Lindstrom and Chisago City residents will get a chance to experience life behind the badge when the Police Department offers a session of its Citizen’s Police Academy this fall. The program is intended to give insights into modern-day policing through classroom and hands-on training conducted by Lakes Area, North Branch, Wyoming Officers and Chisago County Deputies. The program is free and is open to people who live or work in Chisago City or Lindstrom.

Sessions will involve a wide variety of topics, including an overview of Department operations, a tour of the Police stations, and a review of typical calls for service. Officers will demonstrate drunk driving stops, narcotics identification, criminal investigations, (SWAT) operations. Sessions will also cover firearms, use of force, self-defense techniques, arrests, search and seizure issues, traffic stops, Officer safety, community policing/crime prevention, the new Chisago County Communications Center, and volunteer programs. At the completion of the course, citizens will be given the opportunity to ride along with an Officer during his or her shift.

The academy will meet on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 9:30, starting September 18th, 2013. Classes will end November 6. The academy meets at one of the four law enforcement centers. Applications will be accepted through August 30th, with space limited to 16 people. All participants will be subject to a criminal background check.

Curriculum from the 2012 Academy 

Week 1: September 18th from 1830-2130
Location: Government Center, Jail, Communications Center 

-Sheriff and Police Chiefs Introduction
-Budgetary information
-Jail procedure and tour
-Communications Center procedure and tour

Week 2: September 25^th from 1830 to 2130
Location: Government Center 

-Patrol Response/strategies (demonstration of traffic stop, approach, procedures, etc)
-Canine presentation
-Legal issues from the attorney’s office

Week 3 and Week 4: Sept. 29 & Oct. 6th from 1830 to 2130 for DWI
EVOD - TBD on a Sunday for EVOC depending on availability
Location:LAPD Chisago Lakes School lot

-EVOC   - ½ class, (driving course in squad with officer, drive through serpentine, backing, decision making)
-DWI   - ½ class, (FST’s by citizens, golf cart with and without drunk goggles)

Week 5 and Week 6: Oct. 16^th & Oct. 23rd from 1830 to 2130
Location: Wyoming Police Department

-Shoot/Don’t shoot  - ½ class (lazer shooting machine)
-Defense tactics/deadly force   - ½ class

Week 7: October 30^th from 1830-2130       
Location: North Branch Police Department

-Officer involved shooting
-Investigations
-Crime scene processing

Week 8: November 6th from 1830 to 2130
Location: Government Center

-Chaplin, Reserve and Volunteer opportunities
-Picture presentation of academy participants
-Graduation with coffee/cake 

This is the proposed curriculum for the academy and subject to change as needed.

For further information contact Chief Kevin Stenson at 651-257-0622 or via email at chief@lakesareapd.com.

Go to the Forms page to download the application forms.