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KIRKSVILLE, MO. -- Ever wonder how a police officer determines the speed of a car seconds before it was involved in a car accident or what it takes to process an inmate at the Adair County Detention Center?

Those were just some of the things students in the Kirksville Citizens’ Police Academy learned during their third week of class.

The class was divided into two sections.

The first half, students learned about different speed formulas officers use while at an accident scene. They also got a first hand look at the different diagrams used during an investigation.

Not only that, students also got the chance to look at actual accident reports filed with the Kirksville Police Department.

Afterward, Sheriff Robert Hardwick talked about the Sheriff’s Office and its operations and even gave the class a tour of the jail.

“I wanted to let the folks know some of the duties performed by the sheriff, the deputy sheriff's, the administrative staff, and also the correctional staff of the jail,” said Sheriff Hardwick. “That's why we encompass the tour so they can see inside the jail to actually see what it’s like in there and some of the tings that would go through.”

During the tour, students got an inside look of the control room which houses the jail’s surveillance cameras. They also got a look at the jail cells, as well as the recreation room, medical room and kitchen.

The jail was built back in 2002 and houses 64 beds in three different pod areas: one for maximum security, one for females and one for non-violent inmates.

And according to Sheriff Hardwick, running a jail isn’t cheap.

“It’s about $90,000 a year to feed inmates, but the meals are relatively cheap with each meal costing about $2.30. Medical health care costs about $50,000 a year,” said Sheriff Hardwick. “A whole operation of that jail costs about half my budget which is about $700,000 a year, you know jails don’t make money.”

Sheriff Hardwick believes it’s important for residents in the community to get involved in a program like the Kirksville Citizens’ Police Academy.

“I commend these people that are going through this process so they can get a better understanding and an insight of what law enforcement is really about,” said Sheriff Hardwick. “You could sit at home and watch a bunch of TV shows and they solve the most hideous crimes in 45 minutes, in the real world its not that way. This way they actually see the time it takes to do specific tasks and specific things for specific elements of a crime and put it all together.”

To learn more about the Sheriff’s Office click here for their website.