Lemoore's Citizens' Academy leads to safer community

Members of the 2014 Lemoore Police Citizens' Academy following graduation.
Members of the 2014 Lemoore Police Citizens' Academy following graduation.

The 18th Lemoore Police Department Citizens' Academy, a group of local residents interested in helping keep Lemoore safe, passed their Academy courses with flying colors and graduated on September 3 at the Lemoore Police Department. Chief of Police Darrell Smith presented certificates of completion to the enthusiastic graduates.

Members of this year’s graduating class - Lemoore’s 18th - include Ricky G. Aguigui, Gabriel Borba, Glen Burkett, Kevin Chesser, Don Corder, Estaleen Dennison, Michael Fite, Brandy Hudson, Elizabeth Huerta, David Mansfield, Ruben Molina, Mark Rogers II, Paul Santiago, and Casey Stidham.

The Citizens' Academy Program began in 1996 when the city was awarded a law enforcement grant. The department established the course in March, 1997, and the very first class graduated on July 15. The Lemoore Citizens' Police Academy is an eight-week course, comprised of at least one three-hour meeting one night per week.

The Citizens' Academy is designed to give members of the community a better understanding of the criminal justice system. Participants receive classroom training on a variety of criminal justice topics ranging from crime prevention to the judicial system. All members of the Citizens' Academy participated in a ride-along with a police officer which exposed them to their daily operational duties.

If you would like to be a graduate of the Citizens' Academy, call Ray Fratus at 925-6877 for information about future classes.

Comments powered by Disqus