COMMUNITY ACADEMY
The Community Academy is a 10-week course that provides community members with an inside view of their police department and its operations. It covers a wide range of topics and offers the opportunity to interact directly with police department members including the Chief of Police, Command Staff, police officers, and professional staff within the department.
The class meets once a week at the Police Department from 6 to 9 pm. There will be one Saturday class at the regional police academy in Windsor. Community Academy participants will also have the opportunity to schedule a ride-a-long with a police officer to experience police work first-hand.
This program is not designed for police officer candidates. It is an overview of the police department operations for members of the community.
Why Attend the Academy?
The Petaluma Police Department is committed to the safety and security of the community. We recognize that we cannot accomplish this goal without the help of our community itself. It is our belief that we will all benefit from the active interaction and communication that is at the core of the Community Academy. We look forward to your participation.
Who may attend the community academy?
Individuals living or working in Petaluma will be given priority. Persons living outside Petaluma may be accepted based on available space, with Chief of Police approval. Participants must be at least 18 years of age and have no felony convictions. Participants should commit to attending at least 9 of the 10 weekly sessions. All application are subject to approval by the Chief of Police. All applicants are subject to basic records check prior to acceptance for the course.
Application
If the Community Academy sounds exciting to you, please fill out the application form and mail it to the police department, or drop off the application at the Petaluma Police Department's front counter. All applicants will be notified personally of the status of their application prior to the start of the next session. Applications are available on the police department website.
