by Dennis Dalman
editor@thenewsleaders.com
The police departments of Sauk Rapids, Sartell, St. Joseph, St. Cloud and Waite Park are accepting applications for the 2016 Class of The Metro Citizens Police Academy.
The Metro Citizens Police Academy is an eight-week course offered to citizens and members of local civic and governmental organizations. Participants of the Citizen’s Police Academy are given the chance to experience first-hand many areas of police training. The classes offered closely parallel the training curriculum that police officer candidate’s experience. It’s imperative participants understand the Citizen’s Police Academy is solely informative and in no way trains or promotes citizens to act in a law-enforcement capacity.
In light of recent events involving law enforcement nationwide, local departments are seeking a diverse group of applicants who have questions specific to police procedures involving use and application of force, law-enforcement training and arrest procedures. Applicants critical of law-enforcement response to incidents and skeptical of current law-enforcement practices are encouraged to apply.
Classes begin the first Thursday after Labor Day, Sept. 8, and run Thursdays for eight weeks to Oct. 27. Classes will be held from 6 p.m.-10 p.m. at various departments and locations throughout the academy. Participants who complete the training courses are presented a certification of completion from a chief of police at the last training session. An applicant must be 21 years of age, must not have a criminal record and a records-clearance check will be completed prior to acceptance into the program. The applicant must live within the city limits of the police departments through which they are applying. Applications can be found online of most departments or obtained from the departments themselves.