Memphis Police Academy Graduates 60-Plus Citizens
More than 60 residents completed the nine-week Citizens Police Academy and will return to their neighborhoods to join community policing efforts.
Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Law Enforcement
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More than 60 people graduated from the Memphis Police Department Citizens Police Academy at a ceremony held Thursday at Middle Baptist Church in Whitehaven. The nine-week program gave participants the same briefings officers receive and included patrol ride-alongs.
Why it matters
The academy is designed to show residents the job as officers experience it, from response times and decision-making under pressure to use of force. Graduates are returning to their neighborhoods to take part in community policing efforts across Memphis.
The program's nine-week curriculum covered police response times, decision-making under pressure and use of force, and participants rode along on patrol with personal firearms not permitted. The source does not report any pending legal or investigative matters tied to the academy.
The players
Memphis Police Department
The Memphis Police Department is the municipal law enforcement agency serving Memphis, Tennessee, and runs the Citizens Police Academy.
C.J. Davis
C.J. Davis is the chief of the Memphis Police Department, who stated that procedures are in place to keep academy participants safe during ride-alongs.
The details
Participants sat through the same briefings officers receive and rode along on patrol, wearing body armor while Chief C.J. Davis said procedures keep them safe during ride-alongs. Ride-along vehicles are kept from arriving first at calls to reduce risk.
Timeline
Nine weeks before graduation: academy program began, with briefings and patrol ride-alongs starting
Thursday, November 12, 2026: graduation ceremony held at Middle Baptist Church in Whitehaven
Legal Context
Civilian police academies like Memphis's are a community-engagement tool that lets residents see patrol work firsthand before joining neighborhood policing efforts. This cohort of more than 60 graduates adds to that channel across the city.
Graduates are returning to their neighborhoods to join community policing efforts, which may bring more visible patrol engagement to Memphis residents. Residents interested in similar programs can look to the Memphis Police Department for future academy sessions.
The takeaway
Attending a civilian police academy offers a direct look at the briefings, decision-making standards and patrol safety procedures that shape everyday policing. Residents curious about local law enforcement can seek out similar community programs in their own neighborhoods.
Further reading
For more on local policing, explore Memphis Law Enforcement coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Fox13.
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