THE CITIZENS ACADEMY

ABOUT THE CLASSES

What Will You Learn?
The Sandwich Citizens Police Academy provides residents of Sandwich an opportunity to learn about their local police department. While it won’t make them police officers, the academy gives citizens insight into the operations of the police department.

Because the academy is conducted by Sandwich police officers, classes address the issues and challenges that face our town.

Students learn about constitutional and criminal law, drug enforcement, firearms training, and motor vehicle law. The program also includes trips to the Barnstable District Court and the Barnstable County Jail, as well as an opportunity for a ride-along with Sandwich police officer.

The Citizens Police Academy is not unique to Sandwich; it's part of a nation-wide Community Policing Initiative. Citizens Academies are conducted by police departments around the country. For example, the towns of Yarmouth and Barnstable have their own citizens academies.

And while there are lectures and demonstrations much of the activity takes place outside the classroom. The experience also continues after graduation from the Academy with various emergency preparedness exercises,

When asked at the final week what they got out of the course, the Class of 15-18 used the word RESPECT most frequently: Respect for what the officers need to do in order to do their jobs, respect for the knowledge that they need, and respect for the officers themselves. Said Sgt. Lawrence: "And you all thought we were just knuckle-dragging thugs!" Many people lamented that Thursday nights just weren't going to be the same.