Fast and furious

Sitting in the back seat of a sheriff’s patrol car following a high-speed pursuit would usually indicate that someone is having a bad day.

For a small group of local citizens, however, this experience was an entertaining final chapter in a seven-week Citizen’s Academy organized by the Vilas County Sheriff’s Office. Participants received classroom training and interactive experiences in several categories of law enforcement including crime scene investigations, use of force protocol, and jail operations.

The program concluded last week at the Eagle River airport, where students rode with training officers through obstacle courses to learn about emergency vehicle maneuvers and felony stop procedures. Feedback from students indicated a fast and furious experience as lights were flashing, tires were squealing, and sirens echoed through the normally quiet area of the airport.

At the conclusion of this final training module, the group of citizens was transported back to the sheriff’s office for a graduating ceremony and some time to share personal perspectives of their two-month educational adventure.
Sheriff Gerard Ritter, Chief Deputy Patrick Schmidt and a team of instructors enjoyed refreshments with students before presenting each with a signed certificate of appreciation.

Ritter initiated the annual academy while he was a patrol captain in 2021 and says that he thought it would be a great way to be transparent, while strengthening the partnership between the sheriff’s office and the community. Details of the idea became clear to him when he attended the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Command College and wrote about the concept as part of an assignment project.

“I wanted to improve the perception that people have of law enforcement,” he said, “and to lift the community at the same time. Most people have little experience dealing with our deputies, and I think it is important that citizens see them as more than just officers. We are part of the community, and the idea of a citizen’s academy is good for everyone involved.”

After graduating from the command college, Ritter shared his idea of the citizen’s academy with the leadership team at the sheriff’s office and received a green light to proceed. He then met with a group of potential instructors, and shared the overall blueprint of what he wanted in the program.

“The instructors embraced the idea from the start,” he added, “and each put his or her own touches on what should be presented and of how we can best provide meaningful information to the students.”

In the end, the program of 13 three-hour sessions provides insight into nearly every aspect of the sheriff’s office. This includes a wide range of behind-the-scenes interaction from a tour of the jail facilities, and the eating of regular jailhouse food, to watching a live demonstration of an intoxicated volunteer trying to get through field sobriety testing. Attendees also get an opportunity to feel the effects of a taser gun, and to meet the sheriff’s K-9 patrol.

According to Ritter, the academy content includes a variety of disciplines that law enforcement officers must know and use daily. He said that most of the instructors also teach at the actual sheriff’s academy and are seasoned subject matter experts.

Lt. Jeffrey Schaub, and detective sergeants Cody Remick, Logan Pontbriand, Emily Miller and Nick Seeger were among the instructors at the emergency vehicle obstacle course last week.

Attendees Edward Brouch, Tatum Campbell, Taylor Healy, Charlotte Kaufman, David Kaufman, Suzanne Mursett, Jennifer Raatz, and Courtney Szuta gave high marks to Ritter and his team.

Raatz said she was very happy with the program and would encourage others to participate in the future. She enjoyed the change in topics and tones, from the seriousness of actually observing the jail facility, to the fun and energy following the taser gun session.

Brouch said he appreciated hearing about the law enforcement needs of the community and then to “see it all from the perspective of an officer.”

Chief Deputy Schmidt agrees that the program offers a “unique view” into the sheriff’s office, and was designed to help citizens understand police responses. Szuta commented that she feels better about community safety now that she knows of “so many resources for our little community,” while Mursett may have summed it up best when she said that “the hard work, preparation and officer training is much more than what most people will ever know.”

The academy is open to those who live or work in Vilas County with registration information available through the Vilas County Sheriff’s Office website.

Applicants must be at least 18 years of age, and acceptance into the program is subject to class size limitations and other considerations. Each applicant must also pass a background check conducted by the sheriff’s office.

Dates have not been set for a 2027 academy, but Ritter says it will likely take place in the same March to April timeframe when the county goes through one of its slower periods before seasonal property owners and visitors start arriving for the peak summer months.