The Austin Police Department (APD) is currently accepting applications for its Community Police Academy (CPA). The program makes a return following its suspension because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative is a crucial aspect of APD's community outreach efforts, providing citizens with an immersive insight into police operations.
The academy's reestablishment comes with an anticipated timeline. APD said classes will begin in Spring 2024. According to Austin CBS affiliate KEYE News, Austin Retired Officers’ Association president Dennis Farris said the academy allows citizens to get up close and personal with the people who swore to serve and protect them.
Farris emphasised on one key aspect of this program. Farris told KEYE that transparency is one of the program’s goals. "It pulls back the curtain and it shows the Austin police department doesn’t have anything to hide from anybody," he said, according to the station.
The news source delved deeper into the academy's storied past and impact so far. KEYE reported that the academy more than three decades ago gave Austin the distinction of being one of the first cities in Texas to host one, and it Farris himself led the initiative from 2008 to 2011. Citing APD’s website, the station reported that nearly 2,800 community members have graduated from 101 classes as of December 2019.