The Citizen’s Police Academy will be held by the VPD to give citizens a opportunity to interact with the police department.

Release:

The Valdosta Police Department would like to announce the 35th Session of the Citizen’s Police Academy (CPA) which will be held each Thursday night, April 14, 2022, through June 2, 2022, from 6:00-8:00 pm. The goal of this eight-week program is to give citizens a chance to interact with members of the police department and obtain a better understanding of the internal workings of a law enforcement agency. The CPA provides great community engagement between Valdosta Police Officers and the citizens they serve. During the academy, students are exposed to a variety of topics to give students a more in-depth understanding of law enforcement. Students are provided a more in-depth hands-on understanding of all aspects of the department, including Patrol Operations, Criminal Investigations, Crime Scene Processing, K-9 Unit, Narcotics Investigations, Community Policing, Training, Firearms Training Simulator, and Gang Investigations. Students are given the opportunity to ride along with patrol officers, as well as tour all areas of the department, including the Valdosta Lowndes Regional Crime Laboratory. There are no fees to attend, and all materials needed are furnished free of charge.

“This is a great opportunity for citizens to meet our officers and see everything that our department has to offer,” Chief Leslie Manahan.

Citizens who are interested need to contact Officer Randall Hancock at 229-293-3090 or rhancock@valdostacity.com for an application. The class is limited in size and applicants are selected on a first-come basis. The next CPA will be held in the Fall of 2022.