Citizens Police Academy

The Citizens Police Academy was developed to provide citizens a working knowledge of the North Platte Police Department and the opportunity to interact with members of the North Platte Police Department. It consists of a series of classes held once a week, three hours per class for eight weeks.

The goal of the Citizens Police Academy is to help citizens of our community and surrounding communities of Lincoln County to have a better understanding of how the police work in their community. It is our desire that graduates become partners and help identify problems and provide solutions to the crime issues and assist in detecting crimes that affect our community. Graduates will take the knowledge from these classes to their families, neighbors, schools and their workplace to enhance a better quality of life for the citizens of North Platte.

Citizens who apply for the North Platte Citizens Police Academy must fill out an application, have no felony convictions, no misdemeanor arrests six months prior to the class, and no pending court litigation. A background check of each participant will be completed prior to attending the classes.

Instructors will be from the North Platte Police Department as well as a number of other professional agencies from the North Platte area. Class size is limited to 20 students and classes are held in the evening in the Conference Room at the North Platte Police Department. Participants will have the opportunity to ride along with an officer and will receive instructions in the following areas:

• Department Overview and Tour of the Facility
• Officer Selection and Training
• The Role of Police in the Community
• Communications and 911 Emergency Center
• Patrol Techniques
• Traffic Enforcement Techniques
• DUI Investigation and Testing
• Gangs and Drug Investigations
• Accident Investigation
• Pursuit Driving
• Victim/Witness Services
• Arrest/Defensive Tactics
• Search and Seizure
• Interview and Interrogation
• Polygraph (Lie Detector)
• Evidence Procedures
• Crime Prevention
• D.A.R.E.
• Crime Stoppers
• Firearms
• Domestic Violence
• Child Victim Investigations
• Court System/Criminal Prosecution
• Graduation

Anyone interested in attending an Academy may complete a Citizens Academy Application.