office serves the nearly 190,000 residents in Deschutes County. The agency has 230 authorized and funded personnel, which includes 187 sworn employees who provide services to the 3,055 square miles of Deschutes County.