Walnut Creek residents curious about how county law enforcement operates can get a firsthand look this fall. The Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office is accepting applications for its fall Citizen's Academy, a free six-week program that opens Oct. 7 in Martinez.

The deadline to apply is Sept. 13, or until all spots are filled.

The Sheriff's Office operates countywide services including the county jail, coroner's office, investigations bureau and dispatch. The Citizen's Academy covers patrol operations, criminal investigations and dispatch, according to the Contra Costa Herald, along with guided tours of Sheriff's Office facilities.

Schedule and location

Weekly sessions run Wednesday evenings from Oct. 7 through Nov. 18 in Martinez, 6 to 9 p.m. There is no class Nov. 11 for Veterans Day. One Saturday session takes place Oct. 24 in Clayton from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The program is open to adults 18 and older who live or work in Contra Costa County.

A recurring program

The Sheriff's Office has run the academy multiple times. When a prior session launched in early 2025, Sheriff David O. Livingston described it on the department's X account on Feb. 21, 2025, as a chance for residents to learn about the office's services and resources, meet his staff and ask questions.

The fall session is separate from two other civic programs announced this summer: the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Community Academy, announced July 29, and the City of Walnut Creek's Civic Academy, announced Aug. 6. Each is run by a different agency with its own curriculum.

How to apply

Interested residents can email a completed application to [email protected]. The program is administered by the Sheriff's Office Community Services Unit.

For more information, residents can contact the Sheriff's Office public information officer, Jimmy Lee, at (925) 313-2643.