Training & Education

Basic academy training for non-certified deputy sheriff applicants is provided by the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center in Grand Island, NE. Recruits attend a 16-week in-residence academy with weekends and holidays off. During the academy, recruits receive instruction in a variety of disciplines including emergency driving, constitutional law, firearms, defensive tactics, de-escalation, and crisis intervention as prescribed by the Nebraska Crime Commission and Police Standards Advisory Council.

The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office has continued its tradition of emphasizing the importance of education and ongoing professional development. The office has successfully sought and recruited college graduates as the primary applicant pool and conducts an extensive program of in-service training for certified deputies. By agency policy, deputies are expected to obtain continuing education credits that exceed state minimum requirements each year. Specialized positions are also afforded numerous training opportunities to learn from a collaborate with the best trainers in the law enforcement profession.

The Office relies on professional training and strategic planning to maintain a state of readiness to carry out its mission and goals. The Sheriff’s Office has excelled in policy and practice pertaining to the investigation of child sexual assault and domestic violence cases. Service and enforcement of Protection Orders and investigation of child abuse and neglect are paramount in our service to the community. Over the past decade, LSO has partnered with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in the formation of a local Criminal Interdiction Task Force to disrupt criminal activity such as drug trafficking, financial crimes, and human trafficking in Lancaster County and across the U.S. LSO’s Criminal Interdiction Unit was recognized as the National Highway Level Interdiction Team of the Year for their efforts in 2020.