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Ogden’s Citizens Police Academy prepares residents to see police work up close; department invites new class
Summary
Ogden Police described its free seven‑week Citizens Police Academy, which includes hands‑on modules with dispatch, tactical teams, jail tours and defensive tactics. The department said the spring session starts March 6 and encouraged applications, including reserved slots for dispatchers.
City outreach staff on Feb. 4 described the Ogden Police Department’s Citizens Police Academy and invited residents to enroll in the spring session beginning March 6.
Diana Lopez, community outreach coordinator for Ogden Police, said the free seven‑week program meets one evening per week with a Saturday session and includes classroom instruction and hands‑on opportunities such as defensive tactics, simulated traffic stops, dispatch center briefings, a jail tour and a virtual simulator. “It’s a 7 week program, 1 evening a week,” Lopez said, noting the spring session will start Thursday, March 6.
Lopez said the program reserves several spots for dispatchers so they can see the outcomes of calls they handle, and she described the academy as a way to build community relationships and address misinformation about law enforcement by showing the profession’s “hows and whys.” She said the academy has run 13 times since 2017 and nearly 200 participants have completed it, including mayors, council members, clergy, teachers and criminal‑justice students.
Video and participant comments shown during the presentation emphasized that the program is both instructional and experiential; participants may observe or participate in hands‑on elements depending on comfort level. Lopez said the department will continue to offer the academy at no cost and that residents can contact the community outreach office to apply or request the agenda.
No formal action was required; presenters solicited applications for the upcoming session and encouraged council members to participate or share information.
