BAY MINETTE — The youth of Bay Minette have become cadets, and now it is time for adults to get their turn to go through training with the Bay Minette Police Department.

The BMPD is taking applications for its’ first Citizen Police Academy.

"This is the biggest project the Community Policing Committee has done so far," Chief Michael Rowland said during the Project Safe Neighborhood meeting Feb 5.

"The academy will last eight weeks and include 10 sessions," he said, explaining that one week's lessons would be held on a Saturday and include two sessions.

"It will pretty much be an all-day thing that day," he said. "We will have a morning session and an afternoon session with some outside activities and hands-on activities."

He said activities will include a trip to the North Baldwin Law Enforcement Training Academy in Stapleton where participants will utilize the firing range to learn about and practice firearm safety.

"There will be a firearms display, a tactical exercise and a defensive driving excercise where participants will utilize the beer goggles and maneuver a golf cart through an obstacle course," Rowland said.

He said for the munitions lesson, participants can bring their own gun or use one of the department guns.

"If you don't want to shoot, that's OK, too," he said.

Additionally, attendees will be introduced to the virtual firing range used to train and test officers.

"It's kind of like a video game, but it's real in that the firearms scenarios you go through are actual scenarios that police go through,” Rowland said. “You have to decide whether or not to shoot and what to shoot. It gives you an idea of what police go through."

Sessions begin March 5 and include classroom exercises as well as a ride-along with an officer for his or her full shift.

The academy is free and participants will get a uniform polo shirt, ball cap and other required training aids.

Classes will be every Thursday from approximately 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Police Department's training room.

"It depends on how quickly participants get in and get ready," Rowland said. "If they get in there and are ready to go by 6 p.m. , we'll get out at 8. If they straggle in and aren't ready until 6:30, well it's about a two-hour class."

Applications will be taken through Feb. 20 and are available at the Police Department, 300 North Hoyle Avenue, at city hall, 301 D'Olive Street or online at cityofbayminette.org under the police department link.

For more information, contact Pam Thompson at the police department, (251) 580-2559.