CPS opens registration for Citizens Police Academy

Clinton area residents interested in learning more about their Clinton Police Department are invited to join the Citizens Police Academy. Registration is now open.

Chief Ford Hayman has announced another round of the popular Citizens Police Academy to run in the evenings from March 23-28. The class will be held from 6 until 9 p.m. through Thursday, with police ride-along on Friday (time scheduled individually by each participant), and 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday.

The program is designed to give participants an in-depth look at how Clinton police operate. Goals of the Citizens’ Police Academy are to educate and inform the community about the Clinton Police Department, promote a “Community-Oriented Policing” philosophy, provide a forum for police and community interaction and work together to create a safer city.

“Or goal is to strengthen citizen awareness by promoting positive partnerships between police and the community to enhance the quality of life for all citizens in the City of Clinton,” said Clinton Police Chief Ford Hayman.

The course is open to anyone older than eighteen and requires a back-ground check by the department.

According to program coordinator Mike Kelly, participants in the program will learn about and visit a number of places, including the police department, the 911 communications center, the bomb squad and animal control, as well as learn about special weapons and tactics (SWAT). Students also will learn about use of force and how to assess a scene in which force might be necessary.

With the acquisition of new equipment, students will learn about the technology and use of body-worn cameras.

The citizens program is one of the best public relations tools available to the Police department, Hayman says.

Lt. Mike Kelly, Community Relation Officer, added, “The Clinton Police Department would like to use the Citizens Police Academy program to create positive relationships between the community and the police. Our goal is to make a safer city through community-oriented policing and better understand how to serve our citizens at the same time. We hope to educate members of the community about how the Clinton Police Department works and invite them to become active members in our efforts to make the City of Clinton a great place to call home.”

Typically, people sign up for the program to learn about how police are trained, how the various units within the department operate, and the laws officers follow, Kelly said, adding that the program adds transparency to the profession and gives students an idea of a side of policing rarely seen.

“This is kind of like an up-close-and-personal opportunity for them to learn about what the police department [does],” Kelly said.

To enter the program, applicants must pass a background check, Hayman said, noting that not all applicants will be chosen. Hayman plans to keep this a recurring program of the Police Department.

Applications to the program can be found online at www.clintonms.org/citizensacademy. The deadline to apply is March 1, 2020.

For more information, visit the City website or call Lt. Mike Kelly at 601-924-5252.