Want to learn about being a cop without becoming a cop?

The Park City Police Department is accepting applications for the third class of the Citizen Academy, an 11-week program that introduces civilians to numerous issues related to police work.

Terry Knechtel, a Park City police officer who oversees the Citizen Academy, said the people who are selected for the program learn a new perspective on law enforcement.

“It gives the citizens an idea of what the law enforcement does in the community,” Knechtel said, noting that the people in previous classes have asked numerous questions about the duties of a police officer and what duties are not within the realm of police work.

Some of the topics that are scheduled to be covered in the Citizen Academy include the intricacies of traffic stops, officer safety, the factors that influence whether an officer uses force and how the police go about building searches. There will also be a demonstration using police dogs and a visit to a firing range that will enable the people in the Citizen Academy to test the Police Department’s guns.

The Citizen Academy sessions are scheduled on Wednesdays between May 4 and July 13 from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m. each week. An all-day Saturday session, tentatively scheduled June 18, will address police weaponry.

People selected for the Citizen Academy must be U.S. citizens, at least 18 years old and residents of Park City or surrounding Summit County. They must not have a criminal record other than minor traffic violations and must submit to a background check. They also must sign waivers.

Knechtel said up to 15 people will be accepted into the Citizen Academy.

The application deadline is April 15. Applications are available at the Park Avenue police station or on City Hall’s website. Select the ‘Citizen Academy’ link under the News section on the front page of the website.

Applications are considered on a first-come, first-served basis.

People may drop off the applications at the police station, 2060 Park Ave. or mail them to the Police Department. The address is:

Park City Police Department

Care of officer Terry Knechtel

2060 Park Ave.

Park City, Utah

84060

For more information, contact Knechtel through the Police Department’s dispatch number, 615-5500.