The Sheboygan Police Department will be holding its 21st Annual Sheboygan Police Department Citizens Academy. The Academy will meet on Thursday evenings 6:30 to 9:30 starting on, March 15, 2016. This eleven week program runs through May 24, 2016. The program provides citizens an opportunity to gain knowledge and a better understanding of the vision, values, goals, and operations of the Sheboygan Police Department. The Citizens Academy also continues to enhance the collaboration and partnership between the community and its police department.
The Sheboygan Police Departments Citizens Academy is designed to be interactive and involves lectures, demonstrations, practical exercises, and an open floor for discussion. It is important for the participant to attend each week as each week of the course is built upon the preceding week.
Some subjects that will be presented by officers of the Sheboygan Police Department along with guest speakers consist of neighborhood policing, criminal investigations, victim’s rights, drug use within our community, and traffic enforcement. Additional activities involve hands-on participation, such as, high risk and low risk traffic stops, shoot-don’t shoot exercises, tour of the Sheboygan County Jail, along with firearms instruction and use at the range.
Classes will be held at the Sheboygan Police Department, 1315 N. 23 Street, Suite 101, Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Each class starts at 6:30 PM and will be approximately three hours long. Light refreshments will be provided in class. Participants will be provided credentials, binders, and all class materials. There is not a cost at all to attend the Citizens Academy.
The Sheboygan Police Department Citizens Academy is open to adults age 18 and older. Those with felony arrests or convictions will not be accepted. Background checks will be conducted on all applicants. Applications will be taken until next Monday, February 29, 2016. Letters of acceptance or regrets will be mailed out to applicants.
To apply, individuals can fill out the online form or print out the Citizen Academy Application and filling out the form available at sheboyganpolice.com/citizen-police-academy. The form can then be turned in at the Sheboygan Police Department or mailed to Sheboygan Police Department, Attn: Sgt. Dave Anderson, 1315 N. 23rd Street, Sheboygan, WI 53081. Questions concerning the Citizen Academy can also be directed to Sgt. Dave Anderson, at 920-459-3352, or email at david.anderson@sheboyganwi.gov.
Citizens who have already taken the course give it high ratings. Some of their comments include:
“Course is organized, right from the beginning – which sends the message that every session is planned and valuable training, and students are encouraged to attend every session.”
“Great teachers! Wow! It is obvious why these officers have to be 100% every moment on the job!”
“Thanks to everyone who put so much into their segments – I am sure I can speak for everyone in my class to say that we all benefited tremendously. “
“Outstanding variety and concept. Informative, surprising and fun.”
“I’ve had the opportunity to experience many interesting things in my life and this is way up at the top of the list! I have always appreciated and respected the service of law enforcement but this class has taken my respect to a whole new level.”
The Sheboygan Police Department is currently working on the annual report for 2015. The crime numbers are down 9% from 2014 and down overall 35% from 2009. Burglaries in 2014 were 128, more than a 50% decrease from 429 in 2007. Thefts last year were 991, down from over 1,700 in 2008 and 2009.
Programs like the Citizens’ Police Academy, Neighborhood Associations, and Community Policing have made a positive change. These programs have assisted the Sheboygan Police Department and led to reduced crime levels and continue to make Sheboygan a very safe community.