East Grand Rapids, Michigan, Aug. 6, 2019 – The City of East Grand Rapids Public Safety Department invites community members to sign up for its free eight-week Citizen Public Safety Academy.
Scheduled between Labor Day and Thanksgiving of this year, the academy is designed to provide citizens with the basic knowledge and understanding of how the department operates, give an opportunity to meet the men and women who serve the community and create an engaging environment where citizens can work with the members of the public safety. The program will also cover the department’s role in the community as well as the issues and challenges of law enforcement in today’s society.
The academy will take the form of lectures, demonstrations, hands-on experiences, presentations and videos. There will be no formal testing or evaluations. Participants should note they will not be granted law enforcement powers through the program.
Topics include:
- Meet the Chief
- Medical response and procedures
- Fire and marine response and protocols
- Active shooter response in today’s society
- Force-on-force scenario training
- Firearm familiarization
- Traffic stops
- Criminal investigative procedures
- Laws of arrest, search and seizure, Miranda rights
“In an ever-changing world, this academy will offer insight into law enforcement while encouraging productive discussions between our department and the community,” said Chief Mark Herald. “Our goal is to offer participants an in-depth look at the complex nature of public safety.
“This program will offer those who live and work in East an opportunity to gain accurate knowledge that will help both our residents and officers create stronger relationships. We’re very excited to introduce this academy to the community and look forward to the continued dialogue this program will foster.”
Held at the EGR Department of Public Safety, 770 Lakeside Dr. SE, the academy will run from Sept. 18 through Nov. 6 on Wednesday evenings from 6 to 9 p.m. and is completely free of charge.
To apply for the program, please visit eastgr.org/citizenacademy, complete the forms and return to Public Safety. All applicants must be 21 years of age, live or work in the City of EGR and have neither any felony convictions nor misdemeanor convictions in the past three years.
For additional information about the academy, please contact Eric Conklin at econklin@eastgr.org or 616.949.7010 ext. 695.
For more information on East Grand Rapids, visit www.eastgr.org. Follow the City on Twitter @cityofeastgr and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CityofEGR.
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