The Citizen’s Police Academy is your opportunity to learn more about how the Great Falls Police Department operates. The Academy runs twice a year usually in the Spring and Fall. The Citizen’s Academy is a group of Great Falls area citizens who are interested in learning more about how their police department operates and the policing challenges our community faces. The Academy training will consist of classroom and “hands on” training with emphasis on student involvement.
The purpose of the Great Falls Police Citizens’ Academy is to promote and enhance citizen understanding and awareness of the role of the Great Falls Police Department. The program is designed to develop positive relations between the police and the community through education. The goals are to create a growing nucleus of responsible, well-informed citizens who have a better perception of police practices and services.
Instructors are officers and personnel from the department who speak on their areas of expertise, as well as specialized guest speakers.
Participants must be 18 years of age or older. They must be a resident of Great Falls or the surrounding area.
The next Academy begins September 10, 2008. Classes will be held on Wednesday evenings.
Participation requires a commitment of one evening a week and two Saturday afternoons for a 9 week period. Participants will meet on Wednesday evenings for three (3) hours, 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM. Saturday afternoon sessions will be from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM. In addition, at the participant’s convenience, ride-alongs with a patrol officer may be scheduled.
Classes will be held at the Great Falls Police Department training room, 112 1st St. So.
If you are interested in attending the next Citizen Academy, please complete the online application. If you are selected, more detailed information will be obtained to complete a background investigation. Class is limited to 30 students. Application deadline is 5pm on Friday, August 29, 2008.