Citizen Police Academy

The Joliet Police Department currently offers a twelve (12) week academy program that provides an excellent opportunity for citizens and community leaders to learn about law enforcement and to interact with Joliet police officers and supervisors while gaining firsthand experience as to how a typical police department operates.

See pictures from the 2012 Citizen Police Academy.

The academy is held for twelve (12) weeks each spring, beginning in March and ending in May. The academy sessions are three (3) hours in length and are offered weekly on Monday evenings from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. The sessions are a mixture of lectures and practical exercises taught by qualified department personnel and also qualified personnel from outside agencies. There are also opportunities for attendees to actively participate in some of the sessions under the direct supervision of the instructor(s). Attendees will also be able to participate in a four (4) hour patrol ride-along after attending five (5) CPA classroom sessions. After the last session, there will be a graduation ceremony where attendees will receive a certificate of completion and a CPA t-shirt.

Some of the topics covered during the twelve weeks include presentations of:

·         Internal affairs investigations

·         Criminal investigations

·         Gang investigations

·         Undercover narcotics investigations

·         Use of force and TASER demonstrations

·         Crime prevention techniques

·         Canine demonstrations

·         Evidence collection

·         A tour of the Will County Morgue and presentation by the Will County Coroner

·         And much more!

The department is no longer accepting applications for Citizen’s Police Academy.

Any further inquiries about the department’s program can be directed to the program coordinator by e-mail or by telephone (815) 724-3415.

The 2013 class schedule is coming soon.