Great Falls Police Department | Community | Compassion | Courage

Great Falls Police Department Citizens’ Academy

What is the Citizens’ Academy?

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.

What is the purpose of the Citizens’ Academy?

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.

Who instructs the Academy?

Instructors are officers and personnel from the department who speak on their areas of expertise, as well as specialized guest speakers.

What subjects are covered?

  • Class #1 General presentation and tour of the station
  • Class #2 Patrol functions and duties
  • Class #3 Patrol functions and duties (continued)
  • Class #4 Weapons simulator/K9
  • Class #5 Weapons training
  • Class #6 Detectives
  • Class #7 Street Crimes/Gangs
  • Class #8 High Risk Unit
  • Class #9 Support Services/Dispatch
  • Class #10 Criminal process/Graduation
  • Optional  Tour of the Jail

How are participants selected?

Participants must be 18 years of age or older. They must be a resident of Great Falls or the surrounding area. We will conduct background checks on all participants. Participants approval will be at the discretion of the Academy facilitator and the police administration.

When does class meet?

The next Academy begins September 8, 2010. 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.

What do I do next?

The application deadline for the most recent Academy was September 1, 2010. The next Academy will be in the spring of 2011. This page will be updated when applications open for the next Academy. Thank you for your interest in the City of Great Falls Police Department.