The Dalton Police Department is now accepting applications for a three-week version of our annual Citizens Police Academy that will be conducted in Spanish. The classes will meet during the evenings of Nov. 1, 8, and 15, from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m.
The department has conducted an annual Citizens Police Academy in the late winter and spring for more than two decades to give Dalton area residents a behind the scenes look at all of the various functions of the agency. This will be the first time that a similar program will be offered in Spanish. Classes will be conducted by Spanish-speaking officers and staff and will teach participants about all aspects of the police department’s operations. The program is part of the agency’s strategic plan to improve communication and cooperation with the community.
“One of the fundamentals of successful policing and crime prevention is the ability of the police to receive cooperation and information during criminal investigations,” said Chief Jason Parker. “Without that trust and support, we are much less effective. In these three weeks, we hope to talk about the basics and remind everyone present that we need to work together to help crime victims and also work together to prevent crime.”
"Reaching every segment of our community helps everyone as a whole,” Chief Parker said. “The fact that we have a sizeable group of people who are non-English speakers creates a barrier of communication with police and all emergency services. Statistics and research show that people generally only report about 40 percent of crime they know about, and that number is even lower in minority communities where they may not be aware of the opportunity to work with the police department to solve and prevent crime. Criminals are aware of that presence and intentionally target these people as victims of robbery, assault, and fraud. Even more concerning to the police department is that the potential exists for organized crime, such as human trafficking, to get a foot-hold. As a community, we should all be concerned about that."
Classes will be held at 114 South Hamilton Street in downtown Dalton. People interested in participating in the class can apply online at www.daltonpd.com/cpa_espanol.