The Citizens Police Academy is held as part of our community policing initiative to provide our citizens with education and information, as well as to create partnerships that benefit the community. The Academy consists of a series of classes held once a week for two hours. The classes will provide information on the skills and abilities required of officers and the resources they use to perform their job. Those citizens attending the Academy will be provided with hands on experience as well. The program is not intended to train participants to perform law enforcement duties, but rather to inform the community about the department's operations. In so doing, the Department hopes to address some of the public misconceptions about policing. The goal of the Citizens Police Academy is to ensure that interested citizens possess a greater understanding of what is involved with policing in today's environment.
Attendees of the academy will be exposed to many different topics, including law enforcement training, criminal investigations, patrol, policies, specialized units, medical care, constitutional law, and firearms. Instruction and presentations covering all topics will be conducted through a mix of lectures, demonstrations, and physical interaction in order to inspire and engage adult learners.