The third session of the Morgan Hill Citizens Police Academy is scheduled to begin April 3.
Conducted by officers and staff of the Morgan Hill Police Department, the CPA is a 12-week course designed for Morgan Hill residents to learn more about law enforcement and operations within the local department, according to MHPD officer Ken Howard.
Participants will learn about every angle of police work, including how detectives investigate crimes such as domestic violence and child abuse, some of the tactics and strategy used by the SWAT team, when and how to use force in certain incidents, hostage negotiations and how the district attorney’s office prosecutes a crime.
Class members will also learn about patrol operations, communications, crime prevention, crime analysis, firearms training, critical incidents, narcotics, gangs, traffic enforcement, emergency services, and more, Howard said.
The course meets one night a week, with a couple of the sessions taking place on Saturday mornings. It is open to Morgan Hill residents 18 and older, though applicants are screened and must be clean of any felony, as well as certain misdemeanor convictions. Participants will also be required to sign confidentiality and waiver agreements, and submit to background checks.
Graduates of the CPA will receive a diploma at the end of the course, and will be eligible to participate in the city’s Volunteers in Policing program which allows volunteers to assist in certain non-emergency police duties such as records keeping, background checks and traffic control.
Interested participants have to register for the course, and although the session beginning April 3 is mostly full, those interested may submit an application via email, or visit the CPA’s website at http://www.morgan-hill.ca.gov/index.aspx?nid=1000. Interested residents may also pick up paper applications at the Morgan Hill Police station, at 16200 Vineyard Blvd., from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
