Those curious about the internal workings of the city’s police force are in luck.
Starting March 7, the Chattanooga Police Department will once again host its Citizens Police Academy to give civilians a better understanding of local law enforcement and the criminal justice system.
Over the course of nine weeks, participants will hear from representatives from the Victim Services Unit, Crisis Intervention Team, Crime Prevention office, S.W.A.T. and more to learn about the realities of police culture.
“People are often shocked that what you see on TV is not the whole case, and they’re actually surprised at everything we have to go through to do one case,” said Sgt. Wayne Jefferson, with the Office of Community Outreach. “Overall, even people that come through who didn’t like police leave with a positive attitude.”
Part of the academy’s goal is to foster a more understanding relationship between police and the community, said CPD spokeswoman Elisa Myzal. As such, each class is an open forum, with plenty of opportunity for participants to ask questions of law enforcement personnel.