Be the eyes and ears of your community with Citizens Academies

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — Police departments throughout southeast Michigan are getting ready to hold Citizens Academies.

Some of the topics covered include police patrol, dispatch communication, use of K-9 dogs, traffic crash investigations, equipment police officers use on a daily basis and crime scene forensics.

It’s also a way for community members to learn how to be the eyes and ears of their neighborhoods.

“If you’re not part of the solution, all you get is a band-aid after the fact,” said Ron Mesic.

He took the Warren Police Department’s Citizen Academy classes last fall. Mesic says he feels it’s the best way for people to help their local police departments.

"Police can respond to a call, if you want to have proactive and preemptive protection you have to be engaged,” Mesic said.

Here is a list of local Citizens Academies happening this summer:

Birmingham Police Department: Runs April 30 through June 3. Classes are on Tuesdays and on some Thursday nights from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Bloomfield Township Police Department: Runs June 25 through July 23 on Tuesdays. Starts at 6 p.m. and ends at 9 p.m. To participate, email CRO@BloomfieldTwp.org

Warren Police Department: Working on setting up times for late summer now. If interested, call the department at 586-574-4700

Classes have already wrapped for the year for the Ann Arbor Police Department, Walled Lake Police Department, Waterford PD and Midland.

Warren Police Commissioner Bill Dwyer says people should contact their local police departments to see when Citizens Academy classes are held. He says if the police department you call does not have one, you should try to talk to the police chief to express your interest.

You can also see if you can join a Citizens Academy in a neighboring community – both Warren Police and Bloomfield Township Police take people from outside their community. However, Bloomfield Township Police make residents a first priority.

The Shelby Township Police Department is running its first every Youth Academy this summer. Applications are now being accepted.