Programs & Activities

Project Lifesaver

Project Lifesaver's mission is to utilize state of the art technology in assisting those who care for victims of Alzheimer's and other Related Mental Dysfunctional Disorders (ARMD) and victims who become lost. These victims include the elderly and even the youngest in our community are afflicted with Down's Syndrome and Autism. Click here for more information. 

Growth Through Opportunity (GTO) Program

GTO CADETS™ learn valuable life/job/social skills alongside first responders to enhance safety, employability, and quality of life!! The mission of the GTO CADETS program is to enhance QUALITY OF LIFE for our associates! Our goal is to partner with public safety agencies and businesses nationwide and offer our highly successful, mutually beneficial training program which also promotes the productive employment of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Allowing our GTO CADETS to simply volunteer adds tremendous value to their lives. When you partner with the GTO CADETS you will get the satisfaction knowing you have enhanced the quality of life in a fellow human being. Together, we will enhance an individual's self worth, pride, confidence, and employability!

The GTO CADETS program is managed by dARN, Inc. (disABILITIES Resource Network) a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization passionately established in the beautiful Roanoke Valley of Virginia. We are very excited to launch the GTO CADETS program which EMPOWERS individuals with varying neurodevelopmental disabilities. GTO CADETS, managed by job coaches, volunteer at various public safety facilities. They develop extremely valuable life skills, social skills, and job skills so they can become employable in the workforce. Our mission is to enhance QUALITY OF LIFE and to provide first hand disABILITIES exposure to first responders - which will enhance professional training and decrease negative encounters in the community. Our associates are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, down syndrome, agenesis of the corpus callosum (ACC), and other related neurodevelopmental disorders.

Kinder Kop

The Lynchburg Sheriff’s Office has initiated a program referred to as “Kinder Kop” whereas a deputy from our department visits elementary schools in our area and spends time with the kindergarten class children reading, having lunch and other activities that will promote positive influence and relationships between the children of our community and the law enforcement agencies.  We also have groups of children visit the office for a closer look at the activites and duties of the Lynchburg Sheriff's Office. Sheriff Sloan attends the graduations of Pre-K classes at Sandusky Elementary School.  Each graduate is presented a certificate and sworn in as "Junior Deputies" with the Lynchburg Sheriff's Office.

First Step Elementary School Program

The "First Step Elementary School Program" began as a pilot in 2017 and continues as an active partneship with Lynchburg City Schools. The First Step program fosters positive interactions between all City elementary school children and uniform members of Lynchburg Sheriff’s Office, therefore building encouraging relationships with our future leaders. These daily positive interactions moved children from “Hands Up to Hugs” as deputies observed changes in these children’s behavior toward them through time and consistent positive interactions while at their schools. Now deputies are receiving “hugs” and “high fives” from children who are happy to see their friendly deputy that cares about them.

Eddie Eagle and the Wing Team - Gun Safe Program

Sheriff Don Sloan, in an effort to protect our children from possible gun related accidents, welcomes various local elementary school classes to visit the Lynchburg Sheriff’s Office so that they can educate children about Gun Safety and what to do should they find a gun.  This is done through the Eddie Eagle Gun Safe program!

The Eddie Eagle GunSafe® program is a gun accident prevention program that seeks to help parents, law enforcement, community groups and educators navigate a topic paramount to our children’s safety. Eddie and his Wing Team are on a mission to help you teach Pre-K through fourth graders what to do if they ever come across a gun. The Sheriff’s Office educates the students about the four important rules of the Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program:

  1. STOP!
  2. Don’t Touch!
  3. Run Away!
  4. Tell A Grown-up!
The informal class provides an insight and detail explanation concerning gun safety, and consists of an Eddie Eagle video, distribution of safety materials, a brief presentation from Sheriff Don Sloan or a member of his staff, and usually a visit from Eddie Eagle himself.  View the Eddie Eagle Gun Safe video.

Child Safety Seat Inspection/Installation

Changes to the Child Safety Seat Law will take place July 1, 2019. Any child up to age 8 will be required to be properly secured in a child restraint device in all seating positions. Learn more www.nhtsa.dot.gov and www.vdh.virginia.gov/child-passenger-safety/

The Lynchburg City Sheriff’s Office provides free inspections for anyone who desires to ensure that they are using the proper safety seat for their child and that it is installed properly. The Sheriff's office can provide a free safety seat to anyone unable to provide a proper seat for their child (as supplies/funds are available). Contact the Sheriff's Office at (434) 847-1301 for more information.

Career Fairs

Deputies participate with area school career fairs to promote and educate interested students in the duties and aspects of becoming a Lynchburg City Sheriff Deputy or other areas of law enforcement.

We Share Because We Care

The Lynchburg Sheriff’s Office, in December 2016, started a program called, We Share Because We Care. The purpose of this program is to build positive and caring relationships with identified deserving families in the city of Lynchburg. To date have, the Sheriff's Office has shared meals with approximately 300 family members.

Last November 2018, just prior to Thanksgiving, Sheriff Don Sloan and his family, members of the Lynchburg Sheriff’s Office, Police Chief Ryan Zudiema and his family, Fire Chief Greg Wormser and his family, BRRJA Assistant Administrator Josh Salmon, Assistant City School Superintendent Ben Copeland, City School Board member Dr. James E. Coleman, Jr., served and ate together with over 120 family members identified by the local elementary school principals and church pastors.

The Thanksgiving meal was professionally prepared and provided through a continued partnership with RA Bistro, Sodexo at Liberty University and Moore’s County Store in Lynchburg. These meals and services provided to our community were provided at no additional cost to taxpayers. 

 

One Community One Voice Partnership

The Lynchburg Sheriff’s Office, in early 2018, partnered with Dr. James Camm, the Lynchburg Police Department, the Lynchburg Fire Department, the Lynchburg Commonwealth Attorney, and local stakeholders for sixteen weeks to engage community members at a variety of events at local community centers.  As a result of the Sheriff's Office partnership along with other initiatives, there was a reduction in crime statistics for that period.

The BIKE (Believing In Kids Exceling) Program is another partnership project with One Community One Voice. The Sheriff’s Office along with other partners raised enough funds to present four bikes to deserving elementary school students that displayed significant improvement in the areas of attendance, scholastic achievement, behavior improvement.