The Madison Police Department's Citizen Police Academy is a program that is designed to give the public a working knowledge and understanding of the values, goals, and operations of the City of Madison Police Department. The objective of the Academy is to improve the lines of communication and help build a positive relationship between the Madison Police Department and the community members we serve. This experience will afford citizens an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of their police department while allowing police to continue our mission of community engagement.
The Madison Police Department believes that by working together with the public, we are better able to solve problems that face our community and ultimately improve the quality of life in the City of Madison. The course is not intended for those wishing to explore or pursue a career in law enforcement, as it is by design, a program that only offers an overview of general police duties, responsibilities and operations.
The Academy consists of nine (9) three-hour sessions conducted on a weekly basis. This year the classes are held every Wednesday from September 17, 2014 through November 12, 2014, between 6pm-9pm. The Academy is held at the MPD Training Center and there is no cost to attend. For information on how you can attend the Academy in the future please check out our website: http://www.cityofmadison.com/police/jointeam/academy/
During the Academy, citizens are exposed to subject matter relating to the duties and responsibilities of police officers. The Academy is instructed by police officers and supervisors from the Madison Police Department with expertise in various areas of law enforcement. Past topics have included drugs and gangs, a basic primer on the law affecting citizen's rights, officer involved shootings and use of force decision-making, OWI and traffic enforcement, K-9's and mounted patrol, crime scene investigation, crisis negotiations, Dane County Crime Response, child abuse/neglect, computer crimes/forensics and domestic preparedness. Academy participants are given the opportunity to go on a ride-along with a MPD police officer. Academy topics may be subject to change from year to year.
During classes, participants are encouraged to ask questions and give feedback concerning the operations of the Madison Police Department. Additionally, citizens bring a wealth of knowledge about their community, particularly the problems unique to their neighborhoods. In this way, members of the Department learn firsthand of the concerns of its citizens by interacting with them in a positive, non-confrontational setting. It is our sincere hope that the well-informed graduates will become partners with us in identifying problems and providing solutions to quality of life issues that face our community.