On May 14, community leaders throughout the Florida Keys celebrated their two-month “degrees” in law enforcement operations at the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office 2025 Citizens Police Academy graduation ceremony.
In separate academies in the Upper, Middle and Lower Keys, students attended weekly evening sessions throughout April and May that cast a wide educational net in law enforcement topics. Classes included an introduction to patrol procedures; a tour of jail facilities; introduction to weapons: Simunitions and Taser; traffic/felony stops; crime scene investigations, including a hands-on mock crime scene; building searches; introduction to specialty units: Bomb, Dive, SWAT, Major Crimes and Special Investigations.
“It was so important for many of you who didn’t know the sheriff’s office to come to know us,” said Sheriff Rick Ramsay. “If you come to know us, you’re probably going to like us, trust us and respect us. We want to continue to build these partnerships and relationships with our citizens, who we’re here to work for.”
The Citizens Police Academy is now in its 10th year. Applications for each year’s academy typically open in January, with classes held throughout the spring.
Photos by ROSS SMITH/Keys Weekly
