Community Programs

To enhance community safety, the Decatur Police Department conducts Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.) training sessions for women at no cost. 

This hands-on, nine-hour course focuses on self-defense tactics and techniques. Classes are open to women and girls ages 12 and up. While sessions can be physically demanding, women of all abilities are encouraged to participate.

Gym attire is requested. Additional items to consider include athletic shoes, a water bottle, and a sweat towel.

An information form and a hold harmless agreement form must be completed and returned to the Decatur Police Department front desk for class admission.

A parental consent form, an information form, a hold harmless agreement form for minors is required for teens.

Participants will be contacted by the class instructor with location details prior to the class date.

For questions about our next training course, please contact:

Certified R.A.D. Instructor:
Ofc. Robbie Bradley
(256) 341-4660

Ofc. Jacob Cockrell
(256) 341-4660

It is important for a Police Department to have interaction and cooperation with the general public. One way to accomplish this goal is through an exchange of ideas and education.

The Decatur Police Department’s Citizens Police Academy is an excellent means to achieve this end. The Academy is designed to acquaint the public with operations of the police department. It is our intention that at the completion of the program, participants will have a better understanding of the police officer’s role in the criminal justice system and the community, as well as an appreciation of the many challenges facing law enforcement in today’s society.

The course is structured to provide as much information as possible in enjoyable and interesting ways. There is no fee for the classes. We only require that the participants come each week prepared to be involved in discussions and demonstrations.

The Citizens Police Academy will include information on Patrol Operations, the Criminal Investigation Division, Municipal Court Processes, the Office of Professional Standards as well as other disciplines. In addition to tours of police buildings, participants will also take part in an interactive firearms training simulation, and tour the Morgan County 911 dispatch facility where they will witness the processing of raw emergency information. Upon completion of the Academy, program members may schedule to participate in the Decatur Police Department’s ride-a-long program.

We invite Decatur residents ages 21 and over to be a part of the cooperative effort between the police department and the community. 

Feel free to copy and share the Citizens Police Academy Application with anyone else that might be interested in the program. Return your application to the 2nd floor of Decatur City Hall (Mon–Fri, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.) After hours or on weekends, please drop them off at the Decatur Police front desk. All applicants are subject to a background check.

If you have any questions, please contact Sgt. Timothy Jackson or call (256) 341-4617.

Program Supervisor:

Sgt. Timothy Jackson

(256) 341-4617

Citizens Police Academy Application

The Decatur Police Department is proud to host Women with Weapons, a hands-on firearm safety course. This informative and empowering training is focused on helping women in our community become more comfortable, knowledgeable, and responsible handgun owners.

Participants must be at least 21 years of age to attend. During this course, participants will learn:

• Basic handgun safety
• Safe firearm storage practices
• How to properly clean and maintain a handgun
• Fundamentals of handgun shooting

This training is for handguns only. Rifles will not be allowed during the course. If you do not own a handgun, one will be provided for use during the training session. Eye and ear protection will be available if needed.

Training will take place at the Decatur Police Firing Range, located at 1242 N. Seneca Drive in Trinity, Alabama.

Seats are limited. Submit your application at Decatur City Hall (2nd Floor), weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or at the Decatur Police front desk after hours and on weekends.

Women with Weapons Firearms Safety Course Application

For questions and additional information, please contact:

Program Supervisor:
Sgt. Timothy Jackson
(256) 341-4617

Want to become a police officer?

The Explorer Program is for young adults, ages 14-17, with an interest in a career in law enforcement who wish to gain personal awareness of the criminal justice system through training, hands-on experiences, and other activities. The Explorer Program allows those who live near or in Decatur to become informed and involved in law enforcement, while actively becoming part of their community.

Requirements:

Program members and applicants must:

• Be 14 – 17 years-old.
• Maintain a professional demeanor and attitude.
• Be dedicated, physically fit, and willing to follow basic instructions and directions.
• Attend required meetings, training, and events with minimal absences.
• Purchase minimal items to accompany Explorer Program-provided equipment and uniforms.

Basic Training Includes:

The Explorer Program curriculum includes the following:

• Overview of the Decatur Police Department
• Basic Criminal Law
• Traffic Control
• Officer Survival
• Patrol Procedures
• Radio Procedures

Meetings & Programming

Members of the Explorer Program are expected to attend regular meetings that consist of administrative updates, the scheduling of upcoming events, and routine training.

Due to the nature of the work, training is very formal and disciplined.

Participants must strive to achieve at least an 80% average in all academics while in the Explorer Program.

If participants show a respect for their role in the Explorer Program and successfully complete the above requirements, they will have opportunities to help with city events.

Members of the Explorer Program will be provided with a uniform at no cost.

Application Process

The process to becoming an Explorer is simple and streamlined.

Just complete the forms below and drop them by the front desk of the Police Department.

• Explorer Program Forms

ACES is a week long summer program designed to present youths with alternatives to drugs and gangs, provide them with positive role models, and improve the law enforcement-youth relationships in this area. The program is administered by the Police Department and targets youths, ages 8 through 14. The ACES is an acronym derived from Alternative choiCES. By joining the ACES program, the youths will be “Flying High on Life.”

ACES meets at a neighborhood location during the summer, for five days. The program can be repeated at additional locations as time and finances allow.

The program is one in which youths are exposed to different activities in an informal, fun atmosphere. The youths participate in different fun activities that include different sports, games and crafts. A very important element of the morning session is the one-on-one personal contact the youths have with the police officers who participate in the activities with the youths.

Another important part of the morning sessions comes from the cooperation of different industries or businesses in the community. With the help of these industries, rolemodel(s) are selected to come up the site to talk to the youths about their careers and the opportunities their life styles have afforded them. We try to obtain role models who are people with whom the youths can relate because of similar ethnic backgrounds.

After feeding lunch to the youths, they are taken on field trips to different locations in the area. The trip is usually to the industry or business that provides the role model(s) for the morning session. The objective of these trips is to expose the youths to different career opportunities in the area. They are also able to meet on-site positive role models. Past locations for these trips in Decatur have included Amoco, Browns Ferry, Channel 48 News, Chiptec, Decatur General Hospital, Decatur Utilities, Daiken, the Fire Department, General Electric, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., Nova Chemical, the Police Department, Redstone Arsenal Military Base, Saginaw Steering Gear, South Central Bell, and 3M.

An international search and rescue organization for individuals diagnosed with cognitive conditions, Project Lifesaver supplies bracelets that transmit a radiofrequency to reduce the time it takes to find a missing person who may wander from his or her caregiver.

If your loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, autism, or any type of brain disorder that would cause them to wander or become lost, they are eligible for a Project Lifesaver bracelet.

Participants must:

• Have a caregiver with them at least 75% of the time.
• Wear the bracelet at all times.
• Never drive a vehicle at any time.

Once registered, supervising patrol officers are made aware of those registered for Project Lifesaver and are prepared for specialized rescue efforts on every shift.

If the registrant becomes missing, the caregiver is to notify the Decatur Police Department, so that a search team can be deployed. The bracelet is not monitored until a search is initiated.

There is no cost to enroll.

For more information about Decatur’s Project Lifesaver program, please call (256) 341-4600.

• To provide support services for the Decatur Police Department’s personnel and their families.
• To provide crisis intervention support for the community in police related incidents.
• To be available for relational, emotional or spiritual support to anyone upon request.

Overview

Like members of the Armed Forces of the United States, police officers can benefit from an in-house chaplain program. They often need a “safe insider” with whom they can express their frustrations, problems, accomplishments and victories…either personal, family, or on-the-job. The nature of an emergency event often requires a quick response by a professional to offer emotional, relational, and spiritual support. Decatur’s Police Chaplains are available to help victims, families, friends, witnesses, and all emergency service personnel. This assistance is provided upon request and can range from at-the-scene care to follow-up services such as notifications, defusing, debriefing, listening, funerals and memorials.

The goal of the volunteer Chaplain program enhances the goals and vision of the City of Decatur Police Department.

Chaplain Services

This volunteer program includes, but is not restricted to, the following services:

• Support police personnel during and after critical incidents as needed.
• Attend shift changes, do ride-a-longs, or just hang out with police personnel.
• Perform crisis intervention and/or care for victims, families and witnesses of critical incidents.
• Assist with notifying families of serious injuries or death.
• Available for chaplain-support, personal referral and informal mediation to all City personnel. This function complements the existing Employee Assistance Program (EAP) of the City of Decatur.
• Visit individuals at the hospital and/or home.
• Perform weddings, funerals, memorials, etc.
• Offer department and community education programs on grief and loss, victim response and recovery, stress management, relationships, marriage and family, parenting, morals and ethics, and other interpersonal topics.
• Serve as liaison between Police Departments and the faith community.
• Represent the City at ceremonial and formal events upon request.
• Coordinate and communicate between the faith community and the City on special committees and projects, volunteer programs, and emergency/disaster preparedness.

Care-Giving

As Chaplains, we are here to serve and support by invitation. We serve in three specific arenas: emotionally, relationally, and spiritually. We are not firefighters or police officers; we are CARE-givers! Our CARE-giving has four components:

• Compassion is feeling another’s pain and providing the needed immediate support. We are then available for on-going care upon request.
• Acceptance of people “just as they are” is vital. We may not necessarily agree with them or their actions, but we are committed to caring for them.
• Reflection is helping others keep things in perspective…their past, present and future.
• Encouragement is offering hope in difficult situations. We recognize that hope aids recovery and helps build a future.

We want to be proactive, not just reactive. Honest relationships and accurate information are two of our highest CARE-Giving values.

FAQS

Are chaplains available to anyone?  Yes. Anyone may call and request the Chaplain to get in touch with them. This includes City residents and visitors, businesses, schools, organizations, neighborhoods, and the faith community.

What are the chaplain qualifications?

They must be licensed or ordained ministers in an established and recognized faith community and have a minimum of five years experience as a minister, clergy or pastoral counselor. They also must complete a basic chaplain-training course and participate in on-going training. In addition, prospective chaplains must undergo a background check, be approved by the Senior Chaplain, and be appointed by the Police Chief.

What about all of the religions and faith-choices of people?

Chaplains are available for CARE-giving to everyone without regard to race, creed, or position. They serve non-denominationally and are accepting of all faiths.

What is the difference between clergy and a chaplain?

Clergy offer spiritual oversight of a particular faith, religion, church and/or denomination, where a chaplain works with people regardless of their faith-choice.

Are chaplain discussions private and confidential?

Yes! The only exception is if there has been child or elder abuse, or if the person is in danger of harming him/herself or another person. Such matters are reported to the Chaplain supervisor(s) and/or appropriate authorities.