Pinal County already planning next Citizens Academy

A successful Citizens Academy over the past weekend has the Pinal County Attorney’s Office already planning another class for July.

“This marked our largest class yet, with 42 people learning about the criminal justice system, how we make difficult charging decisions and getting to see the evidence in real cases prosecuted by our office,” according to a post on PCSO’s Facebook page. “Given the increased demand we’ve seen for this class, we are hosting another on Friday, July 19.”

The last Citizens Academy took place on June 22. The county usually spaces out the academy over a few months.

The academy takes a participant through a case from a suspect’s initial arrest and booking into the Pinal County Detention Center, to sentencing or acquittal.
Attendees are able to tour the county jail, review evidence on several cases prosecuted by PCAO and use a shooting simulator “to better understand the real-life scenarios facing law enforcement,” PCAO’s website stated.

The next academy will run from 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday, July 19 at the Pinal County Attorney’s Office, 971 N. Jason Lopez Circle, Florence.

Those invited to attend include anyone interested in the criminal justice process, neighborhood watch and community groups, private citizens, business and civic groups, educators or students, and public sector employees or elected officials.

The academy is free, but prospective participants must register at https://bit.ly/3zUFc3s . Lunch will be provided.