Citizen Police Academy offers understanding for public, feedback for police

Charlottetown police are offering residents a chance to learn more about policing in the city.

Starting in mid-September, police will offer a 13-week course covering a variety of subjects, including:

• A day in the life of a police officer
• Crime scene forensics
• Major crime investigation
• Outlaw motorcycle gangs
• Fraud and technology

Deputy Police Chief Brad MacConnell said the course is similar to ones offered in other jurisdictions. Their purpose is two-fold: to help citizens better understand how police work, and provide an opportunity for police to get feedback from the public.

'Different perspective'

"Police benefit from this too because we get a different perspective from a broad cross section of the public," MacConnell said.

MacConnell would like to see youth, newcomers, Indigenous peoples and LGBT people in the course.

"It offers them the opportunity to provide feedback of negative experiences or things that they're hearing in their communities to give us a perspective and maybe to rethink the way we do certain things," he said.

The course will consist of 13 three-hour classes, offered weekly, starting in mid-September.

There is no charge to attend the academy, but applicants must submit to a background check. Application forms are available online.

MacConnell said the force hopes to offer the course twice a year.

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