The Ventura Police Department’s Community Academy is coming! Have you ever wanted to know more about police operations? Not the ‘TV’ version, but the facts? Here’s your chance! The Community Academy will take you on a ride-along with a patrol officer, show you what a SWAT team does, let you experience a simulated firearms training course, give you a look at issues officers face in our community and much more.
The Community Academy is scheduled to begin April 18 and will be held on 10 consecutive Wednesday nights from 6:00 to 9:00 pm. Each night features a new topic, with speakers, demonstrations, and discussions. Select nights include a visit to the Ventura County Criminal Justice Training Center, Ventura County Sheriff’s Aviation Hangar and the Ventura County Jail. Will answer your questions and give you an in-depth behind the scenes look at police operations.
Community Academy participants are selected by the Ventura Police Department through the application process. Applications are available at the Ventura Police Department or online. Applications accepted until March 28, 2018.
Potential candidates must meet the following criteria: minimum age of 18 years, live or work in the City of Ventura, no felony convictions, no misdemeanor convictions within two years of application.
The Community Academy aims to educate residents on the capacity and operations of the Ventura Police Department so that police officers and community members can work together to make Ventura a better and safer place.
For more information, please contact Community Outreach Specialist Ashley Bautista 339-4317 or [email protected].
“We recently attended the Ventura Police Department’s Community Academy Class, It was eight evenings consisting of different aspects police work, including the 911 command center, investigations/crime analysis, major crimes, the criminal justice system, crisis intervention, patrol operations, SWAT team, a tour of the Criminal Justice Training Center, a ride-along, K-9 demonstration and more. Chief Ken Corney, the officers and staff gave excellent presentations and demonstrations. We quickly learned a police officer has to be so much more than an officer who writes traffic tickets. He or she needs to be a person of integrity, professional, compassionate, fair, courteous, a quick decision-maker and a counselor. We here in Ventura are fortunate to have an outstanding VPD as protectors of our community. We highly recommend to other citizens that they apply to attend when the academy is offered again.” Dan & Vicki Stowell
