The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is seeking citizens who are interested in exploring the world of law enforcement to take part in our Citizen’s Police Academy (CPA) class beginning February 25, 2026. The CPA classes will take place every Wednesday night from 6 pm to approximately 9 pm and will last 12 weeks. This course is free of charge, and open to citizens of Jefferson County or our border communities.

Citizens taking part in the CPA will learn in a “hands-on” environment what it is like to be a Deputy Sheriff in Jefferson County, and experience some of our training. Classes included in this year’s academy include Self-defense and Handcuffing, Traffic Laws, OWI and Traffic Stops, Traffic Crash Investigation, Firearms and SWAT, Criminal Investigations, Jail and Correctional Emergency Response, K-9 Unit demonstration, Domestic Abuse Response Simulations and Active Shooter Response.

Space is extremely limited, and citizens will be selected on a first-come, first-serve basis.  In order to be accepted into the CPA class, you must not have any felony or recent misdemeanor arrests or convictions, any domestic abuse convictions or any current restraining orders against you. We reserve the right to deny entry based on any criminal history or prior law enforcement contacts. Classes will take place at the Sheriff’s Office in Jefferson, and at our training facility in Lake Mills.

Sheriff Maze is confident you will find this to be an exciting and worthwhile experience. Interested citizens should fill out the Google Drive Application as soon as possible. If you have any questions, call Deputy Thianna Bergholz at 920-675-6933 or email: tbergholz@jeffersoncountywi.gov.