Citizen Police Academy application deadline nears

The Police Department is taking applications for its Citizens Police Academy, which starts March 28.

Class meetings are Tuesday evenings.

Capt. Tim Cook said two seats remain in the academy. The academy is a good opportunity for residents to get an inside look at exactly what police do. The course covers communications, traffic stops, narcotics, and firearms, among other topics, and also includes ride-alongs with Bella Vista police officers and a tour of the Benton County Jail.

“You get a better understanding of what a police department actually does,” he said.

This, he said, can clear up misconceptions one might have about the police. Students who graduate this program re-enter the community as ambassadors between the police and citizenry.

Moreover, he said, what someone learns in this program can help them make the community a better place. Graduates of this program, he said, are well positioned to help with neighborhood watch programs, and the department would like to set up a volunteer team comprised of Citizens Police Academy graduates once there is a large enough pool of potential volunteers.

Community involvement, he said, is key.

“That’s what makes our community safe,” Cook said.