Citizens Police Academy on the way

Terry Richards, The Valdosta Daily Times, Ga.
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Aug. 5—VALDOSTA — The 36th session of the Citizen's Police Academy will be held 6-8 p.m. each Thursday, Sept. 15 through Nov. 3, according to a Valdosta Police Department statement.

The goal of the eight-week program is to give residents a chance to interact with members of the police department and obtain a better understanding of the internal workings of a law enforcement agency, police said.

During the academy, students are exposed to a variety of topics to give a more in-depth understanding of all aspects of law enforcement, including patrol operations, criminal investigations, crime scene processing, K-9 unit, narcotics investigations, community policing, training, firearms training simulator and gang investigations. Students are given the opportunity to ride along with patrol officers as well as tour all areas of the department, including the Valdosta Lowndes Regional Crime Laboratory.

There are no fees to attend and all materials needed are furnished free of charge.

"This is a great opportunity for citizens to meet our officers and see everything that our department has to offer," Police Chief Leslie Manahan said in the statement.

People who are interested can contact Officer Randall Hancock at (229) 293-3090 or rhancock@valdostacity.com for an application. The class is limited in size and applicants are selected on a first-come basis. The next CPA will be held in spring 2023.

Terry Richards is senior reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times.