The Monterey Park Police Department will be hosting its 21 Citizens Academy beginning Thursday, September 22, 2011. The 11-week program meets every Thursday from 6:15 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and will conclude on Thursday, December 8, 20111. Citizens Academy is an exciting, dynamic and informative course that meets once a week for eleven weeks. It is designed to provide residents and non-residents an interactive, hands-on, comprehensive overview of the Monterey Park Police Department and the City. Classes include an introduction to the Detective Bureau, K-9 units, Patrol Procedures, and other various department programs. Students from the recent graduating class had this to say: “Lots of good information about home protection and emergency preparedness. The fact that we had the opportunity to learn difficulties and dangers of the police officers job was enlightening.”

Members of the public who are interested in participating in the Citizens Academy class may pick up applications from the Monterey Park Police Department Community Relations Bureau at 320 West Newmark Avenue, Monterey Park. Participants may also call (626) 307-1215 and request to have a Citizens Academy application mailed to them. The minimum age of participants is 16 years; minors under the age of 18 years must have a signed parental consent form on file. Participants cannot have any felony convictions, be on parole or probation, or have been arrested for a misdemeanor within the past year. For further information or to have an application mailed to you, please contact Agent John Rojas at (626) 307-1216 or any other member of the Community Relations Bureau at (626) 307-1215.