Citizen Police Academy Accepting Applications

Nov 12, 2008

The Searcy Police Department will offer a Citizen Police Academy for civilians looking to increase their knowledge of the Searcy Police Department’s policies and law enforcement in general.

The course will last for 12 weeks with a total of approximately 40 hours of instruction. Two elective classes will also be offered for students. The goal for the Citizen Police Academy is to provide a sufficient amount of information to participants for them to make educated judgments about the police department and police activity as well as to learn why the department can and cannot do certain things. In this two-way learning process, the department will gain valuable feed-back from the community while dispelling suspicions and misconceptions in order to bridge the gap between the police department and the community.

The Searcy Citizen Police Academy will cover a variety of topics from equipment and transportation to report writing and dispatch calls. Each instructor will be well-versed in his or her particular field. Elective nights will possibly offer a patrol ride-along and a firearms training. All interested citizens are encouraged to apply.

The applicant must:
- be at least 21 years old
- not have a felony conviction
- pass a criminal background check
- reside or work in Searcy
-be willing to devote time and effort into the Citizen Police Academy
-be able to contribute to the program

The Academy will begin on Thursday, January 8 and will be held every Thursday night at 7 p.m. Each class will last 2-3 hours.

Inquiries can be directed to Terri Lee, Media Relations Coordinator, at 279-1024 or you can visit the police department page onSearcy.com for an application. Completed applications can be dropped off at the Searcy Police Department at 101 N. Gum.

Story: Searcy Police Department