The academy can accommodate 30 participants.
The Ventura Police Department is now accepting applications for the annual Community Academy open to Ventura residents and business owners. The academy can accommodate 30 participants, and the application deadline is Sunday, December 31, 2023.
The Community Academy is part of the Department’s ongoing efforts to strengthen community partnerships and increase transparency. This free program will take participants on a patrol ride-along, provide interactive training, showcase hands-on activities that provide an inside look at local policing, and much more. Each night features a new topic with different speakers, demonstrations, and discussions.
“My time spent in the VPD Community Academy classes was informative, educational, and highly enjoyable,” said Charles Clark, a 32-year Ventura resident and 2023 Community Academy graduate. “During my ride along, I saw many examples of quality officer training and community policing in action. Completing this program was a rewarding and eye-opening experience that every resident should consider. We truly have the best of the best at VPD, and I was able to see that first hand.”
The Community Academy is set to begin on March 6, 2024, and will be held on 10 consecutive Wednesday nights from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., with a final class and graduation on May 8, 2024. Eight classes will be held at the Ventura Police Department, with the sessions on March 27 and April 10, hosted at the Ventura County Criminal Justice Training Center and the Ventura County Jail.
To be eligible for the Ventura Police Community Academy, applicants must:
Be a minimum of 18 years old
Live or own a business in the City of Ventura
Pass a criminal background check with no misdemeanor convictions in the past two years and no felony convictions
Participate in an in-person interview process
Commit to attending all sessions
Interviews are expected to occur in late January and those accepted will be notified in February.
To learn more or apply for the 2024 Ventura Police Community Academy, visit
CityofVentura.ca.gov/CommunityAcademy.
