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ROCHESTER - The Rochester Police Department graduated its sixth annual Citizen's Police Academy class on Tuesday. Through presentations by department employees, hands-on training, sit-ins with dispatch and ride-a-longs with police officers, the recent graduates who participated in this year's academy were exposed to the many facets of the Rochester Police Department over the 11-week program.
Citizen's Police Academy is a program designed to acquaint individuals who are not sworn police officers with the activities of their local police department.
The graduates got a chance to see what officers, detectives, prosecutors and the juvenile diversion in Rochester do on a day to day basis. This included learning about the different divisions and the specialty units, such as forensics, SWAT, accident reconstruction and K9 and what they do. The graduates also got to experience hands-on experiences that include the use of the department's computerized simulator as well as the indoor shooting range.
This program is intended to open the lines of communication between the community and the Police Department. By allowing citizens a firsthand look at what rules, regulations and policies the police follow, it provides them with a better understanding of police work and the Rochester Police Department.
The objective of the Citizen Police Academy is to produce informed citizens and create improved relationships with the community and its citizens.
The Citizens and Police Officers meet each other face to face in a neutral, friendly setting and each becomes a person to the other. In the past, citizens have simply seen a uniform, now they have an understanding about the person behind the badge. This is a very rewarding program for both the citizen's and the Rochester Police Department. The Rochester Police Department is looking forward to the next academy, which will begin sometime in March 2018.
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