Once against this fall the Watertown Police Department will host the Citizens Police Academy, and you can still sign up.
The academy is free and meets one evening a week for eight weeks, starting Monday, Sept. 18. To see the application materials click here.
Watertown Police Chief Michael Lawn wrote the following informational letter:
As the Watertown Police Department advances its community policing efforts, it is important to have citizen-police interaction and cooperation. One way to accomplish this goal is through an exchange of ideas and education.
The Watertown Police Department’s Citizens Police Academy (CPA) program is an excellent means to achieve this end. The CPA is designed to acquaint the public with the operations of the police department. It is our intention that after completion of this eight week program, participants will have a better understanding of the police officer’s role in the criminal justice system and an appreciation of the many challenges facing law enforcement in today’s society.
The course is structured to provide as much information as possible in enjoyable and interesting ways. There is No Fee. We only require that participants come each week prepared to be involved in discussion and demonstrations.
The CPA will include information on such topics as the law, patrol operations, use force training, de-escalation techniques, arrest procedures, accident and criminal investigation, substance use disorder, crime prevention, community policing and much more.
The Citizen Police Academy will begin on Monday, September 18, 2017 and run for eight consecutive weeks from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM. I invite you to apply and be a part of this cooperative effort between the police and the community.
Please fill out the enclosed application (click here) and return it no later than Wednesday, September 13, 2017. Seating is limited and applicants are accepted on a first come, first serve basis. We look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Chief Michael P. Lawn
Chief of Police