Citizens Police Academy
BECOME A VOLUNTEER
Mission Statement
Police volunteers are citizens who make a difference by donating their time and energy to assist the Port St. Lucie Police Department in keeping the City of Port St. Lucie safe.
For more information on becoming a volunteer, please contact : Thomas Andrew, 344-4052 or tandrew@cityofpsl.com OR Eileen Povall, Admin Svces Secretary, 344-4061 to receive an application.
CITIZENS POLICE ACADEMY
The Port St. Lucie Police Department’s Citizens Police Academy is really an extension of our agency’s community oriented policing philosophy. Succinctly stated, the program offers citizens of Port St. Lucie a glimpse into their police department’s inner workings. The academy helps to formulate flesh onto the skeletal understanding most people have about law enforcement.
Developed as a program that facilitates the intertwining of law abiding citizens into the police culture, a culture that is often misunderstood, the Citizens Police Academy has experienced enormous positive results in bridging the gap between cop and community. All too often, for a variety of reasons, a mind-set of "us vs. them" can develop amongst police officers and the citizens they serve. The Citizens Police Academy is a dynamic step toward dispelling that phenomena and encouraging the City’s citizens and members of the department to work together as a team in maintaining a high quality of life within "their" community.
The Citizens Police Academy is an arm of and coordinated by the Training section of the agency. In an attempt to familiarize academy participants with our agency, instructors are selected from every sector of the department. Members of the class are afforded the opportunity to listen to presentations by and interact with representatives of the command staff, Neighborhood Policing Bureau, Criminal Investigations Division, Support Services areas, specialty units like the Special Response Team and K-9, and the City Manager.
The Citizens Police Academy is offered semiannually and entails a total of forty (40) hours of instruction. Two three hour evenings per week for five weeks and an eight (8) hour field trip which exposes members to the SWAT team , Marine Unit, 911 operations, firearms training, and various specialty unit demonstrations make up the program. During their field trip, academy participants are instructed in firearms safety and provided the opportunity to shoot a firearm similar to the weapon issued to our sworn officers.
To date, our department has conducted seven Citizens Police Academy classes with approximately two-hundred fifty graduates. Many who complete their training go on to become active police department volunteers within the agency; however, the vast majority, if not all, return to their community as better informed supporters of our agency’s overall mission.
WANTED: CITIZENS LIKE YOU!
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PORT ST. LUCIE POLICE DEPARTMENT
CITIZENS POLICE ACADEMY
The Port St. Lucie Police Department is hosting its annual Citizens Police Academy for 2008. This academy consists of 40 hours of instruction covering:
1) Familiarization with the Police Department’s Mission and Organizational Philosophy.
2) Presentations from the K-9 Unit, Marine Enforcement, Special Response Team, Community Oriented Policing, Criminal Investigations, Crime Scene Investigations Unit, Disaster Preparedness, Traffic Unit, Public Information and much, much more.
3) There will also be a Field Trip to the 9-1-1 Communications Center as well as the St. Lucie County Firing range (following a safety instruction course, attendees will be given the opportunity to fire assorted weapons including any they personally own)
2008 Citizens Police Academy Schedule
When: |
March 4th through April 24th Tuesday and Thursday evenings 6:00 pm to 9:00pm |
Where: |
Port St. Lucie Police Station 121 SW Port St. Lucie Blvd |
Contact:Â |
Thomas Andrew, Volunteer Coordinator (772) 344-4052 tandrew@cityofpsl.com |
Class size is limited, so sign up soon !
The Port St. Lucie Police Department continues to strive to build a strong partnership with the community it is proud to serve!