HPD kicking off inaugural Citizens Police Academy

By Staff
Tracy B. Cieniewicz, Hartselle Enquirer
Hartselle Police Department is offering residents the opportunity to get better acquainted with its staff and procedures.
The inaugural Hartselle Citizens Police Academy (HCPA) sponsored by HPD begins Sept. 7 and continues each Thursday, 6-9 p.m., for 10 weeks in the training center of Hartselle Utilities. The program is free, but space is limited to 20 participants on a first-come, first-serve basis.
HPD Capt. Tom Sparks said similar programs have been very successful throughout the country to help police departments introduce community policing philosophies.
"We're sponsoring the Hartselle Citizens Police Academy to provide the citizens of Hartselle an opportunity to learn more about their police department, its members and day-to-day operations," Sparks explained. "Our intent is to provide an educational opportunity for citizens to learn firsthand about police operations and to gain a deeper understanding of law enforcement."
Half of each HCPA class will be in a classroom setting and the other half will be hands-on. HPD staff members will serve as instructors.
Activities will include firearm proficiency at a firing range, traffic stop and domestic violence role-play, special response gear demonstrations, jail and dispatch procedures, criminal investigation demonstrations and more.
"We want to open the doors and let people come in and see what goes on at their police department," Sparks said. "Policing is not what people see on TV. We want citizens to learn the processes and time involved in our work, and we want to learn more about what the community expects from us."
Sparks said a Volunteers in Policing alumni association will be formed from the inaugural Hartselle Citizens Police Academy where graduates of the program will have the opportunity to volunteer in various support capacities with HPD.
"Volunteers can answer phones, direct parking at community events and help at the jail," Sparks said. "Having been through the Hartselle Citizens Police Academy, volunteers will have an intimate knowledge of HPD over and beyond a certain level."
Applications for the Hartselle Citizens Police Academy are available at HPD or at www.hartsellepolice.com. Applications are due by Aug. 1. Applicants must be at least 21 years old and a background check will be performed on each applicant.
For more information on the Academy, call Capt. Sparks at 751-4912 or Lt. Robert Finn at 751-4919.