BY ELESE MCKINLEY | FOR THE OBSERVER
LEE COUNTY – Braden Adams (15) from Smith Station was designated as the “Sheriff for the Day” by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday, Jan 3. He spent the day alongside Sheriff Jay Jones, gaining firsthand experience of a sheriff’s daily responsibilities. Currently a student at Smith Station High School, Braden frequently articulates his aspiration to pursue a career as a police officer. For this special occasion, Braden opted to invite his brother, Alex Dickerson (16), to accompany him.
The day began by Braden getting sworn in as an honorary sheriff, receiving a certificate of oath and a replica of the Sheriff Star Badge. He was informed of the agency motto and mission values. Following that Braden was taken on a tour of the different divisions within the sheriffs office while learning about the different job functions and responsibilities of division commanders and personnel.
Braden engaged in a short training session to gain insight into the training a deputy sheriff receives.
“We first went through handcuff training and using the tasers on target dummies,” Braden said. “My favorite part of today was shooting the SIM gun at targets. It imitates a real firearm. I got to see that being a sheriff is a hard role to have in our community.”
Both Braden and his brother Alex have developed a newfound respect for law enforcement officers. They voiced their gratitude for the sheriff and deputies in their locality and acknowledged the dedication they exhibit in safeguarding the community.
Following this, the appointed sheriff for the day partook in a meal prepared in the jail operations kitchen.
Jones spoke of the significance of youth engagement with law enforcement officers.
“Our goal is that our youth will have a better understanding of public safety, law enforcement operations, and the importance of rule of law,” Jones said.
In 2022, Jessica Henderson, the community relations specialist for LCSO, conceived the “Sheriff for the Day” initiative. Now in its second year, this program offers youth firsthand exposure to law enforcement activities.
There are two separate age groups for these events- ages 13 to 17, and ages 7 to 12.
In hopes to continue educating the youth on public safety the Lee County Sheriffs Office plans to continue to have “Sheriff for the Day” events for many years to come.
