Citizen police academies (CPAs) have become one of the most beneficial programs developed under the community-based policing philosophy. The first CPA was showcased in Orlando, Florida, in 1985; today, they are used across the country to educate citizens on the basics of the law enforcement profession, to bring citizens closer to police, to recruit potential employees (both civilian and sworn), and to recruit a strong volunteer base. From these CPAs, citizen police academy alumni associations (CPAAAs) were born.

The benefits of CPAAAs are far-reaching. Not only can they be strong allies during difficult times—such as encounters between the community and police that are perceived negatively—and lean budget years, but they are also a fantastic volunteer base. These volunteers can be used to assist with administrative tasks, to help at impaired-driving enforcement checkpoints, to be part of crime watch groups, and to assist with job fairs and recruitment activities.

Although there is clearly a huge advantage for an agency able to sustain a CPA and its accompanying CPAAA, the challenges for smaller agencies who wish to do so are many. These challenges include securing funding to facilitate such a program, establishing the availability of instructors, and having a sufficient level of interest from citizens to justify the program. Unfortunately, many smaller agencies have chosen not to tackle these issues; in doing so, they have failed to tap a valuable resource.