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Mount Vernon Police outlines Citizens Police Academy to start March; department seeks 10–15 participants
Summary
The police department presented a proposed Citizens Police Academy to run March–June with twice‑monthly sessions and ride‑along opportunities; the program is free, aimed at community engagement, and council members were invited to provide early feedback.
Sergeant Nick Murda, the department’s community engagement sergeant, presented a proposal for a Citizens Police Academy intended to help residents learn police operations, meet officers and see demonstrations of equipment and training.
Murda described the class schedule as four months long with sessions twice a month (second and last Thursdays) from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., beginning March 13 and concluding June 26. The academy will include a police‑department tour, cruiser and equipment demonstrations, a class on defensive tactics/use‑of‑force with demonstrations, an ESU overview, traffic enforcement and drug interdiction, and a session featuring spouses of officers to discuss family impacts. Ride‑along opportunities will be available to academy participants; Murda advised participants to vary shift times for broader exposure.
The department plans no fee for participants, a simple background check, a liability waiver, and a certificate on completion. Murda said the department prefers the first two sessions to include council members and other city officials to gather critiques and improve the program before wider rollout. He expressed a target enrollment of 10–15 participants but said the class could expand if demand warrants.
Murda described some demonstrations that would be part of training (baton training on a bag, defensive tactics demonstrations) and said taser exposure for participants would not be allowed; participants might see a demonstration with a volunteer or certified instructor. He also said staff hope to provide polos with “Mount Vernon Police Academy — Citizen” wording for participants.
Council members praised the engagement focus and thanked Sergeant Murda for the work; staff said sign‑up information and an application are available through the police department and that applicants with certain recent felony convictions would be screened out during the background check process.
The presentation was informational; no formal action was required. Staff encouraged council members who are interested to join the early sessions for critique and feedback.
