St. Charles Citizens Police Academy Starts March 18

SOURCE: St. Charles Police Department

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a part of the law enforcement profession? The St. Charles Police Department once again is hosting its annual Citizens Police Academy, which will run from March 18 through May 15, 2014.

The Citizens Police Academy is meant to give residents and business owners a better understanding of how the St. Charles Police Department operates. Participants will get to meet officers face to face, and discover what daily life is like for them. Some of the areas covered in the CPA are criminal and narcotics investigations, arrest and search procedures, courts, traffic stops, the K-9 unit, SWAT team and crime scene processing among many others. By popular demand, this year’s class has been expanded to include more unique classes.

When possible, the curriculum makes use of both classroom instruction and outside demonstrations. Students may get an opportunity to do the activity being demonstrated, such as processing a “crime scene” for fingerprints or getting a radar reading on a moving vehicle. The CPA has an added benefit of being a sounding board on how the police department is meeting the needs of our citizens.

The class meets from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, for nine weeks. Most of the classes are held in the training room of the St. Charles Police Department, 211 N. Riverside Ave. The last class is a graduation ceremony which will include congratulations from the chief of police and the mayor.

Applications can be picked up at the front lobby of the Police Department (630-377-4435) or downloaded from the city web site at www.stcharlesil.gov under “Crime Prevention.” Once the application has been completed, it can be dropped off, mailed or emailed to the St. Charles Police Department in care of Officer Bill Tynan at: St. Charles Police Department, 211 N. Riverside Drive, St. Charles, Ill. 60174, or btynan@stcharlesil.gov.

All applications are subject to approval, and include a background check. The class is open, free of charge, to St. Charles residents, property and business owners and their employees, and approved St. Charles high school juniors and seniors. The last day to submit an application is March 4, 2014. For more information, contact Officer Tynan at 630-377-3847, or btynan@stcharlesil.gov.