Grapevine Citizen's Police Academy

hi-power · #1

My wife and I decided to take advantage of a free program offered by our local police department called the Citizen's Police Academy. It's a 14-week course, (3 hours every Thursday evening with a couple of Saturdays at the range thrown in). I also met "tfrazier" who belongs to this forum and owns the chlGrapevine forum and website. Very nice guy and fellow CHL'er.

Last Thursday was the first meeting and we heard from the heads of all the departments including the Chief. We listened to all their stories of how they came to be LEOs and how they finally ended up in Grapevine. Also took a tour of the station with an explanation of what goes on in each section. The last part of the class was the history of the department itself and what will be covered in the following weeks, (K-9, special investigations, SWAT, patrol, dispatch, jail, firearms training, etc.) All the department personnel there were outstanding professionals that I look forward to getting to know better in the next few months.

The part that perked up my ears was that we'll be able to shoot the department's assortment of guns at the police range, using their bullets. That also includes their full-auto rifles!!!! I can't wait for that.

I guess the overall point of this academy is to build better relationships between the citizens and police. Those relationships can continue indefinitely as the department uses graduates of this course as volunteers to help in any number of ways, (patrolling high theft areas in a marked squad car - an older department car with "Citizen's Patrol" on the side of it, spending time in the SkyWatch tower in store parking lots watching for vehicle burglars, document scanning, helping search for lost children and Alzheimer's patients, raising money for the department, etc.)

Anyway, I'm wondering if anyone else's PD offer this kind of "get to know your local PD" course, and if anyone has taken it? If so, are you still volunteering with the police department?

txinvestigator · #2

Citizen Police Academies are alive and well in Texas. My Department started doing it in the late '80s.

The first one they did was for the media.

Hopefully you will do some shoot/don't shoot training, and some disturbances and other calls where police play the part of the people on the scene, and you get to deal with them as the cop.

FUN, FUN!

Wildscar · #3

That sound very interesting. Might have to look into that.

LedJedi · #4

* perk *

i've never heard of such an aminal....

*puts on shiney mirror sunglasses*

"what we have here.... is a failure to communicate."

i shall commence research with all due haste.

elwood blooz · #5

txinvestigator wrote:Citizen Police Academies are alive and well in Texas. My Department started doing it in the late '80s.

The first one they did was for the media.

Hopefully you will do some shoot/don't shoot training, and some disturbances and other calls where police play the part of the people on the scene, and you get to deal with them as the cop.

FUN, FUN!

My wife and I both went through this training program with Harris County District 1 a few years back. We really enjoyed the program! In fact, the skid car and shoot/don't shoot scenario's were awesome. I in fact became Vice President for 2 years with the Alumni in District 1 afterwards. I would recommend this class for sure.

hi-power · #6

LedJedi wrote:* perk *

i've never heard of such an aminal....

*puts on shiney mirror sunglasses*

"what we have here.... is a failure to communicate."

i shall commence research with all due haste.

I was just poking around on the police website and ran across it. That was the only reference I've seen for it.

Xander · #7

Plano has one, but I haven't taken it. I've seen that Frisco has one as well.

HighVelocity · #8

Make sure you ask the person in charge if you're CHL will allow you to carry while participating in their program.
I would be surprised if they allow firearms to be carried by non LE personel at ANY time.

MoJo · #9

I went through the CPA put on by Beaumont, Port Arthur, Jefferson County and Lamar Institute of Technology in '02 and have been active in Alumni ever since. My wife took the class in '04 and is the present Alumni Secretary. It is a great program and will give you a better understanding of what policing is all about. Pursuit driving was my favorite!

Google "citizen's police academy" theres tons of them out there. Check your local agency's website to see if they have one.

MoJo · #10

HighVelocity wrote:Make sure you ask the person in charge if you're CHL will allow you to carry while participating in their program.
I would be surprised if they allow firearms to be carried by non LE personel at ANY time.

Change in CHL law taking effect September bars CHLs from secure portions of police facilities. The Lt. in charge of the Academy told us that after September 1 we couldn't have our guns with us except in the lobby since that is the only portion of the Police Building in Beaumont that is open to the public. The classes were taught at the County Jail Facility so no guns were ever allowed there.

txinvestigator · #11

MoJo wrote:
Change in CHL law taking effect September bars CHLs from secure portions of police facilities.

Humm. Did he happen to tell you which bill that was?
This is the first I have heard of that.

KRM45 · #12

Coppell has one too. I went through it about 2 years ago.

MoJo · #13

txinvestigator wrote:
MoJo wrote:
Change in CHL law taking effect September bars CHLs from secure portions of police facilities.
Humm. Did he happen to tell you which bill that was?
This is the first I have heard of that.

No, and darn it, I didn't think to ask.

ttorion · #14

Looks like SB1709.

"(b)A peace officer who is acting in the lawful discharge of the officer â€™s official duties may temporarily disarm a license holder when a license holder enters a nonpublic, secure portion of a law enforcement facility, if the law enforcement agency provides a gun locker where the peace officer can secure the license holder â€™s handgun......."

Looks to me it doesn't bar a CHL from carrying in a secure portion of the law enforcement facility but they may disarm you if they so choose and have a place to store your firearm.

KBCraig · #15

ttorion wrote:Looks like SB1709.

"(b)A peace officer who is acting in the lawful discharge of the officer â€™s official duties may temporarily disarm a license holder when a license holder enters a nonpublic, secure portion of a law enforcement facility, if the law enforcement agency provides a gun locker where the peace officer can secure the license holder â€™s handgun......."

Looks to me it doesn't bar a CHL from carrying in a secure portion of the law enforcement facility but they may disarm you if they so choose and have a place to store your firearm.

This further reinforces that peace officers do not have blanket authority to disarm license holders. The law spells out two specific instances: when he reasonably believes it is necessary for the protection of the officer, the CHL, or another party; and now, when entering a nonpublic secure portion if they provide gun lockers.

This is not a prohibition on licensed concealed carry in such places. It merely extends authority to disarm, but doesn't require that the CHL be disarmed.

Yup, this one escaped notice.

http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/80 ... 01709F.htm