Citizens academy aims to bridge relationships between Dallas Police and Latino residents
Tony Carrillo, who lives in West Dallas’ La Bajada neighborhood, is concerned about the crime he sees on his streets — speeding vehicles, loitering, as well as ATMOS Energy’s excavating of sidewalks and backyards.
That’s why he joined the Dallas Police Department’s Volunteers in Patrol (VIP) program in 2023. Carrillo often walks his neighborhood with a neighbor or a friend and reports anything suspicious he sees to 911.
The lack of police officers on the streets is “a major concern for us,” Carrillo says. “That’s why the community needs to be involved and join these kinds of programs.”
So when Dallas Southwest Division neighborhood policing officers brought up the Citizen’s Police Academy at Carrillo’s recent neighborhood association meeting, Carrillo knew he wanted to get more involved.
The goal of Dallas’ Citizens Police Academy is to foster better communication and understanding between the police and the community. It offers residents an opportunity to learn about the daily operations of the police department, the challenges officers face, and the different units within the department, such as SWAT, canine, homicide, and drone.
While Volunteers In Patrol focuses on reporting suspicious activities to the police department, the academy educates residents about what happens once a 911 call is received. Sr. Cpl. Bernardo Bueno, coordinator of UNIDOS (a DPD Latino community outreach program), says residents often participate because “they have had encounters with the police department and would like to understand why their incident was handled a specific way.”
“Some members of the Latino community like these classes because they are in the process of getting their residency status in compliance,” says Bueno, referring to the immigration interview in which the magistrate might ask what proof individuals have of being good citizens. The academy certificate can be used to show such proof.
Susana Garcia, a northwest Dallas resident, joined the program after her son, Oziel Garcia, was fatally shot by two men outside of their home in 2017.
“I was afraid to get in contact with the police,” Garcia says. “Our communities are afraid to report incidents to the police; that’s why these crimes keep happening.”
After her son’s murder, Garcia had questions about the processes and laws that the City and the Dallas Police Department have in place.
“The program humanized these officers, and it reminded me that they hurt and feel just like us,” Garcia says. “Being in those classes changed my perspective on the police department; it showed me why things happen the way that they do.”
Bueno says he hopes the academy continues to “build the bridge between the community and the police department.” Troubled relationships between police and communities of color in the Dallas area have been a focal talking point.
The fall session of the Citizens Police Academy runs through Oct. 26. The program is free and offered in both English and Spanish.
To receive a certification of completion from the Dallas Chief of Police, applicants must attend at least seven classes. Interested applicants must be at least 21 years old, have a valid form of identification, and must pass a background check. The program is held at the Dallas Police Basic Training Academy.
Those interested in participating can fill out an online application or download and print the application. The completed application must include a valid photo ID that can be emailed to DPDUnidos@dallaspolice.gov.
Updates, including class cancellations, are provided on Dallas Police en Español’s Facebook page.
Grapevine, Mesquite and Burleson each have their own citizen police academies.