MOOSE JAW — If you’ve ever been interested in how the Moose Jaw Police Service functions — or just wanted to fire a gun at its indoor range — then an upcoming education program is for you.
The agency will give residents an inside look at the organization by holding a series of lectures and demonstrations in April as part of a Citizens’ Policy Academy. The course will run one day per week for four weeks, and once completed, participants can join an officer for a ride-along.
The topics on which the course will focus include the K-9 unit, the criminal investigation section, the tactical response team (TRT), the Police and Crisis Team (PACT), Victim Services and using firearms such as handguns, shotguns and rifles.
Applicants must be at least 19 years old and must submit a criminal record check. This event will be free to all residents who are selected as participants.
Residents interested in the academy should contact Staff Sgt. Taylor Elder at telder@mjpolice.ca before Friday, March 31.
The Moose Jaw Police Service held these citizen-focused police academies in the past — and people enjoyed them greatly — but the pandemic put a pause on the activities, Elder told the Express. However, the organization believes it’s now safe to restart the initiative.
“It’s always good to show our citizens what we do. And then that way they can have insights into what the police are doing when they’re doing and why they’re doing it,” he stated.
Elder was born in Moose Jaw and participated in a citizens’ police academy when he was younger, which solidified his opinion that policing was a career for him.
The police are looking to fill 20 spots in the academy, although if there is more interest, the agency could hold another course in the fall. Therefore, this spring session will be a test run since it will also allow the agency to gauge participants’ interest in the six topics.
If people are uninterested in some areas or more interested in others, the police service will change the program in the future.
“It’s not set in stone. We’ll be pretty flexible and see what works for people,” said Elder.
Anyone can apply to attend, from people who have no interest in policing as a job but just want an inside look to people who have their hearts set on becoming a cop, he continued. Meanwhile, the organization usually holds a police academy in the fall, specifically for high school students.
“We’re always looking to hire good people. We’re in the middle of a hiring process right now, so it might be a good chance for somebody who might be looking at policing as a career to come in and get a behind-the-scenes look at what policing looks like,” Elder added.
For more information, email Elder or call 306-694-7600.
