St. Louis County Sheriff's Office returns 11-week Citizens' Academy to Iron Range

The St. Louis County Sheriff's Office is bringing its Citizens' Academy to northern St. Louis County for an 11-week session beginning March 10, offering residents a structured look at law enforcement operations across the county. The class meets Tuesdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and will culminate with graduation on May 20.

"The Citizens' Academy provides a unique inside look at the Sheriff's Office and how it operates." The program is scheduled to hold the majority of classes at the St. Louis County Public Works Building, 7823 Highway 135 in Virginia, with additional tours planned at the St. Louis County Jail and the county Emergency Operations Center. Participants who complete the academy receive a certificate and will have the opportunity to arrange a ride-along with a St. Louis County Sheriff's deputy.

Course content covers a wide range of county public safety functions. Modules and demonstrations listed for the Iron Range class include patrol operations, a K-9 demonstration, the St. Louis County Volunteer Rescue Squad, Emergency Response Team and tactical operations, the Lake Superior Violent Crimes Task Force, jail operations and a 911/Emergency Communications tour, crime scene investigations, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Child Abduction Response Team, an Emergency Vehicle Operations Course, and an interactive use-of-force simulation training. The program also lists a Response Team element. The mix of classroom sessions and on-site tours is intended to show how the Sheriff's Office coordinates across divisions and with partner agencies.

Eligibility and administrative details are straightforward: any St. Louis County resident age 18 or older may apply, applicants must pass a criminal background check, and the application deadline is March 4, 2026. The Sheriff's Office runs the Citizens' Academy annually and rotates the location between the Iron Range and Duluth to broaden access; the 2027 academy will be held in the southern part of the county.

The Sheriff's Office is a sizable local agency: the county website states Sheriff Gordon Ramsay oversees a staff of 290 individuals spread across eight agencies or divisions, including Law Enforcement Services, Emergency Communications, Rescue Squad, Homeland Security/Emergency Management, and the county jail. That institutional breadth is reflected in the academy's curriculum, which offers residents exposure to patrol, investigations, communications, and specialized task forces.

For more information or to apply, contact the Sheriff's Office by phone at (218) 726-2340 or the media contact, Sgt. Adam Kleffman, at (218) 726-2371. The Sheriff's Office mailing address is 100 North Fifth Avenue West, Duluth, MN 55802. County office numbers include Duluth (218) 726-2000, Ely (218) 365-2399, Hibbing (218) 312-8100, Virginia (218) 749-7100, and a toll-free line at (800) 450-9777.

For residents, the return of the Citizens' Academy is a practical chance to see how public safety decisions are made, to learn the limits and responsibilities of deputies and specialized teams, and to build relationships that can inform civic oversight and community safety planning.