Belvidere Police Department holds graduation for Citizen’s Police Academy

BELVIDERE – On Feb. 24, the Belvidere Police Department graduated 15 members from the Citizen’s Police Academy.
Originally started in 1998, the seven-session academy is an informative look at modern day policing practices within the Belvidere Police Department.
The following topics were covered: department structure, how officers are hired, traffic enforcement, deadly force, crime scene investigations, volunteers in police service program, K9 demonstration, gangs, and drugs.
Guest speakers at the graduation ceremony included Belvidere Mayor Mike Chamberlain, Police Chief Jan Noble, Deputy Chief Tony Martin and Officer John Fish. Graduates indicated their appreciation to the Belvidere Police Department for taking the time to educate them on all facets of police operations.
This seven week course is an excellent example of another community policing initiative in Belvidere and is also a prerequisite to becoming a Volunteer in Police Service (VIPS).