The Paris Police Department is proud to announce the scheduling of the second Citizens Police Academy (CPA). The program provides insight to the public on all aspects of the operations of the department. The CPA will be ten weeks in length, meeting one night a week for 2 ½ to 3 hours of instruction. Paris Police Chief Bob Hundley stated 2 additional nights of instruction have been added to this academy. Chief Hundley remarked, “In the first academy, we consistently ran the class over to almost 10 PM due to the great questions and discussions the officers and participants had. We want to get the information out and have that exchange with students, but not keep them past 9:00 PM.” The instructors are all members of the Paris Police Department who will provide instruction and information concerning a particular area of law enforcement. This is NOT a police officer candidate school, but a means by which the citizens of Paris can see firsthand how the department operates. The class will begin on Tuesday, February 9th and graduate on April 13th.
Class size will be limited to 25 people, so only those truly interested in making a commitment to the class are asked to apply. Eight class nights must be attended to successfully pass the Citizens Police Academy. A background check will be conducted on all applicants, and those with criminal backgrounds may not be accepted into this program. This will not be an open forum to discuss previous law enforcement contacts or grievances, but an opportunity for applicants to learn about the department and for the department to learn about the concerns and interests of the applicants. All applicants must be at least 18 years of age and class attire will be casual. For more information contact Officer Matt Birch at 903-737-4110. Applications are available at the Paris Police Department, 2910 Clarksville Street, or on the City’s website, www.paristexas.gov and click on the police department page.