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Citizens' Academy

Want to gain insight into how the Tacoma Police Department works? The Citizens' Academy is for you.

 

The Citizens' Academy highlights the Tacoma Police Department's Community Oriented Policing philosophy, which strengthens the bond between our community members and our police officers as we proactively work together to solve community issues of varying levels of complexity.

 

The goal of the Citizens' Academy is to create a growing core of well-informed community members who are proud of their police department, and who can serve as ambassadors who share their experiences with and knowledge about law enforcement with other community members.

 

During three-hour sessions (6-9 PM), held on Wednesdays in the fall for 13 weeks, the Citizens' Academy offers City of Tacoma residents, its employees, and community and business leaders an up-close and personal look at the way the Tacoma Police Department is organized and an opportunity to learn more about:

Operations Bureau Activities
Patrol, Traffic, Community Policing, Homeless Outreach Team, Gangs, Marine Services, K-9 Units, SWAT, Special Response Team, Search and Rescue, and Bomb Squad

Investigations Bureau Activities
Major Crimes to include Special Victims, Career Crimes (Property Crimes, Financial Crimes, etc.); Violent Crimes to include Homicide/Assault, Special Assaults, Child Abduction Response, Child Abuse; Forensic Services; and Special Investigations (Narcotics and Vice)


Administrative Services Bureau Activities
Internal Affairs, Public Information Officer, Project PEACE, Hiring Unit, Training, and Range

Each session at the Citizens' Academy can accommodate 30-36 community members over the age of 18.  Instructors are officers and personnel from within the Tacoma Police Department and other law enforcement-related agencies who are department-recognized subject matter experts.

 

The Citizens' Academy first launched in 1987 and is coordinated through the Tacoma Police Department's Community Policing Division. More than 1,250 community members have graduated from the Citizens' Academy.

 

Application Process and Schedule

The 2019 class is full. The class runs Wednesday, September 11 and continues through Wednesday, December 11, 2019. No class will be held on Wednesday, November 27 due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

 

For future classes, along with your completed application you'll need to include a scanned (or photocopied) copy of your Washington Driver's License. The classes take place each Wednesday night from 6-9 PM at the City of Tacoma Fleet Operations classroom located at 3639 South Pine Street, adjacent to the Tacoma Police Headquarters.

 

Register for the Citizens' Academy

 

Completed applications with driver license photos can be submitted via email to dstill@cityoftacoma.org or can be mailed to: 

 

Tacoma Police Department

Attn. Dan Still

3701 S. Pine Street

Tacoma, WA  98409

 

If you have questions, please contact Lt. Daniel Still at (253) 591-5697.