The Citizen’s Police Academy was created in 1995 to help the public better understand the field of law enforcement as well as the inner workings of the Redwood City Police Department. The Academy, which is a free 13-plus-week course, allows citizens to learn a variety of police related topics taught through a classroom lecture and hands on experience.

Officers teach all of the classes, and the topics range from police tactics and patrol procedures to pursuit driving and firearms training. The Redwood City Police Department has made the goal to educate our citizens and the results have been mutually beneficial for the department. To date, the Citizen’s Police Academy Program has successfully graduated over 200 participants and the department hopes to continue its effort throughout the coming years.

An example of the program:

Week 1 Orientation, Tour, K-9 Demo
Week 2 Traffic, FTO Hiring
Week 3 Forensics, D.A.R.E and P.A.L., Vehicle Theft
Week 4 Street Crimes
Week 5 Criminal Law
Week 6 Juvenile Crime, Communications, S.W.A.T.
Week 7 Jail Tour
Week 8 Narcotics
Week 9 Officers Safety, Use of Force, D.U.I.
Week 10 Driver’s Training
Week 11 Firearms, Defensive Tactics
Week 12 Scenarios
Week 13 Graduation

For more information, please contact the
Community Policing Office at 650-780-7104.