JANUARY 2004
How many times have you read about a local police agency promoting applications for an up coming citizen academy and asked yourself " What on earth is a citizen academy?" "Why do they do those?" and "What will I learn?" These are common questions that police officers hear quite frequently. In a nutshell a Citizen Academy is a program offered by agencies to educate community members on the inner workings of their department. They are established to enhance the communication and understanding between Police or Sheriffs Departments and citizens. This is accomplished by teaching people about the police oath of office, code of ethics and departments vision, mission, goals and values. Shoot/don't shoot decision making scenarios and operational topics; such as, gangs, drugs, investigations, tactical teams, school resource officers, etc are also covered to ensure a well rounded curriculum. A majority of the information people have about police departments comes from either personal experience or what they've learned from friends and the media. At times, these aren't the clearest lines of communication and can lead to a poor perception of police based more on opinion instead of fact. Our community expects and deserves an open and honest police department. A joint venture between police and citizens is the right thing to do and goes to the heart of our ethical and moral responsibilities. When police open their doors and educate people on the internal aspects of a department, perceptions get clarified and partnerships are created. When this occurs the entire community benefits. People relate what they've learned and paint a clearer picture of the organization. When people are more aware of how crime is committed and how police conduct investigations or solve problems they are better prepared to recognize and report issues that require police response. Gone are the days of "closed door" or "secret societies" in law enforcement. Community problems are multifaceted; and therefore require involvement from everyone to be effective. Citizen academies are an important part in achieving more active participation. Participants can expect to learn that local organizations have philosophies encouraging community involvement and that policing is more complex than one thinks. You'll learn that officers care about their communities. They are coaches, scoutmasters, church deacons and just as outraged as you when a new police corruption scandal or excessive use of force occurs. Although there are "moments of excitement" it's not like watching reruns of "cops" where officers embarrass themselves and the profession by performing celebratory "high fives" after a big arrest. Policing is about believing in and doing what is right and finding the best solution for a problem even if it doesn't result in an arrest. It's being a social worker, mediator, mentor and occasional parent. Citizen academies run at various times throughout the year and are a great way to learn more about individual organizations. Mount Vernon is currently accepting applications for their academy, which starts February fourth. The Sheriffs office starts one in the spring and Anacortes Police will be holding one as well If you are interested in becoming more involved with or learning more about any of these departments I encourage you to contact Sergeant Bonnie Bowers, Skagit County Sheriffs office at bonnieb@co.skagit.wa.us, Officer Janet Wilson, Anacortes Police Department at janetw@co.skagit.wa.us, or myself at miked@ci.mount-vernon.wa.us. Agencies countywide have been conducting academies for nine years; to date there have been over 300 graduates. As community members, we should all understand how our police department functions. Get your questions answered and learn more about your police agencies by attending their next citizen academy.
Sergeant Mike Don
Crime Prevention Division | 
