COMMUNITY LAW ENFORCEMENT ACADEMY - CLASS #92 at Seminole County Sheriff's Office – Sanford, Florida

The Seminole County Sheriff's Office Community Law Enforcement Academy (CLEA) is designed to educate the citizens of Seminole County in the concepts and procedures of law enforcement. There are no physical requirements, and it is a free course taught by members of the Sheriff's Office leadership team, Deputy Sheriffs, Detectives, and other agency staff.

Tentative class dates: Wednesdays, August 20th - November 19, 2025

NOTE: This academy is not for law enforcement certification. It is offered for educational purposes only. There is no guarantee of employment with the Seminole County Sheriff's Office upon completion of this course.

***All Community Law Enforcement Applications require a NOTARIZED Background Waiverand NOTARIZED Hold Harmless Indemnification Agreement. To participate in the taser complete and upload the Taser Release and if interested in the Ride Along view the Ride Along Fact Sheet and answer yes or no on the application (Taser and Ride Along are optional). All forms are included in the bold links provided and are to be uploaded to your application. ***

Accepting Applications until July 1, 2025 or until class reaches capacity.

ACADEMY SUMMARY

The course begins with an introduction by members of our command staff. Sessions include presentations on topics such as: neighborhood policing, investigations, child protective services, and forensics. Class participants will see demonstrations from the Special Operations Unit (SWAT, Aviation, Range and Water, K9 and EOD), have the opportunity to fire Sheriff's Office weapons at the gun range, and drive a patrol car in similar conditions that deputies are trained in. Class participants will also tour the John E. Polk Correctional Facility, the Juvenile Enforcement Center, and the Criminal Justice Center. All students will be offered the opportunity to participate in ride-a-longs with a uniformed Deputy Sheriff.

A typical course schedule is as follows:

• Welcome and organizational overview from Sheriff Lemma and members of the command staff
• Department of Law Enforcement, Seminole Neighborhood Policing (Patrol Operations)
• Diversified Investigative Services (Major Crimes, Auto Theft, Digital Forensics, and Financial Crimes)
• Visit to Special Operations (Canine, Range and Water, EOD, and Aviation)
• Domestic Security Division (Gangs, Anti-Terrorism, Fugitives)
• Traffic Safety and DUI Enforcement (demonstration of fatal vision goggles)
• Visit to the Training Center (Response to resistance, defensive tactics, and the Taser)
• Forensic Services and Victim Advocate
• Department of Youth Services
• Child Protective Services
• Visit to the 9-1-1 Communications Center
• Public Affairs Division
• Visit to the Criminal Justice Center and hear from the Office of the State Attorney
• Visit to the John E. Polk Correctional Facility (Seminole County Jail)

To be eligible, all applicants must submit to a background check. To attend the academy, you must:

• Upload a notarized Background Waiver with Application by clicking APPLY
• Upload a notarized Hold Harmless Indemnification Agreement
• If participating in Taser Exposure, upload a Taser Release form
• If participating in a Ride Along, please view the Ride Along Fact Sheet
• Live or work in Seminole or surrounding counties;
• Be at least 18 years of age;
• Possess a valid driver's license or other form of government issued photographic identification;
• Disclose any arrests or convictions, including misdemeanors, to include pleas of nolo contendre regardless of whether adjudication was withheld
• Be fingerprinted at SCSO's Main Building located at 100 Eslinger Way in Sanford. The Human Resources Division will contact each applicant to schedule fingerprinting upon passing the preliminary background.