Mifflin County Regional Police Department

13225 Ferguson Valley Road

Yeagertown PA, 17099

Week 1.  Introduction to the “Citizen’s Police Academy” by the Chief of Police. The Chief will give a brief overview of what the Citizen’s Police Academy is about and what we hope to accomplish. The Chief will then explain what steps an applicant goes through to be hired as a police officer with our department. He will then explain Act 120 and the training recruits receive at the municipal police training academy. The M.C.R.P.D. Field Training Officer Program will also be discussed.

Week 2.  Narcotics/Community Policing – This block of instruction will show students the various types of illegal drugs available on the streets in our community, so they may recognize and identify them if they see them. The students will learn where drugs are often hidden, signs of usage and the amount of illegal drug activity in our community.

Community Policing is a philosophy where police and community form partnerships to fight crime and improve the quality of life. The community service officer will explain how this concept works and point to community policing successes in our community.

Week 3.  Crime Scene Identification- This block if instruction will cover techniques used in processing a crime scene, evidence identification and tagging, lifting of fingerprints and where the evidence goes once it’s packaged. The student will lift fingerprints using appropriate techniques learned in the classroom.

Week 4.  Criminal Investigation / Communications- A criminal investigator will give an overview and examples of how major crimes are investigated. Interviews and interrogations will be explained, Miranda rights, obtaining warrants and the value of good witnesses will also be discussed.

A dispatcher from Mifflin County Emergency Services will explain how calls for service are taken from citizens, the necessity of the dispatcher for asking questions and the prioritizing of calls. Actual emergency calls will be played for the students.

Week 5.  Traffic Stops / D.U.I – The students will be shown how to perform a traffic stop, using a patrol vehicle properly. Student will be shown proper police tactics. Time allowing, students will be allowed to stop another vehicle in a mock situation on M.C.R.P.D. Property and make driver contact.

Students will learn the current D.U.I. Law and how it applies. Students will be presented the “Fatal Vision” Program, and will learn how to administer a field sobriety test. The P.B.T. will also be demonstrated.

Week 6.  Use of Force / Shoot, don’t Shoot- Students will be shown the force continuum and how to determine how much force a police officer is allowed to use in addition to the variables that exist. Students will be taught when police officers can use deadly force and the court cases that apply. Students will then be placed in the role of police officers in mock shoot, don’t shoot situations which will cause them to make a decision to use deadly force or not.

Week 7.  D.A.R.E. / School Resource Officer Program-  The school resource Officer will explain the principles of the drug resistance classes being presented in our elementary schools. SRO will review the history of school based policing and talk about the success of the S.R.O. Program in the Mifflin County School District.

Week 8.  Search and Seizure / Crime Prevention- Students will learn how the 4^th amendment affects law enforcement.

Students will learn the value of such programs as neighborhood watch, how to recognize crimes in progress, how to secure your home and how the student can best help the police.

Week 9.  Critique / Graduation – The students will be given a critique sheet to evaluate the academy program. A formal graduation will then be conducted with a guest speaker and the students receiving their certificates. An academy photo will be taken with students and instructors.  Additional photos will be taken for local media release.