Local law enforcement agencies are holding citizens’ academies in an effort to improve relationships between officers and residents.

Tom Shelton, community resource officer at the Ames Police Department, heads the 11-week Ames Citizens’ Police Academy. He said it is a way to reach out to the community and help them understand what the police department is all about.

“The academy gets people tuned in to what we’re doing and how we act in certain situations,” Shelton said.

Susan Hosor, 38, a part-time insurance worker, is a student in the police academy. She said she joined the academy because it was strongly recommended by a friend. Also, she said she is fascinated with police work.

“My son got into some trouble this summer, and they did such a fantastic job with him. I thought I owed it to them to get involved,” Hosor said.

Deputy Jennifer Holmes of the Story County Sheriff’s Office said she is always looking to get more people involved in the Sheriff’s Citizens’ Academy so that they can understand what goes on behind the scenes.

“We’re looking for an awareness of what the Story County Sheriff’s Office does,” said Holmes, who leads the academy. “It gives the officers an opportunity to talk about their specialty and what is important about it.”

Shelton said his department’s academy touches on all aspects of the police department.

“We cover field training, community policing, defense tactics, crime scene scenarios, firearms and traffic accidents,” he said. “We hit a little bit of everything.”

Hosor said she loves the firearms training because of its excitement. “That was just cool,” she said. “It got my pulse racing and my adrenaline flowing.”

Holmes said the sheriff’s office covers a lot of the same issues; however, she said, students really enjoy shooting weapons and patrol, which is going on ride-alongs with uniformed deputies.

“Firearms training is the lesson they look forward to the most along with patrol,” she said. “It gives them a chance to really see what goes on.”

Shelton said Ames also offers the ride-along option for participants. It is one of the more exciting parts of the academy, as well as one of the most beneficial, he added. “They get to see how we handle a call,” he said. “If everything is low-risk, they can get out and watch.”

Hosor said the ride-along was her favorite part because she got to see how the officers communicate with the residents.

“Police officers get a bad rap,” she said. “The neatest part was seeing how they communicate with people in a positive way.”

Both Holmes and Shelton encourage residents to take part in the academies.