CCPD accepting registrations for Citizens Police Academy

Special to Leader-Press 

The 35th session of the Copperas Cove Police Department Citizens Police Academy starts Thursday, Feb, 3, and local residents are invited to sign up for the free, 12-week a. 
Classes meet at the Copperas Cove Police Department from 6:30-9:30 p.m.
Although the course lasts for 12 weeks, students may miss up to three classes during that time period and still graduate at the end of the session. Prior students of past courses are also welcome to sign up for the academy. 
The Copperas Cove Police Department Citizens Police Academy is designed to give interested members of the community insight into the day-to-day operations of their local law enforcement. 
For most law-abiding citizens, the only contact they have with police is when they are stopped for a traffic violation. 
These relatively few contacts leave individuals with a limited view of what their local law enforcement agency is really doing other than enforcing traffic laws and responding to situations that have already occurred.
The Citizens Police Academy also provides an arena for open dialogue and exposure to what’s done to ensure the safety of all members of our community. 
During the course, participants are not only instructed in different disciplines within the agency, but are also given the opportunity to actually handle situations that law enforcement encounter daily. 
These situations, such as mock traffic stops and crime scene investigation, are staged for the benefit of the participant. Through these mock scenes that they get exposure to what it is actually like to be “on the other side of the fence” as the officer responding in the scenario.
Those interesting in registering should contact Lt. Krystal Baker at 254-547-8222 ext. 6956 or kbaker@copperascovetx.gov for more information. 
Applications are on the city’s website www.copperascovetx.gov, at https://www.copperascovetx.gov/files/forms/police/cpa_app.pdf.