The Citizen Academy provides community members with an up close and personal look at police work and the Fremont Police Department. The academy also builds partnerships between police and community members by allowing citizens to participate in practical police training and education.

The Citizen Academy does not train citizens to be future police officers. It is designed to inform citizens about police policies and procedures, and to foster community support, safety and awareness.

The twelve-week, 42-hour academy, meets one night a week and is limited to 25 students. Participants learn about topics such as police selection and training, internal investigations, criminal law, patrol operations, communications, crime prevention, crime analysis, firearms training, critical incidents, narcotics, gangs, traffic enforcement and much more. To gain a better understanding of our academy, we have provided you with a video clip that gives you a closer look into the various facets of our academy.

Besides attending lecture presentations, academy attendees may participate in role-playing exercises that simulate actual police situations. This training emphasizes the importance of split-second analysis and decision-making during critical arrest and use of force situations. Participants also have an opportunity get to ride along with an on-duty police officer to experience a look at what they do and how they do it! Community members who experience the complexities and potential dangers of the job have a better appreciation and understanding of the police role.

Some of the most commonly asked questions are: