Next Peabody Police Citizens Academy Begins In March

PEABODY, MA — Peabody residents looking to learn more about all aspects of daily police work, while also getting to see a police K9 demonstration, be part of a cruiser ridealong, and participate in a trip to the firing range, are invited to apply to the department's next Citizens Academy starting in March.

The 17th Citizens Academy begins on March 27 and runs in three-hour classes weekly through June 5. The application deadline is March 20.

Seats are limited and will be filled in order that the applications are received.

"We hope and expect that participants will graduate from the Citizen's Academy with a newfound appreciation for what we as police officers do," said Captain Scott Richards, who directs the Academy. "Participants will finish with a good deal of first-hand knowledge of how the department operates. It will be a real eye-opener."

Topics covered include politics in policing, terrorism, the legal process, motor vehicle law, patrol procedures, domestic violence, criminal investigations, and community policing.

Participants often gain an entirely different perspective on the community in which they live when they learn to see things through the eyes of a police officer, according to organizers.

The academy instructors include members of the Peabody Police Department, the Essex County District Attorney's Office, and the Essex County Sheriff's Department. All instructors are well-

versed in their subject matter, and they strongly encourage class participation.

Applications are available at the police station or through the Peabody Police Department website.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)