Reasons Why You Should Attend the Binghamton Citizen’s Police Academy

by Sam Gilroy

The Citizen Police Academy is a new program being offered in the Greater Binghamton area for people who are interested in learning more about what officers have to do on a daily basis.

If you’re skeptical about whether or not it’s for you, here are just a few of reasons why you should go…

1.) It will Forever Humanize Police Officers for You
The sight of a cop car driving by may make you nervous, but that’s because we forget that they’re just humans. If you do this program, it will help keep things into perspective for you. They’re not a different species; a police officer is a person like you.

2.) You will Learn Skills You’d Never Learn Otherwise
The training that police officers have to go through is much more complex than most people realize. They know how to do things that most regular citizens do not, so if you choose to do this program you could end up learning some of these things too!

3.) The Skills You Learn May Come in Handy Someday
Remember those skills I talked about in the last bullet point? You never know when they may come in handy. You just may end up saving a life someday with them.

4.) You will Actually Go on Patrol with an Officer
This program allows every student who is over 18 years of age to actually go on patrol with an officer. This alone is an opportunity that you may never get again! It’s definitely an experience you’ll never forget.

5.) You’ll Never Look at Your Community the Same Way Again
You will see a side of the community that you never before knew existed. This program will change the way you look at your own hometown. Be it a good or bad realization for you, it’s one that you will only benefit from in the long run.

The CPA is a free course that runs for 10 weeks and highlights the various units within the Police Department. This will include the SWAT, CSI, K-9, and Computer Forensics departments, (among many others.) A current BPD officer will teach each class.
The class will be held every Wednesday night from March 4th to April 6th at 6:30pm to 8:30pm. Each class will be held in the basement of City Hall and is open to all residents. If you are interested in signing for a class, call (607) 772-7093.