ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) – In an ongoing effort to build communication between civilians and police, a new program is being offered to anyone 18-years or older interested in learning about criminal justice.
The department is launching a free Citizens Police Academy this April. The program comes after attempts by city leaders to find middle ground between criminal activity and police tactics used to combat crime rates, some as questionable as excessive use of force.
The 8-week class headed by Rockford police officers and personnel is designed to give citizens a better understanding of the department, its partners and the criminal justice system.
Topics like domestic violence, K9 crime analysis, forensics, arson and police use of force will be presented by professionals to participants looking to understand the law enforcement process.
Classes will meet Tuesdays and some Thursdays April 13-June 15, 2022 at Police District 3, 557 S. Newtowne Dr. in Rockford.
Registration information can be found here.
Since the May 2020 killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers, local law enforcement in every city has faced undeniable scrutiny.
This program joins the City of Rockford’s numerous efforts since Floyd’s killing to target racial disparities between black and latinx civilians and police including city-wide listening sessions held by Mayor Tom McNamara, the development of a Citizens Oversight Board and its latest effort, neighborhood workdays focused on outreach and improvement.
While some say there’s a good reason to question police tactics, others say education about the criminal justice system could be one of many solutions.
“The mission of the Citizens Police Academy is to build cooperative relationships between citizens and the police through training and education,” says a statement about the program on the City of Rockford website.
Interested civilians can contact [email protected] with questions about the program.
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