FARMINGTON – The Farmington Police Department will once again be offering its popular Citizen Police Academy this spring, with applications now available at the station.
The program was revitalized last year by Detective Darin Gilbert, having previously gone defunct after several years of waning interest. Gilbert approached Police Chief Jack Peck with a proposal to teach a 10-week-long program with the assistance of other officers and special guests, including corrections officers from Franklin County Detention Center, dispatchers from Franklin County Communications Center, specialists from Evergreen Behavioral Services and Safe Voices and probation officers.
According to the FPD, participants have praised the program instructors’ willingness to answer questions and provide detail on police training and procedures. Topics include hiring and the field training process, traffic enforcement, OUI/Impaired Driving enforcement, drug investigations, the use of force, criminal law, search and seizure procedures, the K-9 program and more.
“It’s usually an eyeopener,” Peck previously said about the class, “learning what’s really happening on a day-to-day basis, what decisions [the officers] have to make.”
Both the department and the community benefits from the academy, Peck has said: officers get feedback from community members about what expectations they have for the department, while the participants learn about the daily work of the officers.
This spring’s course will begin on Wednesday, Feb. 21. It runs for 10 weeks.
Applications are now available from the Farmington Police Department at the Richard Caton III Memorial Police Station on Franklin Avenue. Applications may be picked up from Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Those interested are advised to put in applications quickly, as seating for the program is limited.
