What do you think of people who participate in "Citizens Police Academy"?

Question

Do you like the whole idea of bunch of citizens participating in every days life of a police department? Do you like to tell them what so-and-so police department is doing? Do you like them to go on "ride-along" with a police officer during his/her hectic shift?

What do you think about this program?

Sorry, I forgor to mention that I am graduating from Anchorage Citizens Police Academy" in two weeks.

Answer 1

I work for a PD that is very active in Community Policing. We hold a Citizen's Academy at least 3 times a year. It's all a political move. Show the public how important the cops are & we get more $$ budgeted every year. More money is always good. :o)
It gives the public an inside look at how the whole department functions, from the hiring process to SWAT.
I guess if I was a civilian attending one it would be interesting.
Being on this side of it though, I enjoy talking to the citizens and answering their, sometimes silly/weird, questions. It's nice to know we are appreciated when generally we deal with scum bags who hate us.

(edit 1) Our dept does not use citizens who have gone thru the academy. It's just informational for them. They can go on a ride-along during the course of the academy, but we do not allow any citizen off the street to ride-along.

Answer 2

Our department started this program around 1996-1997. I taught the first few. Really enjoyed it. The average citizen really didn't even know how many officers we had. And these were long time residents. Most did not believe what the job entailed and it was refreshing hearing questions from their perspective. It totally opened a new dimension in our town as far as local participation. Many of the Police Academy alumni also assist the Police on a number of chores. They even assist handling traffic and special duties such as a funeral detail we had today for an officer that killed himself. If your city/town has this program, I highly suggest you try it. A lot of negative or uncertain feelings about Police and citizens really do kinda disappear when you realize we all want the same things.

Answer 3

i recently took one of these classes and found it very interesting although i was the only one there that didn't have a hidden agenda. everyone else was in the true police academy, teenage police academy or, worked for the county in some other capacity that could benefit from the class. one of my friends took the class to volunteer for the police department and is now doing ride alongs, citizen patrols, etc.

the class was fascinating, i thought. if you like to watch the crime shows, this class can also be very entertaining.

i have mixed feelings about the use of ride alongs for this purpose though. i didn't go just because i didn't think it was a good idea. one guy got put out of the car so the officer could respond to some sort of robbery. i didn't want to find myself stranded somewhere like that - even for a short time.

as for my friend, who is now doing patrols, etc., don't tell her, but i totally disagree with it. i feel that she could easily fall into something that is way over her head when out there 'nosing' around and with no training for the unexpected. officers get the training and the pay to face danger. my friend has gotten none at all and the occasional battery or, even killing of cops does happen for no reason at all. i feel it's a risk and i think it should be forbidden.

Answer 4

I would think those people have a lot of free time on their hands. They already pay taxes to run the police department, why would they also want to do their job?? Everyone should only do what they are professionally trained to do. In lawyers thriving US the possibility of citizens to directly participate in every day work of police will run into enormous lawsuits consequences. The whole department will go bankrupt in a matter of months because of that.
It is a good practice of every decent police department to inform citizens on the department's activities and crime statistics anyway.
This is especially good when a police department participates in local schools and talks to children on safety matters, such as drug prevention and how not to talk to strangers.

Answer 5

If it's anything like the Police Academy movies, it would be kind of fun to be a part of it all. Seriously, I think it can be a benefit. They can do administrative duties, also as jail guards, traffic control duties, and things like that and would free up fully trained officers to hit the streets. It's a good idea, overall, I think.

Answer 6

My dad is one of the C.O.P.'s (citizens on patrol).

Where my dad lives, they mainly do tickets for handicapped space violations, and assist with waiting for a tow truck when needed.

They don't do actual police work - they don't carry weapons. They DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME ON THEIR HANDS. My dad is also in choir, the lodge, and helps out with activities for other things in addition to working a regular job. He is simply wanting to help make his community a little better.

I attended one class of his while I was in town. It was on DWI and drug detection. Pretty cool class as the off duty officers who volunteered to drink so we could see 'live ones' were funny as all get out.

All I can say is that he wouldn't do it if the officers treated him like crap. So I have to assume that they treat him well.

Answer 7

Sure might give the police something to do.

Also might keep them from being so dishonest as well.

Most likely will have less people get beat to hell by the police.

There could e some very good benefits so have at it.

Answer 8

no thier a bunch of wanna be's that were probably picked on in school and have'nt got what it takes to be real cops.

Answer 9

Assault a police officer, get punched in the face. Sounds fair enough to me. It has no bearing on what the original infraction was. Was he supposed to just stand there and be assaulted? *If you do not like the law, the citizens can change it, through their elected officials. Disapproval of a law does not justify assault of a law enforcement officer. *It is interesting that you would use the head of the executive branch of federal government as an example. Why would he have the ability to change a local or state ordinance. He cannot create or permanently remove any law. *Whether you realize it or not, the laws are created by our elected officials. The police are bound by those same laws, they do not create them. We give them the power. The only way that the police can "become the enemy" is if we let them. *Nope, not from mars, but I am from a Democratic Republic, and I love it. There maybe laws that I disagree with, but I know my vote counts, and that things do happen and get changed if the citizens are against. As you can tell from the fact that ALL the answers so far disagree with your bias, you are in the minority. *Your fixation with the federal government is amazing, this is a local ordinance, created at the local level. You have much more influence as an individual at the local level. The feds have nothing to do with jaywalking. *You don't get it do you. The law in Az. was passed by the state legislature, all of which are elected at the local level. The "elite" that told them to pass it, were the citizens, as they overwhelming support that law. If you can not see the right now, how do you have a glimmer of hope to prognosticate the future?