Citizen Police Academy
The Citizen Police Academy (CPA) brings together citizens and law enforcement officers to improve their community. Its main goal is to teach people in Draper about how the police department is set up and what it does. The CPA offers a series of classes that give residents a close look at the Draper Police Department. The program believes that if citizens are well-informed about the police, they will be more supportive of officers and the department. This support then helps them be more active in their own communities.
CPA Classes
The eight-week CPA course meets every Thursday evening for three hours on dates from August to September. Classes are held in the City Council room at City Hall, located at 1020 E Pioneer Rd.
An application link for the 2027 CPA will be posted here when it is available, typically in July.
Because there are not many spots, the Draper Citizens Police Academy is only for people who live in Draper City or work there. Residents of Draper City will be given priority. If you do not live in Draper City, you should contact your local police department to see if they offer a similar program.
Topics covered in the CPA class include:
* How the Draper Police Department is organized and structured
* Information on how officers are recruited and trained
* Introductions to the different divisions of the Draper PD and what they do (such as Patrol, Traffic, Investigations, Crime Scene, SWAT, and Firearms)
* How police use force and their legal responsibilities
Hands-on activities include:
* Activities related to traffic
* Practicing how to respond to domestic violence calls
* "A Day-in-the-Life" situations and how to respond to different calls
* Practicing testifying in court
* SWAT training, firearms practice, and shooting
Instructors are police officers with special skills and knowledge about the topics they teach. CPA class members also get to spend four hours observing police patrol work by riding along with an officer. On the last day of class, members participate in a formal graduation ceremony and receive a certificate. After graduating, citizens can join the Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS) or Citizens Assisting Police (CAPS) program.