Citizen Police Academy
The Lansing Police Department Citizen Police Academy is a 30 hour block of instruction designed to give the public a working knowledge of the police department's personnel and policies. It consists of a series of classes held once a week for three hours. The instruction is comprehensive; covering a different area of the police department each week. Officers, supervisors and personnel assigned to that particular division conduct each instructional block. The class is made up of a cross section of the community. Everyone is encouraged to apply for admission. The academy is held once a year in the Spring. The minimum age for enrollment is 18 and you must live or work in the city of Lansing. The Lansing Citizens Police Academy was created in order to provide enough information to the citizens that attend so they may make informed judgements about the police department and the police activity. It is further hoped that the instruction will increase police awareness whereby to dispel suspicions and misconceptions and to increase police/community rapport through this educative process. The department, in turn, becomes more aware of the concerns of the community from the students' interaction and input. It is indeed a two-way learning experience. The academy covers such diverse topics as training, communications, criminal investigations, drunk driving procedures, crime prevention, family violence, juvenile law and the START team. Emphasis is placed on the patrol division as that is the segment of the police department the public most often has contact with. Instruction in these and other topics will consist of lectures, demonstrations, tours and hands-on experience. The next academy will be held in the spring of 2009. We will meet on Tuesday evenings from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the South Precinct beginning March 10, 2009. The application deadline is February 20, 2009.
What is the Citizen Academy?
Who May Attend?
What is its Purpose?
Topics Covered
When is the Next Citizen Police Academy?
