The Hawthorne Police Department Citizens' Academy will provide community members with an inside look at the police department and all facets of law enforcement.

During the academy students will be introduced to a variety of topics such as firearms safety, law enforcement ethics, criminal law, investigations, patrol procedures, communications, crime prevention, drug enforcement, and drug education. As part of the curriculum students will be scheduled to ride along with a police officer.

Purpose

• The Citizens' Academy will give community members an overview of the police department policies and procedures.
• The curriculum and teaching methods are similar to the traditional police academy, but the weekly sessions are not designed to make the participant a police officer

Academy Schedule

• The length of the Citizens' Academy is 10 weeks. Classes meet one evening a week from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
• The Academy will culminate with a graduation ceremony upon completion of the program. Family and friends are welcome to attend.

Requirements

Candidates for the Citizens' Academy must meet the following criteria:

• Minimum age of 21 years.
• Live or Work in Hawthorne
• No prior felony convictions
• No misdemeanor arrests within one year of application
  

Selection Procedure

Citizens' Academy participants are selected by the Chief of Police through an application process . Enrollment is limited to approximately 25 students per academy class, please call the Hawthorne Police Department's Community Affiars Unit at (310) 349-2822.

Instructors

Police executives and veteran officers teach academy classes. Participants will have the opportunity to meet the Chief of Police and staff members. They are encouraged to ask questions and to express their concerns to police employees. The Hawthorne Police Department hopes there will be greater awareness and understanding of law enforcement's role in the community through the education provided by the Citizen's Academy.

Partial Curriculum