OVERVIEW:

 

Since 1997, seventeen sessions of the Lombard Police Department Citizens Police Academy have been taught with 166 graduates to date.  The purpose of the Citizens Police Academy is to inform members of your community on the various aspects of the police department and to give them a better understanding of how the police department works.  The course curriculum contains a condensed version of basic police training with practical exercises.

 

Those participating in the academy attend classes and lectures taught by members of the department.  The extensive curriculum include lectures on community-oriented policing, crime prevention, laws of arrest, search and seizure, domestic violence and investigations to name a few.  Those attending also participate in firearms training, traffic enforcement, police defensive tactics and police ride along.  Classes for the academy are held one day a week for ten weeks, concluding with a graduation.

 

"Citizens Police Academies" have been used nationwide by numerous police departments.  They report outstanding results in gaining citizen support.  As a result, graduates of the academy act as representatives for gaining community support for thier police departments and enhance the community policing efforts to reduce crime and fear of crime.