Starting this March, the Nicholasville Police Department is partnering with Jessamine County Schools to house its Citizens Police Academy on the Jessamine Career and Technology Campus.

Previously held at Lockmaster in Jessamine County, the program will now be at the 871 Wilmore Road campus. It is scheduled to run between eight to 10 weeks and will offer those who attend a chance to see the ins and outs of every division in the police department.

“The program walks citizens through the different divisions of the police department and what we do, not only day-to-day but long-term as well,” Public Information Officer Kevin Grimes said.

“The program is designed for the public to have a better understanding of what law enforcement does.”

The new agreement with Jessamine County Schools will allow the program to be run from March to May annually with facility usage fees waived since the program will be in the evening during custodial hours and will have no additional cost to the district.

“Jessamine County Schools has a strong ongoing partnership with local law enforcement and I am pleased to expand that relationship by offering our community a location for the Citizens Police Academy,” Superintendent Matt Moore said. “Our school resource officers and local law enforcement work regularly with students in our criminal justice program at Jessamine Career and Technology College, and this school location is a great fit for the Citizen’s Police Academy.”

Grimes said the department has offered more than 20 classes through the years but had recently paused the program with the hopes of revamping it to reflect all the things that have changed in policing over the course of the past 10 years since the program was first offered.

“We like to have a class of 25,” Grimes said. “Lots of times media, social media and other things tend to show a one-sided view. This gives you behind-the-scenes looks versus just the one-sided view of what you see on television and mainstream media in general.”

Grimes said, currently, they are looking to offer the class either on Tuesdays or Thursdays from 6:30 to 9 p.m. and will try to adjust the time if needed to accommodate everyone’s schedules. He said the new location at JCTC allows the program to be centrally located for those who wish to attend.

Nicholasville Police Chief Todd Justice urges the community to get involved and attend the course.

“It gives the community a chance to see what we are all about,” Justice said. “With the media and social media that is going on today, sometimes police are held in a bad light and the Citizens Police Academy shows the community what we are all about and what we have to offer to them.”

For more information on the Citizens Police Academy, call the Nicholasville Police Department at 859-885-9468, or email Kevin Grimes at kevin.grimes@nicholasville.org