BECKLEY, W.Va. — The Beckley Police Department is gearing up for its eight edition of the Citizens’ Police Academy.
Applications are currently being taken for the ten-session program which begins March 15. Beckley Police Training Coordinator Lt. Chuck Ragland said on WJLS’s “Radio Roundtable” Wednesday it is a realistic look at the department’s day-to-day operations.
“By the end of it, they usually will see that we have sometimes just brief moments to make huge decisions. The law that helps them also binds us sometimes. They get to see everything about it that’s not what you see on TV, it doesn’t work like that.”
The program will utilize several demonstrations including with a use of force simulator. Ragland said other topics will include drug investigation, domestic violence, evidence collection, criminal investigations, police ethics, criminal law and motor vehicle law. He added former participants talk highly of the program.
“The graduates we’ve had from the Citizens’ Police Academy have been ambassadors. If you ever talk to one, they will talk about how much they love it. They will talk about how much they learned through it that they had no clue that actually happened. It’s just a really good program to learn.”
New for this year is a partnership to use WVU Tech’s Crime Scene House to simulate an active crime scene. The department hopes this will also further showcase the reality of police work in relation to crime scene investigations.
“They watch all of these shows and they think that getting a DNA match is a 24-hour job, and it doesn’t happen like that,” Ragland said. “There’s really special skill and special equipment that goes into working these crime scenes and stuff like that.”
The class is limited to 20 members who are Beckley and Raleigh County residents ages 18 and older. A background check will be required for all potential participants.
Those who are interested can apply here. Lt. Ragland invites you to call him with any questions at 304-256-1728. You can also pick up an application at the Beckley Police Department’s headquarters.