The Kerrville Police Department honored the 15th Citizen Police Academy graduating class with a special ceremony on Thursday, October 23rd at 6 p.m. at Rails - A Café at the Depot restaurant. The ceremony honored 12 community members who participated in the program.

The Citizen Police Academy is designed to give the public a working knowledge of the Kerrville Police Department through comprehensive classroom instruction, demonstration, tours, and hands-on activities.

Program Coordinators, Officer Paul Gonzales and Sgt. Chuck Bocock, Chief John M. Young Jr., Assistant Chief David Knight, Lieutenants Curtis Thomason, Phil Engstrom, Mary Krebs, and City Manager Todd Parton congratulated the graduates, their friends and family. Each graduate received a certificate of completion along with a class photograph.

"Congratulations, I thank each of you for taking the time to participate in the Citizen Police Academy and for becoming a vital part of the police department and community!" said Police Chief John M. Young Jr., as he addressed the graduating class. Addressing the graduates and guests, Citizen Police Academy graduate and Class President Layna Daugherty said “now we become a vital part of the community through participation in the Kerrville Police Department’s Citizen Police Academy (CPA). As CPA Alumni members, we will continue to support the KPD by participating in monthly meetings, classes and workshops of the Kerrville Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association (KCPAAA) to assist the KPD in “Building Trust and Bridging Gaps” in the community. Events like parade duty, the Blue Santa program, manning the front desk at the department and many other more events are examples in helping make the residents of Kerrville know that they are protected and cared about.”

Applications are now being accepted for the next Citizen Police Academy which starts February 2015, space is limited and class fills up quickly. Find out more about the academy and how to sign up at: www.kerrvilletx.gov/police