Police launch Citizens Academy in Shropshire

West Mercia Police is offering a new and exciting opportunity for the public to see firsthand the day-to-day workings of the police force. The Citizens’ Academy, as the programme is known, will offer a selected group of people a unique insight into how the different departments within West Mercia Police work to protect people from harm, and improve the quality of life for the residents of Shropshire.

West Mercia Police are inviting Shropshire residents, over 18 years of age, with an interest in policing, to apply to take part in the Citizens’ Academy, taking place at Shrewsbury Police Station, from 10th September 2014 – 10th December 2014. The chosen group will attend a 12 week course on a Wednesday evening from 6.30pm - 9.30pm, comprising of a series of classes, discussions and tours.

The aim of the course is to open up communication between the community and the police, educate the public about police procedures, reduce the fear of crime and increase personal safety. It is hoped that those who attend the Citizens’ Academy will then be able to pass on their experiences and increased knowledge to the rest of the community, or take up the chance to become Special Constables or Volunteers with the Police or other agencies.

Superintendent James Tozer, Area Commander for Shropshire said:

"The concept of Citizens Academies’ originated in Britain in the 1970s, but they are much more widely used in police departments in America. The US have embraced the idea where they are fully integrated into everyday policing. We have now developed our programme and are ready to bring something similar back into British policing."

The course will cover a range of policing areas including burglary, custody, forensic investigation, controlled drugs, force operations, internet safety, Safer Neighbourhood Teams, contacting the police and road safety. However, participants will be encouraged to request subjects of relevance to them to ensure they get the best possible benefit from the time they invest.

Attendees who complete the full 12 weeks will ‘graduate’ from the Citizens’ Academy and their participation will be recognised with a formal ceremony.

If you live in Shropshire and would like to apply to be part of this exciting new venture, please go to http://bit.ly/WMP-CitizenAcademy. Criteria will be applied to the selection process and successful applicants will be subject to security checks.

TCPW Comment: No specific mention of ‘crime prevention’ in the list of subjects to be discussed on the course, so maybe one or two of you could request this as a subject and see what they come up with.  Please let me know how it went!

Source West Mercia Police: http://www.westmercia.police.uk/news/news-articles/police-launch-citizens-academy-in-shropshire.html