Police Department

On behalf of the Fresno Police Department, I would like to invite those who live or work in the City of Fresno to participate in the Fresno Police Residents’ Academy. This valuable program is offered to enhance the relationship between the Fresno Police Department and the Residents we protect and serve.

The course is not only educational but also fun and exciting! In addition to sessions in the classroom, you will tour our most interesting facilities and enjoy hands-on experiences with the law enforcement tools used by our officers.

Classroom topics include Patrol Procedures, SWAT, Internal Affairs, Officer-Involved Shootings, Homicide, Traffic Enforcement, Gangs, and others. Participants will tour our Dispatch Center, Crime Scene Bureau (CSI). The class will experience the K-9 and Mounted Patrol demonstrations and see how Skywatch, our Air Support Unit works. One of the favorite classes is touring our Training Facility Firing Range, where participants can experience the different types of Fresno Police Department service weapons.

I hope you will take advantage of this opportunity to learn how your Fresno Police Department operates and meet the men and women who protect your city. I also hope that upon completing the course, you may consider continuing your involvement with the Fresno Police Department by participating in one or more of the many opportunities for which you will be uniquely qualified.

I look forward to meeting you,
Paco Balderrama
Chief of Police

This is without a doubt, one of the very best thing any citizen of Fresno should attend. The information and education I learned was priceless. You learn most aspects of the Police Department. And every week is a new and very educational experience Fresno’s finest do for us. I recommend every citizen become informed by attending these classes. You will not regret it.

— Roseann Monroe

I thoroughly enjoyed the academy. I will be taking it next year and bringing my best friend. The people were amazing and some of us became friends throughout the process. You need to take this it is so much information that you never knew before. And having them explain everything that they do and go through was very informative.

— Erica Prater

I feel very privileged to have attended this course, and I came back from it with a lot of learning and tools and techniques and importantly the knowledge to understand how the Fresno PD is doing its best to keep the community and its members safe, secure and at peace with the confidence that they are our protectors. The Fresno Police Dept. are the knights in blue, who work hard to keep us safe and provide us the comfort to know that we are secure and safe.

— Vivek Prabhu

As a graduate of the inaugural class of the Fresno Citizens Police Academy, I continue to enjoy the benefit of the information and education I received through that experience. It is increasingly important to understand and appreciate what goes into good, effective law enforcement practices, and the Academy enables all of us to gain that understanding.

– Jackie Ryle

The Citizen’s Police Academy is a very informative and fun hands-on look at how our Fresno Police Department works. Each session leaves you looking forward to the next.

–Jim Moody

” This program has been an eye opening experience to what outstanding civil servants we have in our community. They are all so devoted to making this a better and safer community for us all. This program gives you the opportunity to witness this first hand.

– Cindy Davis”

Classes meet once a week for 12 weeks from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Upon completion of the 12 weeks, community members have the choice to continue for another eight classes to train to become a Citizen on Patrol Volunteer. The classes are held at a predetermined location within the City of Fresno.

• Residents’ Academy Application – English
• Residents’ Academy Application – Spanish