Henderson Police accepting applications for citizens’ academy

By Conor Shine

Monday, Aug. 15, 2011 | 2 a.m.

The Henderson Police Department is offering residents the opportunity to train like a police officer this fall.

The Citizens' Academy is an abbreviated form of the police academy training that officers go through.

Those who enroll in the three-month class will learn from police academy trainers and specialists in different units. Topics will range from radio training and community policing to gang enforcement and use of force.

A mix of hands-on training and lectures, Henderson Police spokesman Keith Paul said the program aims to expose people to the situations police officers deal with on a daily basis.

Paul said the academy attracts a mix of people, from teenagers interested in exploring a career in law enforcement to retirees who want to become more active in keeping their neighborhoods safe.

The free program is open to anyone who lives or works in Henderson, but the class is limited to about 30 people, and slots tend to fill up quickly, Paul said. Participants must be 18 or older to register and have no felony or misdemeanor convictions.

Paul said slots are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, but the police department does hold screening interviews to make sure applicants will commit for the duration of the program.

Classes will be held every Tuesday from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. starting Sept. 6 and ending on Nov. 29. Another academy will be held in the spring.

Applications for the program can be picked up at several locations including the downtown police station at 223 Lead St., the Green Valley substation at 300 S. Green Valley Parkway, the North Community Police Station at 225 E. Sunset Road or at the Community Relations Unit inside the Galleria at Sunset mall.

For more information about the Citizens' Academy, call the Henderson Police Training Unit at 267-4850.