Citizens Academy

ELKHART POLICE DEPARTMENT CITIZENS ACADEMY

“Through Education Comes Empowerment”

The Elkhart Police Department, through its continued commitment to effective policing, has found that education is the most effective way of gaining understanding and support from the community. Through the implementation of the Citizens Police Academy, the Elkhart Police Department offers its citizens new insight as to how police officers perform their law enforcement duties. Additionally, we hope to enlighten the community as to the various problems we encounter while serving them.      

The Citizens Academy is an eight (8) week program where citizens attend two and one half hour (2 ½) classes, one night each week. The classes are instructed by Elkhart Police Department personnel who have developed the curriculum, which includes, but is not limited to, CID Investigations, SWAT, K9, Defensive Tactics, Professional Standards, Crime Scene Investigations, and the Emergency 911 Communications Center. During the academy, participants will receive information and demonstrations on how the different divisions of the police department work. At the end of the academy, participants are encouraged to participate in a ride-along with an on-duty officer to see how everything they have learned can be applied.

It is not the intent of the Citizens Academy to recruit or guide individuals into a career of law enforcement. It is, however, our intent to provide all attendees with basic information to increase their knowledge of how the police department operates on a daily basis. It is also our intent to educate, sometimes entertain, and, most importantly, bring the citizens of our community closer together. With this simple philosophy, we hope to foster a better understanding and establish a friendship between the law enforcement community and the citizens we serve.

The Citizens Academy is scheduled for Tuesday nights from 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM starting on April 21, 2026, and going through June 9, 2026.  Anyone interested in participating in this educational experience must complete an application and release, which is available on our website or at the front desk of the Elkhart Police Department (175 Waterfall Drive, Elkhart, Indiana 46516). Applications will be taken until April 10, 2026, and class size is limited to the first 20 approved applications. 

Any questions or please contact Jessica McBrier at 574-389-4701 or Jessica.mcbrier@cityofelkhartin.gov.