Overview

The Citizens' Police Academy is a cooperative effort between the Department and the community. Participation focuses attention on the values, philosophy, and operations of the Hewitt Police Department. Designed for citizens, the academy educates citizens about the police officer's role in the community and the citizen’s role in the interaction of civilians and police. Students are encouraged to share this realistic view of the department with other citizens, thereby improving the efficiency of law enforcement in their neighborhoods through shared responsibilities and resources.

The goal of the academy is to strengthen communications between the department and the community we serve. To provide a safe environment, citizens, and police must jointly address issues and solutions.

Applications

Please be the guest of the Hewitt Police Department and experience the academy first hand. If you are interested, please fill out an APPLICATION and bring it by the Police Department or email it to lbartlett@cityofhewitt.com.

Date & Times

The academy is held once each in the spring. The classes are open and free of charge to any Hewitt resident or non-resident who works in Hewitt. During the six-week academy, the student will have the unique opportunity to see and interact with Police Department personnel as never before. The student will observe all of the functions of this Police Department and see its innermost workings. Each class is three hours long and starts at 6:30 pm on Tuesdays at the Police Department.

Topics

By the end of the academy, the student should understand basic and advanced police procedures due to the various topics, which cover the entire spectrum of municipal criminal justice. These topics include patrol operations, criminal investigations, crime scene investigations, firearms training, use of force issues, plus the procedures of the jail and a tour, court system, and telecommunications. Also, the student will learn about the Hewitt Police Department’s community programs.

Graduation

A graduation ceremony is held at the completion of the class, which includes dinner for the student and the student’s immediate family.