The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office held the final session and completion ceremony for the 2025 Citizens Academy on Thursday, October 2, marking the completion of an eight-week program designed to give residents a closer look at local law enforcement.

 

Participants visited Sheriff’s District Stations and toured the Emergency Communications Center, Detention Center, and Crime Lab. The group also traveled to the Southern Maryland Criminal Justice Academy for an overview of officer training. Classroom instruction covered topics including traffic safety, collision reconstruction, and special operations.

 

The program provided participants with the opportunity to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of the Sheriff’s Office. “I want to be informed… Now I understand what is going on behind the scenes, whereas before I didn’t understand police work,” said participant Sean Ritchie.

 

Fellow participant Jackson Hicks added, “Ensuring the safety of the public is the most critical function of government, and I was incredibly thankful to learn more about all that this county does for its citizens and the people who make it possible.”

 

The Sheriff’s Office congratulates the following Citizens Academy graduates: Mary Anderson, Adyson Bond, Rowena Bossio, Paula Dickens, Stacey Dickens, Jackson Hicks, Kathryn Junek, Kurt Prescher, Sean Ritchie, Donald Sheehan, Lawrence Stauffer (not pictured), and Malia Wills.

 

***Photo caption: (l-r) Donald Sheehan, Jackson Hicks, Kathryn Junek, Mary Anderson, Malia Wills, Sheriff Steve Hall, Adyson Bond, Sean Richie, Paula Dickens, Stacey Dickens, Kurt Prescher, Rowena Bossio