The Lufkin Police Department is now accepting applications for the 2018 Clergy And Police Alliance (CAPA) program.  This program is designed for local members of the clergy and civic leaders to better understand the issues and situations that police officers face each day.   

The Lufkin Police Department will sponsor this academy, free of charge, to members of the clergy and select civic leaders in which they will be instructed in criminal law, arrest powers, search and seizure laws, department policies and procedures, use of force, criminal investigations, traffic law, accident investigations, narcotics investigations, special operations, the judicial process, as well as interactive use with firearms and firearms safety, use of force simulator, mock traffic stops and building searches, in addition to many other areas of law enforcement.

This academy will be held on Tuesday nights from 6:00 PM till 9:00 PM for 14 weeks.  Upon completion of the academy, graduates will be able to ride with and observe our patrol officers perform their duties.  Through this interaction with each other, our officers and the graduates will have a better understanding of the roles that each other perform in our society.

Our spiritual and civic leaders will have an opportunity to experience a part of our society with which they may be unfamiliar, or perhaps through their training and experiences offer a different perspective or resolution to the non-criminal problems that our officers respond to every day.  Through mutual communication and understanding of responsibilities it may become possible to pool our resources to arrive at alternative solutions to situations that require repetitive police presence.  By working side by side and sharing experiences with each other, the police, clergy and civic leaders will build a relationship based upon communication, trust, and confidence in each other’s ability to resolve common issues to the benefit of all the citizens of Lufkin, especially in times of emergencies or crisis in our community.

Applications are available at the Lufkin Police Department and must be submitted by 6:00 PM on January 11, 2018.  If you have any questions concerning the CAPA program, please contact Lt. Jerry Smith at the Lufkin Police Department at (936) 630-0508 or e-mail at jsmith@cityoflufkin.com.

More From Classic Rock Q107