Sunday, May 5, 2024
The Gatesville Police Department has recently made applications available for a Citizen’s Police Academy to give locals an inside look at what it is like to be in the law enforcement field.
Last held in 2019, the Citizen’s Police Academy is a community outreach program hosted by the Gatesville Police Department with assistance from Coryell County District Attorney Dusty Boyd.
The academy seeks to enhance understanding and communication with the citizens of Gatesville and is open to ages 18 and up. If you are 16 or 17 years of age, a parent or guardian is required to attend.
“Back in September, we updated all our courses to host the Criminal Justice Practicum Class from Gatesville High School (Ms. Hamilton’s class),” Gatesville Police Chief Brad Hunt said. “Once we completed that course, we realized this material would work well for a citizen’s academy.”
Hunt expressed that for now the academy is limited to those who live or work within the city limits to accommodate for the number of students attending each course. If there are spaces available closer to the start date, slots may open for people living outside of Gatesville.
“Twenty is our cap, so we can ensure each person gets to participate in our scenario-based training and events,” Hunt said. “Each person will get to do a nighttime traffic stop, conduct a building search, shoot a handgun or rifle, process a crime scene, and more.”
Classes will be held each Thursday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., with one session conducted at the shooting range. The first class will take place on Thursday, Feb. 22 with the last being Thursday, March 21.
Each course is divided into time slots, ensuring each person will be included in each of the training sessions.
Different training sessions and courses include:
“At its core, it is about developing relationships with our citizens through understanding and camaraderie,” Hunt said. “Our officers, leaders, and support personnel enjoy the interaction, and we hope the attendees have a great time while learning a little bit about our daily tasks and challenges.”
“For us, it is a win-win situation, and it is the least we can do to show our community we care,” Hunt said. “We believe that each person who attends our citizen academy will walk away with a greater understanding of the job we do and the challenges we face.”
Applications are to be picked up in the main lobby at the Gatesville Police Department, which is located at 200 N. 8th Street.
For more information, visit gatesvilletx.com/police or email bhunt@gatesvilletx.com.
