Themed Citizen Academies

The Citizens Police Academy is delivered in a series of classes that offer straightforward, candid information regarding daily and specialized operations of the Police Department while defining the agency’s role in the community. While effective community policing is based on relationships built on mutual trust and understanding, the Richmond Police Department opens its doors to the community through our academies and volunteering.

Citizens Academies provide us with an opportunity to involve citizens in the Richmond Police Department’s law enforcement efforts. It gives citizens a working knowledge of the Richmond Police Department’s mission, operation, policies, personnel and challenges. As a result, citizens become more familiar with the day-to-day operations of our police department and the actual role of the police.

Our goal is to provide a better understanding of the Department's operations and philosophies. The curriculum covers a variety of topics that include our Department’s organization, Neighborhood Watch, crime prevention strategies, crime prevention through environmental design and crime analysis. Citizen Academy graduates are eligible for the Neighborhood Assistance Officer and Volunteers in Policing programs, to include sitting on Department Review Boards.

For more information, contact the Community Care Unit at (804) 646-3354 or email RPDCares@richmondgov.com