Citizens Police Academy

     The police academy for citizens is a course of instruction established for citizens consisting of nine weeks of orientation each Thursday evening from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.  The 27 hour training program consists of classroom and hands-on instructional learning experiences.  Subjects covered include: officer selection and training processes, the job of the uniformed patrol officer, tactical operations, investigation skills, vice and narcotics, communications, crime scene searches, crime prevention, ride-alongs, canine program and the mounted patrol program, just to name a few.

     Students are actively involved in many interesting and unique activities such as touring police and communication facilities, using police equipment, firing the department service weapon, canine demonstration, emergency response team scenarios, and other police related activities.

     Graduates of the course will not be police officers or vigilantes, but rather, they will be better informed citizens with a vastly improved insight into law enforcement generally, and the Springfield Police Department, specifically.  The police academy concept is designed to build community support and confidence, bridge mutual understanding, and to let the community know that the police department is a function of City government that exists to serve the public in a vast number of ways and means.

     The course is free of charge.  Each applicant must fill out an application and agree to undergo a cursory background check prior to approval and admission.  To graduate, each student must attend seven of the nine sessions.  Classes are held at the Springfield Police Academy and the downtown police station.