Citizens Police Academy

Program Goal

The Citizens’ Police Academy (CPA) is a course designed to give Bedford citizens, business owners, managers, and employee’s working knowledge of their Police Department. Class participants are exposed to and provided information regarding the inner workings of the Bedford Police Department. An informed citizen is one that is better able to understand decisions made by the Police Department. We want citizens to have enough background to know why the police do what they do and increase relations between the police and the community. The citizens, in turn, make the officers more aware of their concerns and needs. The slogan for the Citizens’ Police Academy is "Understanding through Education.”

Application

The 2023 CPA class will begin Tuesday, February 28 and go through Tuesday, May 23 (graduation date).

If you are interested in participating in the Citizens Police Academy, please complete an online application or contact Community Services at 817-952-2427.

Qualifications

To participate in the Citizens Police Academy you must meet the following qualifications:

• Must be at least 21 years old
• Live or work in the City of Bedford 
• Pass a background check
• Not miss more than 10 percent of the program

Availability

Citizens meet every Tuesday from 6 to 9 p.m. for 12 weeks, beginning February 28. CPA will conclude with a graduation ceremony on May 23. Citizens will learn about some of the divisions that make up the police department, including patrol, traffic, criminal investigations, crime scene, narcotics, communications, training, community services, and the behavioral intervention unit. You will also have the opportunity to participate in hands on learning, and take part in controlled scenarios.

The 20-member class fills up quickly and a waiting list is established for applications received that exceed the maximum class capacity.

You will be contacted by a Community Services staff member once you're accepted into the class prior to the beginning of the session.