Citizen police academy accepts applications for February

Published 1:30 am Sunday, December 25, 2016

Meet the men and women who protect the city, ride in the squad car — without handcuffs, thankfully — and visit dead bodies, the 911 dispatch center and the Kitsap clinker.

The Bainbridge Island Police Department’s free Citizens’ Police Academy is coming up in February. Offered once a year, it’s a chance for locals to see how the police department functions and better understand the types of challenges that officers face daily. Classes are 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday evenings from Feb. 8 through Apr. 26, with two additional Saturday sessions.

Doug Hansmann, who took the class with his wife Nancy in 2011, says he thoroughly enjoyed the lectures, which covered a broad spectrum of police activities from elder abuse to forensic chemistry.

“My personal favorite field trips were the hands-on firearm practice in the pistol range and the tour of the Kitsap County Jail,” Hansmann added. “Each week, you’ll be introduced to new topics and new speakers. You will finish the course with a new appreciation and respect for our police department.”

Applications are being accepted on a first-come, first-served basis with class size limited to 20 students. Call the department at 206-842-5211 to obtain an application or visit www.ci.bainbridge-isl.wa.us/135/Citizens- Academy.

For more information, contact Officer Carla Sias at csias@bainbridgewa.gov.