Applications are available at the Norwich Police Department for Citizen Police Academy, a free, six-week program. Completed applications may be returned in person, by mail or by email to info@norwichpd.org. For more information, call the Norwich Police Department at 607-334-1212.

NORWICH — What happens after a call for help reaches the police? How do officers decide when an arrest is necessary, and when it isn’t? What goes into collecting evidence, building a case or deciding how much force a situation allows?

Residents who have wondered can learn more this fall through the City of Norwich Police Department’s Citizen Police Academy, a free, six-week program offering a look at how local officers train, investigate and serve. Applications are being accepted through the end of the day Friday, Oct. 9, and class size is limited.

Classes begin Wednesday, Oct. 14, and meet Wednesday nights from 6 to 8 p.m. at the City of Norwich Police Station, 18 E. Main St. The academy is open to people who live or work in Chenango County.

Applications are available at the police department. Completed applications may be returned in person, by mail or by email to info@norwichpd.org. For more information, call the Norwich Police Department at 607-334-1212.

NPD Detective Samuel Stratton said the program gives residents a look at how a call is handled from start to finish.

“We look forward to meeting members of our community and building stronger relationships through education, communication, and understanding,” he said.

The course covers criminal law and procedure, investigations, evidence collection, community policing, professional standards and sex offender laws. Participants will also see a Taser and can participate in a use-of-force demonstration, and the program offers optional reality-based training. This year’s classes will also introduce participants to new additions to the department including a drone and K9 unit.

“People have an expectation for police, so we like to show them what we do every single day whenever a call comes in and how it goes from beginning to end,” Stratton said.

Plans for that session included classroom discussions and hands-on scenarios involving mock traffic stops, DWI investigations, searches and the arrest process. Stratton said de-escalation was an important focus and that the department’s goal on a call was to resolve the problem, not necessarily to arrest someone.

Stratton said past classes had drawn teachers, doctors, people in recovery and a retired police officer in his 70s who wanted to see how the job had changed. He said participants were often surprised by how much the course covered.