Citizen Police Academy (CPA)

Goal of the Clinton Police Department Citizen Police Academy

To develop positive relations and to create better understanding and communication between the citizens of Clinton, Iowa, and their Police Department through education; to create a growing nucleus of responsible, well-informed citizens who have the potential of influencing public opinion about police practices and services.

Citizens will gain an appreciation of the problems and challenges facing law enforcement and have an opportunity to offer comments and ideas regarding solutions.

About

What Is It?

The Citizen Police Academy is a program co-sponsored by the Clinton Police Department and Clinton Community College. It is designed to give the participants a working knowledge of the Clinton Police Department. Join over 490 of our Alumni by filling out an online application (PDF) or stopping at the Police Department and picking up an application.

The classes provide an in-depth view of various areas of law enforcement. The Academy is an educational and informative program that allows citizens the opportunity to learn about the issues that effect law enforcement efforts in the city of Clinton.

Goal

The main goal of the Citizen Police Academy is to help the residents of Clinton better understand how the police work in their community. It is hoped that all students of the Academy will get to know more about the men and women who are protecting their community and why they make the decisions they do while performing that duty.

Benefits

In addition, graduates will be encouraged to join the Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association. This will give them the opportunity for continued education in the field of law enforcement and other related areas. It will also allow them to have a more interactive association with the police department if they choose.

Why?

Community Oriented Policing plays an important and vital role in reducing crime in any community. Therefore, the Clinton Police Department instituted the Citizen Police Academy in conjunction with Clinton Community College to improve communication and obtain citizen input and support throughout the city. It is our hope that the graduates will become partners with us in identifying problems and solutions to the crime issues that are affecting our community. Graduates will take their knowledge back into their neighborhoods where they can use it to enhance the quality of neighborhood life.

Who Can Attend?

The Citizen's Police Academy is held every February. Applications for Citizen Police Academy can be picked up at the Clinton Police Department or downloaded online (PDF). The Citizen Police Academy is a 14-week program starting in February each year. The course covers different areas of police department operations including, police ethics, use of force, crime scene investigations, narcotics, firearms training, to name a few. Eligibility requirements are as follows: you must live or work in Clinton, have no felony convictions and no misdemeanor arrests within the last three years. There are no physical requirements. Applicants will also be subject to a background check. Those wishing to apply or seeking more information about the Citizen Police Academy, should contact Capt. Patrick Cullen at 563-243-1458 ex. 204 or by email.