Police Invite Residents To Sign Up For Citizen Police Academy

READING -- How much do you think you know about the Reading Police Department? If you ponder that question and answer not much, then Police Chief Mark Segalla has an invitation for you.

Segalla and the department invites residents to sign up for the Reading Police Department's 2018 Citizen Police Academy.

The academy will run for eight weeks from Sept. 20 to Nov. 15. Classes will be held on Thursdays from 7-9 p.m. at the Community Room at the Reading Police Department, 15 Union St.

It is free of charge to enroll and open to all. However, Reading residents will be given priority if the class is close to capacity. Attendees must be 16-years-old or older and minors need their parents' permission to sign up.

Those who attend will learn about a number of subjects, including investigations, crime prevention, patrol procedures, emergency response, police in schools and other topics.

Students will meet several police officers who hold a variety of roles and will learn about how they are trained to respond to different situations. They will also be shown some of the specialized equipment the officers use.

Upon successful completion of the course, there will be an opportunity to participate in a ride along with a Reading Police officer.

To sign up for the course, please contact Community Service Officer Kristen O'Shaughnessy by calling 781-942-6761 or by emailing koshaughnessy@ci.reading.ma.us.