The Lombard Police Department invites citizens living or working in Lombard to participate in its 31st Citizen’s Police Academy, beginning September 7, 2021. The academy provides an understanding of modern police procedures and the challenges officers face.
Citizen's Police Academy Application
The program provides a free opportunity for citizens to meet members of the Lombard Police force, while gaining a hands-on experience of police work. Classes will be taught by Lombard officers and cover topics including traffic stops, firearm training, search and seizure laws, defensive tactics training, police dog protocols and training, as well as other hands-on instruction. The free classes will take place Tuesday nights, 7 to 9:30 p.m., over a ten-week period, beginning September 7, 2021.
Applications are available for printing online at and are available for pick up at Lombard Village Hall, 255 E. Wilson Ave. Class size is limited and citizens may contact Jennifer Wetzel at (630) 873-4462 or email with any questions.
About the Lombard Citizens Police Academy
Since 1997, seventeen sessions of the Lombard Police Department Citizens Police Academy have been taught with 166 graduates to date. The purpose of the Citizens Police Academy is to inform members of our community on the various aspects of the police department and to give them a better understanding of how the police department works. The course curriculum contains a condensed version of basic police training with practical exercises.
Those participating in the academy attended classes and lectures taught by members of the department. The extensive curriculum included lectures on community-oriented policing, crime prevention, laws of arrest, search and seizure, domestic violence and investigations to name a few. Those attending also participated in firearms training, traffic enforcement, police defensive tactics and police ride along. Classes for the academy are held one day a week for ten weeks, concluding with a graduation.
"Citizens Police Academies" have been used nationwide by numerous police departments. They report outstanding results in gaining citizen support. As a result, graduates of the academy act as representatives for gaining community support for their police departments and enhance the community policing efforts to reduce crime and fear of crime.