First it was the elementary grades, now 32 high school students are taking part in the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office Youth Academy this week (July 6-9, 2021). It is being held at the community complex from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. until this Friday.

The teenagers this week will take part in instructions including:

• Working and processing a crime scene
• Clearing a building as a SWAT team would
• Taking pictures of a crime scene
• Evidence processing
• Solving cases
• K-9 demonstration
• Practical and felony stops
• Taser and pepper spray demonstration

Ben Gibson, medical examiner for Cumberland County, was on hand to talk to the students about his role in a scene involving a death. He also explained how autopsies determine an exact cause of death. Gibson is in the picture above talking with the students about procedures upong arriving at a homicide scene.

This year’s academy will wrap up with the middle school aged students from July 26-30, 2021. Parents of these aged minors can enroll them up to the day of the first class on July 26, 2021. More information can be obtained by calling the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department at (931) 484-6176.

Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department Investigator Bo Kollros (top picture) and Investigator Gary Green (bottom picture) instructs the youth academy students.