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CORSICANA - The Corsicana Police Department is once again opening the doors for the Citizens Police Academy, with classes starting March 22.
Karen Smith, a college student, learned about the academy while taking a criminal justice class.
“It was fantastic,” she said. “I was totally blown away with how much effort was put into it.”
The classes are scheduled from 6 to 8:30 p.m. each Thursday until the end of May, with most of the classes taking place at the Corsicana Public Library. Class size is limited to 25 people who either live or work in Corsicana. They must be at least 18 years old.
Officer James Hudson is the academy’s coordinator, with assistance from other police department employees. In addition to 22 and 1/2 hours of instruction, the academy includes a four-hour ride-along with a patrol officer. Topics covered will include patrol operations, community policing, a police K-9 demonstration, alcohol and drug laws, criminal investigations, Internal Affairs, accident investigation, traffic stops, use of force, firearms and Taser exercises at the police department’s range, Municipal and District Court presentations, and tours of the police department and the Navarro County Jail.
“It was just really great,” Smith added. “I’ve learned a lot and have used a lot of the information I’ve learned. For some reason, I am a helper bee and I see situations that need to be fixed and I know how to make it happen. I have used what I learned in that course as to how to make things happen.
“You could not buy or pay for a course to teach a person as much as we learned in that 10-week course,” Smith said.
Ned Polk, a member of the 100 Club, which supports the police department, was also a 2011 graduate of the citizens police academy.
“It was revealing and fun and very, very instructive,” Polk said. “I had no idea how complex that operation was.”
Polk cautioned that students do need to be serious, since it is 10 weeks of classes.
“I’d recommend it for anybody who has the time,” Polk said. “You’ve got to be kind of steadfast and committed to do it.”
Polk said he found the most interesting part to be the tour of the jail. “It was very meaningful, all those kids in lockdown. It was pitiful,” he said. “That and the lectures were the main thing. It was very interesting. I’d do it again if I had the time.”
Not everyone qualifies for the course, since it requires a background check, Polk pointed out.
“I would recommend it for anybody who wants to see how law enforcement operates,” he said.
Applications can be gotten by e-mail or in person from Shirley Morgan, secretary to the Chief of Police, e-mail address at smorgan@ci.corsicana.tx.us. She can be contacted at (903) 654-4900, or in person at the police department at 200 N. 12th Street, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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Janet Jacobs may be reached via e-mail at jacobs@corsicanadailysun.com. Want to “sound off” to this article? E-mail: Soundoff@corsicanadailysun.com
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