O’FALLON, Mo. – The final night of a five-week citizens academy produced by the DEA St. Louis Division included a simulated “shoot – don’t shoot” scenario.
“It takes literally a quarter of a second to get shot,” said Laura Bethany Strong, a St. Louis area resident after completing the simulation.
The citizens academy is a first for the DEA St. Louis Division.
Don Sanders also completed the program on Wednesday. He said one of the eye-opening aspects was discovering how prevalent fentanyl has become and how easily it’s disguised by criminals bringing the drug into St. Louis communities.
“We didn’t understand it. Now, I do,” said Sanders. “I’m actually spreading the word to everybody I know.”
DEA St. Louis Assistant Special Agent in Charge Colin Dickey said the academy gives citizens a better understanding of how investigations are conducted and tools available to law enforcement.
“We’re working every day to investigate, arrest, and prosecute the most violent criminals,” he said.
Education is another part of DEA’s efforts. The agency reports, in 2024, fentanyl seizures represented more than 292 million deadly doses.
“It’s also a goal for us to get out in the community, educate and make people aware of the drug threats in our communities,” said Dickey.
Wednesday’s simulation took place at the O’Fallon Police Department, utilizing some of the department’s training tools.
The O’Fallon Police Department also conducts its own citizens academies. Harr believes in addition to educating the public, the events can generate more interest in citizens becoming members of law enforcement.
DEA St. Louis Division and the O’Fallon Police Department plan on more citizen academies in the future.
