City to offer police academy

McMinnville Police Department will be offering a Citizens Police Academy course. The course will provide citizens with hands-on experience as to the daily challenges of law enforcement officers.

The course will offer insight into how officers perform their duties and how the department serves the community. Providing this academy will create well-informed citizens who possess greater insight into police practices and duties.

Among the things offered during the academy, participants will study criminal law, patrol procedures, narcotics and vice investigations, accident reconstruction, criminal investigations and crime scene processing.

The purpose of the academy is to foster better communication between citizens and police through education. The department believes education is effective in gaining understanding and support from the community.

The hope for participants is that they, after becoming informed as to why things are handled they way they are, will be able to pass that knowledge along to others.

?We plan on taking participants from the ground up when it comes to police procedure,? said McMinnville Police Chief Charlie Sewell. ?We will offer a different area of procedure every week.?

The class will be a two-hour session every Thursday evening for 10 weeks. Certified police officers, supervisors and civilian instructors with particular expertise will conduct each topic. Classes are free but are limited to 24 people.

For more information contact Special Services Division Commander Capt. Mike Lane at 473-3808. An application can be sent by mail or can be picked up at 211 West Colville Street, McMinnville.