VALDOSTA — The Valdosta Police Department will once again host the Citizens’ Police Academy.
The 38th edition of this program will be held 6-8 p.m. Thursdays, Sept. 14 through Nov. 2, according to a VPD statement.
The goal of the eight-week program is to give the public a chance to interact with members of the police department and obtain a better understanding of the internal workings of a law enforcement agency, police said.
Students are provided a more in-depth hands-on understanding of all aspects of the department, including patrol operations, criminal investigations, crime scene processing, the K-9 unit, narcotics investigations, community policing, training, a firearms training simulator and gang investigations.
Students are given the opportunity to ride along with patrol officers, as well as tour all areas of the department, including the Valdosta Lowndes Regional Crime Laboratory.
There are no fees to attend and all materials needed are furnished free of charge, police said.
“This is a great opportunity for citizens to interact with members of our department, while seeing the different areas of our department and everything our staff does on a daily basis,” Police Chief Leslie Manahan said in the statement.
More information: Contact Officer Randall Hancock, (229) 293-3090 or rhancock@valdostacity.com for an application. The class is limited in size and applicants are selected on a first-come basis. The next CPA will be held in spring 2024.