Community Programs

Citizen Police Academy

Gaining understanding and support from the community through education…

The Morris County Sheriff’s Citizen Police Academy offers residents an inside look at law enforcement and exposes participants to the daily operational duties of sheriff’s officers. Our interactive program is designed to increase understanding of the various duties performed by members of the Morris County Sheriff’s Office and, through education, serve as a conduit to better communication between citizens and law enforcement.

Classes meet once a week for twelve weeks and culminate with an informal graduation ceremony where each participant is presented with a certificate indicating his/her completion of the program.

Program instruction is provided by members of the Morris County Sheriff’s Office, each highlighting their individual area of expertise, and guest speakers from other law enforcement and professional agencies.

Classes are a mix of lectures and demonstrations and cover such topics as police training, drug trends, crime prevention, K-9, firearms, crime scene processing, and motor vehicle stops. The instruction is comprehensive, covering a different area of law enforcement each week. Citizens will also have the opportunity to take a tour of the new, state-of-the-art Morris County Correctional Facility.

Questions? For more information, contact Officer Moire Reilly at (973) 285-6675.

Quick Facts

Who can participate?

Potential candidates for the Citizen Police Academy must be 18 years of age, have a valid driver’s license, undergo a criminal background check, be a resident of Morris County and be able to attend all classes.
Enrollment is limited to approximately 50 students per session.

When is the Citizen Police Academy offered?

The Morris County Sheriff’s Office will offer its next Citizen Police Academy in the spring of 2009.
Classes meet one evening per week from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Where are classes held?

Classes are held at the Morris County Public Safety Training Academy on Hanover Avenue in Parsippany.

How much will it cost?

There is no fee for the Citizen Police Academy, just a commitment to attend all required classes.

How do I apply?

You can download, print and complete the Application for Enrollment . In order to view it, you will need the freely available Adobe Reader software installed on your computer, version 4 or higher. This is a “fillable form” and may be filled out on your computer. Please note that a fillable form isn’t the same as electronic filing and it is not possible to electronically submit a form—you must print it out after entering the information. Complete instructions are provided on the first page of the application.
All applicants will be notified by mail and telephone of their status.