Campus News

Register for the 2023 Citizens Police Academy

citizens police academy graduates standing and smiling for a group photo

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 30, 2023) The University of Kentucky Police Department invites members of the community to participate in this year’s Citizens Police Academy (CPA). Through the program, individuals will gain a deeper understanding of law enforcement and the department’s various roles at UK. 

CPA topics include criminal procedures, polygraphs, K-9 operations, self-defense, crisis management and preparedness and more. 

The fall 2023 CPA session will begin on Monday, Sept. 25, and graduation will take place Monday, Dec. 11. This session’s classes are held every Monday evening for 10 weeks from 6-8 p.m.  

Please note: there will be no class the week of Thanksgiving on Nov. 20.  

The mission of the Citizens Police Academy is to foster a more cohesive relationship between law enforcement officers and the campus community. Graduates will be able to share knowledge gained with others in the community, thereby helping others become more familiar with police practices. The academy is open to anyone inside or outside of the university who is 18 years or older with no prior felony convictions. This includes students, employees and the public.  

Registration for the Citizens Police Academy is open now and enrollment is based on a first-come, first-served basis. To register please go here. To find more information about the Citizens Police Academy visit the website 

Course material will be presented through lectures, audio-visual aids and interactive scenarios. Prospective participants will be expected to complete a course application and submit to an electronic background check. 

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.   

In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.