Now accepting Applications for our FALL Citizens Police Academy
Classes will begin October 5, 2023 through January 11, 2024.
(Classes will not be held the week of Thanksgviing and the two week period between Christmas and New Year's)
Classes will run every Thursdsay from 6:00pm to 8:00 P. M.
Improving communication and understanding between community members and their police department is a top priority of the Laurel Police Department. This Citizen’s Police Academy will greatly enhance a positive police / community partnership for members of the Laurel community.
The Laurel Citizen’s Police Academy (LCPA) is a twelve (12) week program, which will combine both classroom and hands on instruction on a wide variety of police functions. These classes range from patrol operations and officer safety tactics, to criminal & constitutional law, to undercover investigations and arrest techniques and many more topics of interest to our community.
Students will tour the police facility, receive hands – on training in judgmental, evidence and crime scene processing, community policing / communications skills, as well as ride along with an on duty officer. Students will become familiar with “ Behind the Scenes” aspects of their police department and city government. All students are encouraged to express their thoughts openly and honestly in a learning environment, rather than a confrontational atmosphere. It is our goal that graduates leave the academy as more informed citizens with an “insider’s” view of our law enforcement functions and operations.
The Laurel Police Department classes will begin at 6:00 pm until 8:00pm, at the Laurel Police Department. A graduation ceremony will be held at the completion of the program.
For acceptance into the Laurel Police Citizen’s Police Academy, an individual must meet the following standards.
- Be at least 18 years of age and completed high school
- Live, work, or attend school in the Greater laurel Community.
- Have no prior felony convictions and no misdemeanor convictions for offenses involving weapons or violence.
- Have NO misdemeanor arrest within 1 year prior to the Laurel Police Department’s Citizen’s Police Academy
- Miss no more than three (3) classes
Applications Procedures
The entire application must be returned to the Laurel Police Department by mail. email, or in person. Candidates will be contacted by mail or phone and advised of their status of their application.
Please email to [email protected].
Class size will be limited to no more than 20 students. Rosters will be filled on a first come, first served basis, selected from a pool of qualified applicants. Additional candidates meeting the eligibility requirements will be placed on a waiting list for the future academy sessions.
Any entry standard may be waived upon review and approval of the Chief of Police.
Fee
The Laurel Police Citizen’s Police Academy is free to all students.
Attendance
Academy students are expected to attend every class. Emergency circumstances however may make it necessary to miss an occasional class. If the student must miss a class and would like to “make up” missed work, the Laurel Police Department’s Program Director will make every effort to accommodate that student when material is covered in the next academy class.
Graduation Requirements
The following have been established as minimum standards for graduation:
- No more than three (3) absences
- Participates in all “hands – on” exercises
- Active participation in all classes, conducive to the goals established for Laurel Police Citizens Police Academy. Those goals are designed to provide the student with a basic knowledge of the police function. Students must conduct themselves in a manner in keeping with the achievement of those goals.
Additional Information
For more information on the Laurel Police Citizen’s Police Academy, please call 301-498-0092 and ask to speak to Laura Guenin or email [email protected]
