Fostering positive relationships with our diverse communities has always been a priority for the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.  Recently, the Sheriff's Department hosted its first-ever Spanish Academy, also known as Academia de Alguacil.  The virtual academy is designed to give our Spanish-speaking community members an opportunity to learn about public safety matters while cultivating relationships with Sheriff's Deputies.

The Spanish Academy began on January 13^th for a five-week session with the final class featuring Sheriff Bill Gore, as well as Sheriff's Recruiting talking about the many opportunities available for a career with the Sheriff's Department.

A week later, there was a special drive-by event in San Marcos where Spanish Academy participants were given certificates of completion and a Sheriff's goodie bag by the academy presenters.  In the above photo, Sheriff's Media Relations Director Lt. Ricardo Lopez congratulates one of the participants at the drive-by event.

For two hours every week, the 36 participants learned about public safety topics ranging from immigration law and its impact on local law enforcement to domestic violence to youth programs such as the Sheriff's RESPECT Project.

Academia de Alguacil is a collaboration between the Sheriff's Department and the San Diego County of Education (SDCOE) - Migrant Education Program. 

The virtual classes (see above photo) were hosted by Sheriff's and SDCOE Migrant Education personnel.  Presentations and curriculum were designed entirely in Spanish to enhance access to important public safety information.  Deputies talked about their experiences as members of the Hispanic community while also working in law enforcement.  This created a unique opportunity to have a personal dialogue with the participants in Spanish.  As each week progressed, so did the comfort level of the participants, making conversations much more engaging and authentic.

"This academy was designed to make connections and remove any possible barriers when it comes to the community's safety, especially when it comes to calling 9-1-1 for help," said Sheriff Bill Gore.

During one of the virtual classes, a Sheriff's Sergeant spoke about growing up as the son of migrant parents, similar to the children that are part of the SDCOE Migrant Education program, and wanting to make a positive difference in his community as an adult.  That led him to a career in law enforcement and with the Sheriff's Department.  Most importantly, he was able to convey that deputies are part of the community and have a genuine interest in the public's safety.

"The goal of Academia de Alguacil is to let our Spanish-speaking community know we are here for them," said Sheriff's Community Inclusion Director Nadia Moshirian Binderup.  "One's citizenship status or language preference shouldn't be a barrier or a reason for the community to feel like they can't be safe or have access to public safety services.  Trust doesn't develop overnight, but we want to demonstrate our commitment to serve the community and remind everyone our services are available to be accessed without fear."

Due to the overwhelming success of the first-ever Sheriff's Spanish Academy, more academies will be held in the near future.

"If we were able to make such genuine connections virtually, I can only imagine how it will take shape when we can be together in-person someday soon," said Binderup.