The Aberdeen, Hoquiam and Cosmopolis Police departments are inviting residents to participate in the 2025 West County Police Citizens Academy.

The Academy will be held every Tuesday night from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. starting Jan. 14. In addition to Tuesday evenings, there are tentatively two Saturday classes scheduled. Classes will be held primarily at the Aberdeen Police Department.

The deadline to apply is Dec. 20, however, space is limited to 20 participants. Those interested are encouraged to apply early.

The Citizens Academy is a 12-week program designed to give residents a working knowledge of your Police Departments. Each week different areas of the departments are covered, including:

Patrol officer recruitment, hiring and training

Police ethics, citizen complaints and internal affairs

Patrol operations and procedures. How they respond to calls, routine and emergent

Emergency vehicle operations course

K-9

Traffic enforcement

Responding to Persons in Crisis

Investigations division overview to include discussions on child abuse, gangs and polygraph

Corrections

The courts

Special response teams

Use of force

Firearms training (a day at the police firing range

The instruction is comprehensive, and you’ll have the opportunity to ask lots of questions. Instruction consists of lectures, scenarios, demonstrations and tours. There will be plenty of hands-on time for each student. Instructors include Aberdeen, Hoquiam and Cosmopolis officers and other personnel, who will cover their individual areas of expertise.

During or following the Citizens Academy, you will have the opportunity to ride with an officer for a three-hour period. This can be scheduled at a time that is convenient for you.

Candidates for the Citizens Academy must fill out an application and be at least 18 years old, live in Aberdeen, Hoquiam or Cosmopolis, have no felony record, convictions for misdemeanor crimes of moral turpitude or domestic violence.

Questions? Contact Lt. Jeff Weiss at 360-533-4100 ext. 7017 or jweiss@aberdeenwa.gov.

Part of the Citizens Academy course includes a day at the firing range.

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