Want to see how the officers of the Chatham-Kent Police Service protect and serve our community? You can have your chance at the Citizens Police Academy program beginning March 5.
The program is being offered again this year by the Chatham-Kent Police Service to give the public an opportunity to get familiar with how the police operate, but Chief Dennis Poole reminds people is not a training course for those wanting to be officers.
“The Citizens Police Academy is a program to enhance the partnership between the citizens of our community and their police service through an interactive educational opportunity,” Chief Poole said in a release.
The academy consists of 11 classes held Wednesday nights from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Applicants must be at least 19 years of age and seniors are encouraged to attend.
Classes will consist of demonstrations and presentations by the chief, canine unit, drugs and street crime, major crime investigation, identification and forensics, crime prevention and the critical incident response team (CIRT), plus other units in the police service. All students will also get to go on a ride-along with a community patrol officer, once a waiver is signed.
To join the academy, the applicant must be of good moral character, subject of a background investigation, and be over 19 years of age.
Anyone interested is asked to pick up an application form at any municipal service centre or from police headquarters on Third Street in Chatham. The deadline is Feb. 21 for applications and a copy of photo ID is required. Only successful candidates will be contacted.
