On November 13, 2024, twenty community members celebrated their participation in the Medicine Hat Police Service (MHPS) Citizens’ Police Academy (CPA) with a graduation ceremony.
The CPA is an outreach program intended to provide community members with the opportunity to learn more about their local police service. Through a series of lectures, hands-on learning and practical demonstrations provided by police personnel over eight weeks, participants gained an increased understanding of the MHPS, its role, daily operations, as well as awareness of current policing issues and community safety concerns. The Academy concluded with an official graduation ceremony where participants were presented with a certificate.
The weekly presentations were interactive and intended to provide insight into the diverse nature of policing in Medicine Hat. Topics covered included:
- Overview of police uniformed operations
- Overview of specialty teams including Tactical Arrest and Control Team, Explosive Disposal Unit and Crisis Negotiators
- Major Crime Investigations
- Community Safety Initiatives
- Community partnerships including Police and Crisis Team and Safe Families Intervention Team
- Victim Services
- Employee wellness programs
- Emerging crime trends
- Firearms and Control Tactics
- Canine demonstration
Reflecting on their experience the participants felt that the CPA was “very informative and offered great insight into police work”. One member shared that the “information shared exceeded their expectations: and that “prior to attending they were not aware there were so many different kinds of police units”. Another remarked that while they had “come into the class with a fairly negative view of policing in general, the class helped inform me of the MHPS and has given me confidence in the service and its officers.
The CPA is offered annually in the fall. Anyone interested in participating in the next class can watch for announcements on the MHPS website (mhps.ca). The application process will open in the summer of 2025.
Media Contact:
Sgt. Carissa Witkowski
Training Unit
Medicine Hat Police Service
Ph; 403-952-5642