“I thought it was eye-opening and interesting,” Spring Valley resident Tyler Schiltz said about the recent Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office Citizens’ Academy. “I would definitely recommend it to others.”
Fillmore County Sheriff Tom Kaase remembered the last Citizens’ Academy taking place in 2009, which was before he took office. Having worked in the Rochester Police Department, he was aware of similar presentations that had been well received there and felt that it was time to try it again in Fillmore County.
“It’s a good chance to see our office in depth,” he pointed out.
Kaase reached out to the staff at the Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office to ask if anyone was interested in conducting the academy. Deputy Leif Erickson saw a great opportunity to connect with the public through community outreach and volunteered.
“The overall objective of the academy is to provide the citizens of Fillmore County with sound and accurate information about the Sheriff’s Office and the criminal justice process,” Deputy Erickson said.
The academy was composed of weekly classes for six weeks starting on April 26 and going through May. Attendees were also encouraged to schedule a four-hour ride along with a deputy to see how they work first hand.
Each class had a different focus. At the first one on April 26, Deputy Erickson and Sheriff Kaase reviewed the history of Fillmore County with the attendees and went over the basic workings of the Sheriff’s Office.
The class was then able to tour the Fillmore County Courthouse, the Sheriff’s Office, and the Fillmore County Jail. They were also able to see Deputy Erickson’s squad car and what he carries in it.
On May 3, the class got to learn more about how the Sheriff’s Office conducts investigations and deals with narcotics issues.
The third class took place on May 10 and explained use of force in law enforcement and how deputies have to decide what method to use, usually in a split second. There was also a taser demonstration.
The May 17 class, the attendees met with a judge and the county attorney to learn more about how the judicial process works.
The fifth class took place on May 24 and included the use of the PRISIM System. The PRISIM System is a computer program that allows officers to engage in real-life, interactive scenarios to practice assessing and responding to a situation appropriately. Each of the members of the academy was given the opportunity to use the program, which was on loan from RCTC.
“It’s as close to real life as you can get without actually being there.” Deputy Erickson said about the value of the PRISIM System for officer training.
After each scenario, the class analyzed the user’s response and discussed whether appropriate use of force was utilized. One of the academy’s attendees had to use deadly force in his scenario, which led to a discussion on how that affects officers.
If an officer has a situation where they have to use deadly force, it usually shortens or ends their career,” Sheriff Kaase pointed out. “They may walk away physically unharmed, but they are mentally and psychologically changed for the rest of their life.”
The final class on May 31 was led by 27-year dispatch veteran Leroy Eickhoff. He explained how the 911 system has changed over the years and how it works now. He also played several actual 911 calls from the 2007 Rushford flood to demonstrate that you can’t judge a situation by the caller’s response.
The attendees, who came from all over Fillmore County were enthusiastic about the Sheriff’s Academy.
“Everybody should take this,” Canton native Carl Ernst said about the academy. “I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”
La Crescent Police Department Reserve Officer Luther Berge also attended the classes, saying that he was interested in learning how other counties and departments work. “I liked the fact that it opened up the public’s eyes to what goes on in law enforcement. The general public doesn’t always know what we do in the field,” he said. “I would highly recommend it to anyone who is willing to sit down and take it.”
Sheriff Kaase was pleased with the overwhelmingly positive responses the department received from those who attended the academy. “You folks become our ambassadors,” he pointed out. He encouraged each attendee to watch for the next Sheriff’s Academy and invite their friends and family to sign up for it as well.
Sheriff Kaase hopes to hold another academy in 2018. There is no cost for attending and anyone interested is encouraged to watch for announcements about the upcoming academy on the Fillmore County Sheriff’s website at www.co.fillmore.mn.us/sheriff.