Police taking applications for 2008
By Greg Rayburn \ Editor
Thursday, January 24, 2008 10:27 AM CST
The Sherwood Police Department will conduct its next Citizens’ Police Academy beginning March 4.
This will be a seven-week academy designed to inform the public on different aspects of law enforcement, including community policing, patrol duties, criminal investigations, traffic enforcement, tactical training, court procedures and firearms safety.
The course will be held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 9:30. It is free, but class size is limited. Officer Ryan Baker encouraged all residents who want to gain an active knowledge of the department to attend.
“The purpose of the Citizens’ Police Academy is to develop positive relations between the police and community through education,” Baker said. “The goals are to create a growing number of responsible, well-informed citizens who have the potential of influencing public opinions about police practices and services.”
Baker added participants will gain an appreciation of the problems and challenges facing law enforcement.
“Citizens will also have an opportunity to offer comments, opinions and ideas regarding solutions to policing in the 21st Century,” Baker said.
The instructors of the Citizens’ Police Academy are officers and personnel from the Sherwood Police Department, each of whom will speak on their area of expertise. The academy is coordinated through the department’s Office of Professional Standards.
R.D. Kinsey, president of the Sherwood Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association, said he hopes many of his fellow Sherwood residents enroll this year. Kinsey said the curriculum gave him a tremendous amount of knowledge of how the police do their job.
“Too many people think the police sit back and just write people tickets for speeding,” he said.
Kinsey said taking part in the academy is a way for the community to pull together and support the Police Department, which he calls one of the best law enforcement agencies in Arkansas.
Baker said people who go through the academy will be much more aware about what to look for, such as when would-be burglars are getting ready to break into a house in their neighborhood.
“Your eyes open up to a whole new world,” Baker said.
Anyone wanting to attend the Citizens’ Police Academy should complete an application, available from the Sherwood Police Department at 2201 E. Kiehl Ave. or online at www.sherwoodpolice.org. All applications must be received by Feb. 28.
