ABBEVILLE, KATC - For the first time, the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office (VPSO) is inviting the public to take a firsthand look at Sheriff’s Office operations with a 4-week Citizen’s Academy this fall.
“We want to show the citizens the job that law enforcement does and why they do it. For instance, a simple traffic stop, the officer might make them get out of the car, or the officer might make them stay in the car and approach the car, but it’s all about safety. Until we explain that, a lot of citizens don’t understand that,” Vermilion Parish Sheriff Eddie Langlinias said.
According to the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office, the program consists of five sessions that will take 20 participants through the process of becoming a Deputy Sheriff and explore many facets of VPSO operations.
The Citizen’s Academy will meet weekly on Wednesdays from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. beginning on September 4th, and will culminate with one final session and participant graduation on Saturday, September 28th.
In the four Wednesday sessions, participants can expect to learn about such things as law enforcement training, crime scene analysis, patrol and criminal investigations, K-9 and narcotics operations, and SWAT responses.
In the fifth and final session, participants will learn firearms safety at the shooting range and take part in a virtual training simulation before receiving a certificate of completion from Sheriff Eddie Langlinais and Chief Deputy Blair Dore, signifying their graduation from the Vermilion Parish Citizen’s Academy.
The virtual simulation course features real-life scenarios, offering residents an opportunity to experience dangerous real-life situations.
KATC had the chance to go through the course firsthand. The simulation was exactly as Sheriff Langlinias described. It was intense and tested decision-making skills.
Sheriff Langlinias is hoping this program can create an avenue for law enforcement to hear concerns from the people of Vermilion Parish.
“They are going to learn a lot about what law enforcement does but it’s also going to give us an opportunity to learn from them. They are going to bring things to the table that we might have not thought about or bring things that might make our job a little easier,” he said.
The 2024 fall registration is currently closed. However, the Sheriff’s Office will continue taking applications for the Spring 2025 session.
To apply, prospective members should download and fill out the application on the VPSO website atVermilionSheriff.gov by clicking the “Citizen’s Academy” tab. Completed applications should be emailed to CA@VermilionSheriff.gov for submission. A Sheriff’s Office representative will contact applicants upon receiving a successful background check and inform them of admission into the Citizen’s Academy.
