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Citizen Police Academy

The next session of Citizen Police Academy (CPA) will begin the second Wednesday in January. This is a fourteen week class that meets on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 pm until 9:30 pm. There are two additional Saturday meetings that will cover firearms and emergency vehicle operations. An application form for entry into the CPA can be downloaded from here.

Academy Goals

The goal of the Citizen Police Academy is to educate Columbus citizens about the structure and activities of their police department and to provide the participating citizens with a working knowledge of the overall criminal justice system. Another objective is to highlight the importance of the needed ongoing partnership with the community.

At the conclusion of the Citizen Police Academy, the graduate will have an in-depth knowledge of the criminal justice system, a special connection to local government, and a thorough understanding of the Columbus Police Department and its mission.

Requirements For Application

Applicants must be 21 years of age and have no criminal record or arrests. Applicants must reside or own a business, property, or work within the city limits. Students enrolled at Central Community College as a Criminal Justice major may be accepted if they are eighteen or over.

Mission

The Citizen Police Academy is intended to provide insight to the student on the training law enforcement officers undergo and the internal workings of the police department.

Topics Reviewed

• History of the department and citizen police academies
• Administration of the department
• DWI investigations
• Patrol procedures
• Bike patrol
• Accident investigation
• Defensive tactics
• Use of force
• Domestic Violence
• Communication Center and Enhanced 911
• Gangs, GREAT, DARE, and school resource officer
• Courtroom procedures
• Jail tour and civil process
• CST program (Community Service Technicians)
• Drugs
• Crime scene investigation (hands on)
• K-9 patrol
• Emergency vehicle operations (hands on)
• Firearms (hands on)
• Officer ride-a-long
• Communications sit-in

Police Department Goals

While there are many perceived and non-perceived benefits of having a program like the CPA, we have established several defined goals to justify our time and involvement in this program, as well as the time and involvement of the program participants. These goals are:

• Establishing a community support group for the Columbus Police Department
• Changing perspectives
• Creating better police-community relations
• Showcasing the Columbus Police Department and its employees
• Creating citizen awareness of the Columbus Police Department
• Creating police awareness of citizen concerns and perceptions
• Generating positive and proactive contact with community members
• Creating a two way learning atmosphere.

College Credit

The CPA is accredited for three hours of college credit through Central Community College. Normal tuition is waived; however there is a state fee of $21 if you want to receive college credit. The academy is otherwise free of cost. No tests are given as part of the academy.

Voluntary Participation

Participation in the hands-on activities is strictly voluntary. You do not have to do anything you are not comfortable with.

Funding

The citizen police academy is supported mostly by private donations. If you would like to help support this program or send your donation to:
Citizen Police Academy
c/o Columbus Police Department
2419 14th Street
Columbus, NE 68601

Hope you can join us!