Wayne Dennard

ACWORTH

POLICE DEPARTMENT

Citizens Police Academy Returns

BY WAYNE DENNARD

After a yearlong hiatus, I am pleased to announce that we are resuming our annual Citizens Police Academy (CPA) on Aug. 23. In the past, the CPA has been our most popular community outreach activity, for the public and staff alike. Officers throughout the department look forward to spending time with members of the community and sharing information about law enforcement topics that they are passionate about.

The CPA offers the public an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the knowledge, skills and abilities required on the job in the law enforcement community. In the past, students of the CPA have had the opportunity to learn from members of the Acworth Police Department, the district attorney’s office, the office of the medical examiner and our 911 communications officers.

The August CPA is a 14-week program, consisting of weekly classes. One of the highlights of these classes is the firing range experience. Students will have the opportunity to learn from a police firearms instructor, and will be able to participate in exercises on the firing range. After successful completion of the course, participants will be offered the opportunity to schedule a ride-along with an Acworth Police officer.

Our August session is nearly full, but we will offer a CPA class at our traditional time in March, 2022. Be on the lookout for upcoming dates and

A trip to the firing range is a highlight of the Citizens Police Academy.

registration information announcements in January on social media.

In addition to the CPA, we have good news to share about our chaplain program. Mike Lindeman of Northstar Church has agreed to join Lee Gambrell of Summit Baptist Church as one of our departmental chaplains. Chaplains serve an important function at the police department. They are available to offer support to officers in need, while being available on-call to help citizens in times of need. Gambrell has served in this capacity for a number of years, and we are grateful to have Lindeman join our team.

During the past year, we were forced to slow down our pace, but now it’s full steam ahead. We are looking forward to lots of exciting upcoming events and activities. Please be sure to like and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the most recent updates and information about upcoming events.

Wayne Dennard has served as chief since 2012 and has lived in this community for more than 40 years.