Newark Police Department Announces 2022 Citizens Police Academy

NEWARK, CA – The Newark Police Department has announced the return of the Citizen Police Academy and those wishing to apply to be a part of the annual program only have until Friday, Aug. 26, to do so.

Attendees of the program, which is returning following a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, will learn about the Newark Police Department in a 10-week series of Wednesday night classes beginning Sept. 7, Newark PD said in a recent news release.

“Your participation in the Citizen Police Academy will not only be a positive learning experience for you, but it will also give us the opportunity to listen to your concerns and ideas,” Newark PD said.

Academy attendees will be exposed to many aspects of the police department. Students will learn about the laws, procedures and policies that govern law enforcement.

“Our hope is that this course curriculum, coupled with the experiences of the students, will lead to lively and informative discussions about issues facing the city of Newark,” Newark PD said.

According to the news release, Newark PD has a philosophy of “Community Oriented Policing” which they say produces positive results including increased awareness of the importance of an “effective” police department that includes “open and honest communication.”

“One of the goals of the Citizen Police Academy is to facilitate this partnership and to improve communication by developing a better understanding of each other’s role in the community,” Newark PD said. “Your participation in the Citizen Police Academy is one of the many ways that you can get involved in your community and contribute towards making a safer living environment.

To be eligible to participate in the Newark Police Department’s Citizen’s Police Academy, applicants must be at least 21 years of age and have no prior felony or serious misdemeanor convictions. Applicants must also be willing to submit to a background check, attend all scheduled sessions, live or work in the city of Newark and not be a prior graduate of the Citizens Police Academy.

Classes will meet from 6 to 9 p.m. each week.

For more information, contact Beverly Ryans at 510-578-4352.

Applications can be downloaded from the Newark Police Department’s website then dropped off or mailed to the Newark Police Department, Attn: Beverly Ryans, CPA, 37033 Newark Blvd., Newark, CA, 94560.