Wearing a police badge can be both an honor and a burden. No one can truly understand what it means to serve as a police officer without serving in the line of duty, but the Lakeway Police Department’s Citizens Police Academy aims to open some eyes to the world of local law enforcement when it begins Feb. 1.
The department will conduct 10 classes from 6-9 p.m. Mondays that explore various aspects of police work each week.
Courses include crime scene and traffic stop scenarios, arrest methods, appropriate use of force, collisions, family violence and a Shoot-Don’t Shoot simulation.
The program is a 30-hour block of instruction designed to give the public a working knowledge of law enforcement and the Lakeway Police Department’s policies and operational practices.
“[Class members] get a deeper awareness and appreciation of the activities law enforcement officials engage in on a day-to-day basis,” Police Chief Todd Radford said.
Police officers, their supervisors and civilian personnel with particular expertise in a specific organizational function will conduct each instructional block.
“The primary objective of the Lakeway Citizens Police Academy is to build a better understanding between citizens and the police department through education,” according to a LPD release.
The program’s goal is to educate residents to make informed decisions about police services and activity as well as understand the police department’s authority and limitations.
Organizers also hope the academy will foster public awareness, dispel suspicions and misconceptions and increase rapport between officers and residents.
“The police department benefits by becoming more aware of the community from the participants’ interaction and input, making the venture a two-way learning experience,” the release stated.
Participants must submit an application and consent to a background check. All applicants must be at least 21 years old and either reside or work within the City of Lakeway.
Applicants who are on probation, or who have been convicted of felonies or crimes are ineligible. Class size is limited to 20 people, all of which must have passed the applicant background check. The academy is free.
Radford, who has instructed at previous academies, said a bond often forms among the students and teachers. Many graduates become Lakeway Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association members to continue their work with the department.
Graduates are eligible to be placed on an “emergency assist” roster, which allows them to assist the Lakeway Police Department in emergency situations that require additional manpower. The police department has also implemented “Volunteer Park Patrol” and “Code Blue” programs, which are staffed primarily by academy graduates.
Applications for the Citizens Police Academy are available at the Lakeway Police Department, 104 Cross Creek Drive, and must be completed and returned by Jan. 25 to be considered for the spring academy.
For information, call Celia Duff at 314-7585.