Applications Still Open for LPD Citizen Academy

The Lamar Police Department is accepting applications to attend the 2012 Citizen Academy, which will be instructed by the employees of the Lamar Police Department and members of the judicial system.  The Academy will begin on Thursday, January 12, 2012.  The training will give the citizens of Lamar a general understanding of the daily duty performances of a Lamar Police Officer.  Citizens will attend class each Thursday from 7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.  The Academy will end on Saturday March 31, 2012 with a four hour session at the firearms range.

Candidates must meet certain requirements to be selected for the academy class.  They must be at least 18 years old and live or work in the Lamar area;  have no felony convictions or misdemeanor convictions within one year of their application and must submit to a background investigation.    Most of the training will be classroom oriented, but Chief McCrea said there will be some physical applications.  “We’ll show the students how take downs are conducted, how to handcuff and search a suspect and there will be some weapon training as well,” McCrea said.  He added, “We will have four hours of firearms training and we’ll use the Firearms Simulator located in the Sheriff’s department.”  The Simulator is used as an interactive training session for when to shoot and especially when not to.  Other courses include communications with Patrol/Dispatch, Arrest Control, Code Enforcement, Criminal Investigations, Traffic Stops, K9 Demonstration and Miranda/Search & Seizure situations.  Students will also have a ride-along experience with a Lamar Police Officer, providing the student a chance to experience a patrol officer’s job.

There is no cost to the applicants to attend the Academy.  Applications are being accepted until January 6, 2012.

If you would like to attend the 2012 Citizen’s Academy, please come by the Police Department at 505 South Main Street and pick up an application.  If you have any questions, please call the Police Department at 719-336-4341.