Every winter the Mount Vernon and Anacortes Police Departments welcome residents to come experience their departments in action by attending citizen academies. If you've ever thought about attending, now is your chance.

Mount Vernon's Citizens Academy is a 12-week program designed to provide residents first-hand information about how our Police Department operates. The purpose of our Citizens Academy is to open our doors to the community and through education increase communication and understanding between citizens and the Police Department.  Our instructors are police officers, department personnel, and guest speakers. The topics include our department's mission, vision, goals, and values. We also include classes on drug enforcement, gangs, tactical operations, patrol procedures, investigative techniques, T.E.A.M. (youth education), use of force, crime prevention, record keeping, and much more. During mock scene day, participants are provided a hands-on opportunity to experience split second decision-making situations that a police officer faces daily. Academy members also have a chance to ride with an officer on patrol, tour the Skagit County Jail, tour Skagit County Juvenile Detention and sit at the Dispatch Center with a 911 operator

Here are some comments from past graduates.

Mike King, Burlington - With the proper training from the Citizens Academy, I'm now able to give back as a Citizen on Proactive Patrol member, keeping our communities safer. We monitor parking lots for the handicapped, look for car prowls, maintain a non-confrontational presence in the school speed zones, provide traffic control for accident scenes, locate graffiti, and report "suspicious" activities, freeing up the officers for more important functions. Its nice getting a "thumbs up" from other citizens who know we are there. Everyone benefits from this Academy.

Mike Garity, Sedro Woolley – " The Citizen Academy showed me the importance of citizens and police working together in partnerships. Crime is not just a police problem, it's a community problem".

Janice Watson, Mount Vernon – "It was great to meet all the officers and see how the department worked. When I had questions about a specific problem they provided the information I needed to address it".
  
Citizen Academies are both enjoyable and informative. Take the time and get to know your department. The experience will make you wonder why you didn't do it sooner.

The Anacortes Police Department is currently accepting applications for their Citizens Academy that meets every Thursday night from January 26th through March 30th.  For additional information, please call Officer Janet Wilson at 293-4684.

The Mount Vernon Police Department is currently accepting applications for their Citizens Academy that meets every Thursday night from February 16th through May 4th.  For additional information, please call 336-6271 or on-line at www.ci.mount-vernon.wa.us, click on "Police," then "Citizens Academy."