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Citizen Police Academy
Origins of the Police Academy
The concept of the Citizen Police Academy was developed in 1977 in England to familiarize private citizens with the nature of police work and the organization of the police system. The Pasadena Police Department held its first Citizen Police Academy in March 1995. Typically, we run two Citizen Police Academy classes each year.
Citizen Insight
The Adult Citizen Police Academy is an eleven-week course designed to give citizens a better understanding of the Pasadena Police Department. Each week, on Tuesday evenings from 7-10 p.m., a different division of the Police Department provides instruction and demonstrations, giving an insight into the specific aspects and duties required to maintain the professional and premier law enforcement standards expected of our agency.
Classes & Ride-Alongs
Classes will consist of one or more of the following: lectures, demonstrations, case studies, and hands-on practice. In addition to the Tuesday night instruction, most students have the opportunity to participate in a ride-along with a patrol officer on a Friday or Saturday evening or night shift.
Students will have the rare opportunity to visit various areas of the Police Department that are not normally open to the public. The Pasadena CPA is taught in an atmosphere that encourages the students to meet and talk with many officers throughout the department.
Academy Goals
Our goal is to help our citizens have a better understanding how we do our jobs, why certain practices are the industry standard, and to learn, from you the student, how we can better serve our community. Through this program, we hope you will take the knowledge gained into the community and educate others when the opportunity arises.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants are required to undergo a background check.
- Applicants accepted into the Adult Citizen Police Academy will receive written notification.
Disqualifications:
- Any Felony or Class A misdemeanor conviction (Permanent Disqualifier).
- Any Class B misdemeanor conviction within the past 10 years.
- Any outstanding warrants or pending court hearings, or any conviction of the following: issuance of bad check, public lewdness, theft or any other crime of “moral turpitude.”
- All disqualifiers shall remain concurrent to and consistent with the Texas Department of Public Safety’s TCIC/TLETS access policy.
Alumni Association
Upon completing the Citizen Police Academy, the participants will have the opportunity to join the Pasadena Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association. The Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association works with the Pasadena Police Department to provide assistance with special projects and functions as a liaison between the Police Department and the community. The Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association is a non-political, non-profit, tax-exempt organization.
More Information
For more information about the Citizen Police Academy, contact the Police Department’s Community Services Division at 713-475-7025.