ASU Citizen’s Academy provides behind-the-scenes look at campus law enforcement

For many people, law enforcement is something they know through television screens, from the courtroom drama of “Law & Order” to the real-time intensity of “Live PD.” Crimes are solved in under an hour. Arrests lead quickly to convictions. The work appears fast-paced, dramatic and decisive.

But what happens when the cameras are off? What happens during the other 23 hours of the day when officers are patrolling? And how long does it really take to investigate a crime?

For those seeking a clearer understanding of policing, whether for career exploration, transparency or personal interest, programs like citizen police academies provide a closer look.

The first citizens-oriented academy began in 1977 with the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary in southwest England. Known as “Police Night School,” the program met once a week for 10 weeks and offered residents an inside look at police operations. The concept made its way to the United States in 1985, when the Orlando Police Department launched its own version. Since then, law enforcement agencies across the country have developed similar programs, including the ASU Police Department.

“Our Citizen’s Academy, like our community, is unique and geared to university life,” said Jason Weber, crime prevention program manager. “It’s designed to introduce participants to law enforcement in a positive way and highlight all the resources available through ASU PD.”

Recently held on the Tempe campus, ASU’s one-day Citizen’s Academy gave participants an in-depth tour of police headquarters and a firsthand look at how campus policing works.

Attendees walked through the evidence collection bay and detention center before visiting ASU’s award-winning Real Time Analysis Center, known as RTAC. The center has earned recognition from the National Real Time Crime Center Association for two consecutive years. It serves as a real-time command hub for first responders, and reflects ASU’s commitment to innovation and campus safety.

Participants also took part in a mock traffic stop and explored the inside of the department’s newest electric patrol vehicle, a visual representation of innovation and sustainability efforts on campus.

Throughout the day, members of the command staff, including Chief John Thompson, were available for introductions and discussion. Representatives from patrol, criminal investigations, dispatch, RTAC and use-of-force instruction led presentations followed by Q&A sessions.

K-9 Officer Belle and her handler, Officer Prince Singh, demonstrated how they work together to help keep campus safe. Detectives Jason Anderson and Nathaniel Toth walked attendees through a hands-on fingerprinting demonstration, showing how prints are lifted and analyzed during investigations.

“It is impossible to give someone a glimpse of every scenario our officers will encounter,” said Cmdr. Tony Momon. “But with programs like ASU’s Citizen’s Academy, we are able to add context to the law enforcement profession. It allows us to separate fact from fiction and gives us the opportunity to have honest conversations about policing on campus.”

While television and social media often highlight high-intensity moments, much of policing involves preparation, communication and coordination behind the scenes. Programs like ASU’s Citizen’s Academy aim to provide a fuller picture grounded in education, transparency and engagement.

For participants, the experience offers more than a tour; it provides context, hands-on insight and meaningful dialogue. It reinforces that ASU police personnel are not just law enforcement on campus, but engaged members of the university community they serve, working to create a safe environment where students can learn, thrive and enjoy campus life.

The department hosts the citizen’s academy once each academic year. Information about future sessions and additional community engagement programs are promoted through the department’s social media channels, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and X.