Citizen Police Academy

Community Services

Citizen Police Academy

The Northampton Police Department's Citizen Police Academy (CPA) is a program designed to enhance citizen understanding of the role and function of the police department. The Citizen Police Academy is an excellent opportunity for community members to better understand the inner-workings of the police department and to meet the talented and professional women and men of the Northampton Police Department.

Program Description

The Citizen Police Academy is an eight-week course that meets one night once a week for three (3) hours. The course includes lectures, class discussions, demonstrations, and hands-on opportunities for class participants.

Class Instructors

The course is instructed by police administrators, supervisors, detectives, and officers from the Northampton Police Department. We also have instructors who are dispatchers from the Northampton Public Safety center.

Course Topics

Recruitment and Training
Communications and Dispatch
Tours of the police station and dispatch center
Patrol Procedures and Traffic Stops
Bike Patrol and Foot Patrol
Motor Vehicle Law including radar/lidar and OUI
City Ordinance Violations
Juvenile Offenders
Domestic Violence and Restraining Orders
Sex Crimes and Sex Offender Registration
Use of Force
Detective Bureau and Criminal Investigations
Search and Seizure
Narcotics
Crime Scene Services and Forensics
Death Investigation

Course Time

The 2013 CPA course was held Tuesday evenings from 6:00-9:00 PM from January 15 through March 5, 2013.

Course Location

The CPA is held in the Community Room at the Northampton Police Department, 29 Center Street, Northampton, MA.

Qualifications

Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and must pass a background check. Preference will be given to Northampton residents. Three seats will be held for high school students who are under 18 years of age but who exhibit exceptional maturity and interest in the field of law enforcement.

Applications

We ARE NOT currently accepting applications. The 2014 CPA has not been scheduled. Typically we schedule the program and begin accepting applications in October. Applications are available in the lobby of the police station or at the following link:

CPA APPLICATION