Promoting Community Awareness Through Citizen Participation
"Bridging the gap between police and citizens"

The 2010 fall session of the Citizen Police Academy is full.

Applications are being accepted for the 2011 Spring session of the Citizen Police Academy that starts on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2010. 

Mission
The goal of the Citizen Police Academy (CPA) is to educate West Jordan citizens about the structure and activities of the police department. The CPA is a series of classes designed to give residents a behind-the-scenes look at the West Jordan Police Department. The CPA program operates on the premise that informed and educated citizens will be more supportive of police officers and the department, which in turn makes them more productive within their own communities.

What is it?
The Citizen Police Academy is a program designed to provide a working knowledge and background of the West Jordan Police Department in order to foster a closer relationship between our agency and the community. The CPA provides an avenue for community involvement through a first-hand experience of policing. It consists of a series of 12 classes, held once a week for three hours. The instruction is comprehensive, covering a different area of the Police Department and the Justice System each week.

Due to high demand, CPA classes are offered twice yearly with classes offered in January and in August. Class size is limited to 24 people. Admission to CPA is open to anyone 18 years or older who lives or works in West Jordan. All applicants are required to pass a thorough background check.

CPA Classes 
The 12-week CPA course meets one night each week for three hours. Classes are held in the Community Room at the West Jordan Justice Center located at 8040 S. Redwood Rd.

Topics covered in the CPA class include:

• Overviews of the WJPD organization and structure
• Information on recruiting and training
• Introductions to the various divisions of the WJPD and their responsibilities (such as Homicide, Traffic, Crime Scene, Crime Prevention, Investigations, K-9, Swat, Firearms, Gangs, and Narcotics).

 Hands-on workshops include:

• Defensive Tactics
• Handcuffing 101
• Fingerprinting
• Firearms Safety
• Patrol Scenarios
• Crime Scene
• K-9

Instructors are drawn from the police academy staff, from police officers currently assigned to specific enforcement divisions, and also from non-WJPD divisions and agencies. CPA class members are given an opportunity to observe police patrol work through a four-hour ride-along experience with a patrol officer. On the last day of class, members participate in a graduation ceremony and receive a certificate of completion. Following graduation the citizens are eligible to join the Volunteers in Police Service program (VIPS).

Who May Attend? 
The classes are made up of persons from all walks of life. The minimum age for enrollment is 18. Applicants must not have a criminal record, must complete the CPA – Application and pass a basic background investigation. There is no fee to attend the Citizen Police Academy. The applicant must either work or live in the City of West Jordan.

CPA Graduate 
Citizen interest in the CPA program has been overwhelming and applications are increasing in number. Additionally, graduates of the CPA class will be given the opportunity to participate in the VIPS program (Volunteers in Police Service). CPA graduates may have the opportunity to volunteer for the various divisions within the department including: Volunteers on Patrol, Crime Prevention, Mobile Cops, Warrants, Investigations, Traffic and many more.

For More Information 
If you are 18 years of age and are interested in applying for admission to the West Jordan Police Department Citizen Police Academy, you may pick up an application at the West Jordan Police Department at 8040 S. Redwood Rd. or you can download a copy (CPA – Application).

For further information, please contact Community Service Officer Barb Tatangelo at (801) 256-2212 or barbarat@wjordan.com.