Alexandria — The 10-week Alexandria Police Citizens Academy provides an opportunity for residents to learn about various aspects of the Police Department, such as administrative philosophy, internal policies and the guiding principles of law and ethical conduct governing the delivery of police services.
Classes are a combination of lecture and interactive activities. Class topics will include patrol operations, gangs, crime prevention, crime scene investigations, criminal investigations and the Special Operations Team.
The academy will be held every Wednesday from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Police Department’s new Headquarters, 3600 Wheeler Avenue, in the Community Room, located on the first floor. Classes begin on Sept. 11 and end with a formal graduation ceremony on Nove. 20.
The program is offered free of charge, however, each participant will be asked to volunteer for a minimum of 10 hours per year post graduation. This could involve assisting with events, such as parades, road races, National Night Out, Project SafeAssured, etc.
Class size is limited to 20 participants. Due to the popularity of the class, participants are asked to commit to attending all of the 10 sessions. Participants of the Police Citizens Academy must be at least 21 years of age and live or work in the City. In addition, criminal history checks will be conducted on all applicants for final approval of acceptance.
The curriculum covers the core elements that are essential for participants to gain a greater understanding of police operations. For more information on the Police Citizens Academy or to request an application, visit www.alexandriava.gov/police or e-mail the Volunteer Office at Virginia.obranovich@alexandriava.gov. The deadline for registration is Aug. 1.