Citizens Police Academy Is About Building Relationships, Says RPD

Calling all of Roseville's budding crime scene investigators, community watchdogs and local peacekeepers. 

If you've ever wondered what happens when you call call 911, what to do if you are stopped by police, or how much training a K9 officer and handler go through before they hit the streets, the Roseville Police Department's (RPD) annual Citizens Police Academy is perfect for you.

Open to anyone over 18, Citizens Police Academy classes will be held at Roseville City Hall from 6:30-9:30 pm every Tuesday from Sept. 13 to Nov. 1.

According to RPD Community Relations Coordinator, Sarah Mahmud, class sizes will be kept small—between 20-25 participants—to maximize the hands-on activities and provide residents "a genuine glimpse into the inner workings of the police department."

"(This approach) dispels some of the myths that are out there about law enforcement from television and media portrayal, assisting citizens in having realistic expectations if they encounter police," Mahmud told Patch. "It also opens the lines of communication between the community and our department, which is very important because our citizens are a key crime prevention tool and we want them to feel comfortable contacting us."

According to a statement from the RPD, participants in the Citizens Police Academy will utilize hands-on training to learn about police use of force, criminal investigations, emergency communications, drug task force, SWAT, K-9, identity theft and other topics.

While one of its main goals is to inform the public, the Citizens Police Academy is more than just community education. The RPD hopes it will serve as a way of humanizing its law enforcement officers.

"(The academy) provides an opportunity to get to know our officers as people beyond the uniform and badge," Mahmud explained.

For those concerned about the ramifications of teaching sophisticated police techniques to Jane and Joe Public, the RPD is not worried.

"We perform criminal background checks on every applicant," Mahmud said. "Second, our goal is to inform our citizens. We want to be more transparent, so we do give them a lot of information. However, we are very careful not to give away any 'trade secrets' and do not share non-public information."

Interested parties are encouraged to register early as space is limited. To get involved, apply online or call 651-792-7209.