Citizen's Police Alumni Aid Department

The has a constant support system for odds and extras the taxpayers don’t cover.

More than 20 alumni from the 10-week civilian training program, the Snellville Citizen’s Police Academy, have the opportunity to both raise funds for the Police Department, and help decide how the funds will be allocated.

Any Snellville Citizen over the age of 18 is eligible to apply for the Citizen’s Police Academy (CPA). Once members have completed the 10-week police training course, they are eligible to join the alumni group and help the police department get the additional products they need.

“They’re very beneficial to us and to the community,” said Detective Trey Downs, the Citizen’s Police Academy coordinator.  “The whole reason behind CPA is to bring the community closer to us by giving them an understanding of why we do what we do." We need the community’s involvement to do what we do.”

It’s that involvement that gets the ball rolling on some of the Snellville Police Department's most popular fundraising events, like National Night Out, the annual golf tournament and “Tip-a-Cop,” the annual O’Charley’s fundraiser where the officers are the busboys and servers for the community, with a portion of the proceeds goes to fund special projects for the police. This weekend alumni also are hosting a carwash to raise money for the police K-9 unit.

Funds raised through these events go towards purchasing products the Police cannot get funding for through the normal budgetary process.  In recent years, the alumni have completely funded the purchased of all K9 officers, a bite suit for K9 training, a computer hard drive duplicator, and additional flat screen TVs for the station.

However, Detective Downs insists they are not there to simply grant all the police department’s wishes.

“They don’t just give us whatever we want,” he said. “We have to present a plan for the use of what we say we need, they review it, and then hold a vote on whether or not they will fund it.”

The benefit car wash is Saturday, 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., June 25, in the front parking lot of police headquarters, 2315 Wisteria Drive. Money goes to assist the K-9 unit. K-9 officers and the dogs will be on hand, as well.

For more information on the CPA and the Alumni, contact Officer Trey Downs at tdowns@snellville.org.