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For nearly 25 years, the City of Lacey has offered a way for community members to learn about policing by peeking behind the scenes. The Lacey Police Department Community Academy, which graduated its latest class November 2, 2022, is a partnership between the agency and civic-minded business owners, groups, and local residents. This six-week course offers hands-on training in facilities, operations, training, outreach practices, defensive tactics, less-lethal tools, mock scenes, and much more.

group of civilians in a classroom at Lacey's Community Academy
The Community Academy is designed for anyone interested in looking behind the scenes at how Lacey Police Department works on a daily basis. Photo courtesy: Lacey Police Department

Kevin Landwehrle, special operations sergeant of the Lacey Police Department, explains they’ve hosted academies on and off since 1997. The Coronavirus put many programs on hold, but they brought the academy back this year due to loosening COVID restrictions and increased public interest. “This year, we changed the name of the academy from the Citizens Academy to the Community Academy, to be more inclusive of the community we serve,” Landwehrle says.

Lacey Police Department’s Community Academy Works to Inform and Educate

The Academy isn’t meant as a hiring tool, but more to, “inform and educate community members on the basic functions of the Lacey Police Department and its personnel,” says Landwehrle. Ideal participants are business owners, community organization partners, apartment managers, homeowners’ associations, and Lacey community members. To take part in the program, applicants must be at least 18 years of age with no felony convictions, pending criminal cases, or outstanding warrants.

Community Academy cohort group photo with Police K9
On November 2, 2022 the Lacey Police Department graduated their latest cohort from the Community Academy. Photo courtesy: Lacey Police Department

In 2022, 17 participants completed the program and were honored at a graduation ceremony at the police department. On November 2, Chief Robert Almada thanked participants for volunteering their time and dedication to the academy and presented each attendee with a certificate. The department hopes to offer similar classes every autumn.

This year, sessions ran from September 28 through the beginning of November on Wednesday evenings from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. with one 8-hour Saturday class midway through.

Community Academy Participants Get Hands-On Training

The Academy doesn’t just explain dry judicial processes. Landwehrle says they strive to educate the community about their work and build relationships with their participants. Programming is developed and coordinated by the Lacey Police Department Community Resource Unit and taught by department personnel and partners.

Lacey SWAT members speaking to civilians during community academy
The Academy included classroom sessions as well as tours, and meet-and-greets with department staff, detectives, SWAT members and chaplains. Photo courtesy: Lacey Police Department

Training included a meet-and-greet and site tour, followed by information on the department’s recruitment and hiring process. They then covered fair and impartial policing, department operations, body cameras, criminal law, homeless outreach, traffic enforcement, use of force, drone operation, and de-escalation. Along the way, participants met representatives from the crisis negotiation team, SWAT, detectives, and chaplains.

There were even hands-on, interactive mock scenes, an emergency vehicle operation course – where students could drive actual police cars on a designated path – and firearms and equipment training at the gun range.

Watch for Information about the 2023 Community Academy

If you’re interested in participating in the 2023 Community Academy, follow the police department on Facebook or contact the Community Resource Unit. You can reach them directly by calling 360.459.4333 or emailing cru@ci.lacey.wa.us.

Civilians at the firing range with Lacey Police Department
Participation is open to anyone over 18 without felony convictions, pending criminal cases or outstanding warrants and free to attend. Photo courtesy: Lacey Police Department

“The Lacey Police Department and our community work together to ensure we have a safe place to live, work, and play,” says Landwehrle. “This partnership is critical in maintaining Lacey’s high quality of life and allowing LPD to proactively respond to emerging issues facing the community. As a way to enhance this connection and transparency with the community, the LPD revamped and relaunched this Community Academy.”

To find out about other community events in and around the city, visit the online calendar or Latest in Lacey video series on YouTube. You can also sign up for direct email alerts on a number of specific topics including design and construction projects, development, parks and recreation, sidewalk repair, public notices, utility management, or volunteer opportunities.

Civilian driving a Lacey police car
Outside the classroom, the Academy spent time at the gun range and driving course and in mock scenarios. Photo courtesy: Lacey Police Department

“It is important for the police to be visible in their communities and know their residents,” says a report from the U.S. Department of Justice. “Getting to know community residents helps both groups to break down personal barriers and overcome stereotypes…Personal interactions between police officers and community members build mutual trust, which is essential to addressing neighborhood problems and reducing crime.”

With this type of transparency in mind, the Lacey Police Department dusted off their Community Academy and welcomed back a cross-section of our population to learn about programs, guidelines, and the day-to-day role of department officers and staff.

If you or someone you know would like to learn more, consider enrolling in an upcoming session. Behind the scenes access, driving a police car, and an afternoon at the range are a great way to experience something new, all while getting to know the men and women who make up local law enforcement. And that’s a win/win for everyone.

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