Crestview citizens learn about police, emergency services

CRESTVIEW — Another Citizen’s Police Academy class is getting ready to graduate.

Citizens participating in the Crestview Police Department program will complete the course in a ceremony April 24 at 6 pm at Warrior’s Hall in Crestview. This will be the sixth graduating class.

The program is held each spring and is open to anyone who is at least 17 years of age, has no felony convictions and no misdemeanor convictions within one year, and either lives or works in the Crestview area. The program is provided free of charge.

Attendees learn about many aspects of what officers go through on a daily basis. Some of the topics they learn about include patrol operations, crime scene investigation and firearms safety. They also learn about other public safety departments like the fire department and EMS.

“You learn a lot. You get close to the police … you learn some of the things that they go through,” Michael Dunn, a member of the current class, said. “It’s exciting, definitely.”

The attendees have met each Tuesday night for the past nine weeks. The final class prior to graduation was Tuesday.

Graduates receive the option to join the Crestview Police Academy Alumni association, a non-profit group that helps with administrative support and fundraising for the police department.

Members can also serve as school zone crossing guards after completing state-mandated training and certification.

Dunn said he plans to be active in the alumni association after he graduates from the academy.

“I think it’s wonderful. It brings the community closer together by having interaction with the police,” he said.

The Citizen’s Police Academy program will start classes again in February 2019.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview citizens learn about police, emergency services