Special Programs
- Citizen Police Academy
- Academia de Policia del Ciudadano
- Junior Police Academy
- Blue Angel
- Crossing Guards
- Chaplain Unit
- Neighborhood Watch
- Bryan Police Officer’s Association
- Reserve Police Force
Citizen Police Academy
English
The Bryan Police Department offers a great informational program for citizen education and involvement, the Citizen Police Academy (CPA). Class size is limited to 25 persons. Admission to CPA is open to anyone that is 18 years or older and all applicants are required to pass a background check and screening process.
CPA Goals:
The goal of the CPA is to educate Bryan citizens about the structure and activities of their police department. The CPA class is not a “training” class, but is an exciting “information” class, a behind- the-scenes look at the Bryan Police Department. The CPA program operates on the premise that informed and educated citizens will be more supportive of police officers and the department, and will be more productive within their own neighborhoods and communities.
CPA Classes:
The 10-week CPA course meets one night each week (Thursdays) from 6:30 pm until 9:30 pm either in the Fall or Spring. Classes are held at the Bryan Police Department. Topics covered in the CPA class include overviews of the Bryan Police Department’s organization and structure, information on cadet recruiting and training, introductions to the various divisions of BPD and their responsibilities (such as Homicide, Traffic, and Narcotics), plus hands-on workshops. Instructors are drawn from the Police Department staff, from officers currently assigned to specific BPD divisions, and from non-BPD law enforcement agencies. CPA class members are also given an opportunity to observe police patrol work through a Ride-Along experience with a patrol officer.
Aplicaciones para la Academia de Policia del Ciudadano estan abiertas
El curso de 10 semanas de SCPA en Español se junta los Jueves de 6:00 pm a 9:00 pm en el Departamento de Policía. Temas cubiertos en la clase de SCPA incluyen la sobrevista de la organización y estructura del Departamento de Policía, información sobre las leyes y consecuencias al conducir intoxicado, introducción de varias divisiones del Departamento de Policía y sus responsabilidades (tal como homicidio, tráfico, narcóticos). Los instructores son miembros del Departamento de Policía, oficiales trabajando en las divisiones, y otras personas que trabajan por otras agencias. Los miembros de la clase de SCPA tienen la oportunidad de observar el oficial de policía en su ronda de 4 horas por medio de un paseo en la patrulla con el oficial.
Las clases de Academia de Policía del Ciudadano en Español comienzan el 2 de Febrero, 2023. Para más información en SCPA, favor de llamar a Margot Avila at (979 209-5533 o Mayte Ramirez-Tirado al (979) 209-5301 o búscanos en Facebook, Academia de Policía del Ciudadano de Bryan
Junior Police Academy
The Junior Police Academy is a free two week program for students entering the 10th, 11th, and 12th grades during the next school year. The classes are held from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm Monday thru Friday, with the exception of the 1st and last class which will be held at 6:30 pm for parents to attend.
This class is a fun and interactive way to learn about what police do on a day-to-day basis. Students will be able to interact with different departments within the agency and foster a relationship with local police as well as develop an understanding of how and why we do things. If your child is interested in becoming a police officer or if they just want to learn more about this job, then this is the class for them.
Blue Angel
The Bryan Police Officers Association hosts its annual Blue Angel Tree. Blue Angel is organized by the Bryan Police Officers Association and is a holiday project designed to help the less fortunate families in our city during the holiday season. Christmas is a time to gather with friends and family and give thanks for the gifts and good fortunes we have received. Let’s take the time to pay it forward and contribute to someone else’s good fortune by supporting the Blue Angel Project. The Blue Angel Tree will have tags listing needy children and elderly in our community.
You can help by selecting an angel from the tree and purchasing gifts to be presented at our Blue Christmas Party. We will also be accepting monetary donations to purchase gifts for the families on the tree. The Bryan Police Officer’s Association will then present these gifts to the families at the Bryan Police Department.
It is through the partnership with the public that the Bryan Police Department can make a difference in our community so please join us at the listed locations and help support a worthy cause.
Last year we were able to serve 100 children and 41 elderly Christmas presents. In addition to providing gifts to needy families, thanks to blanket donations we were able to provide homemade and purchased blankets to over 100 elderly in a local nursing home.
If you would like to make a monetary donation (make checks payable to “BPOA” with Blue Angel in the memo line) please come by the Bryan Police Department 24/7 or call 979.209.5301. Your monetary donations will help us provide for any children that were not selected from the tree, supplement others, and/or provide other random acts of kindness in the community.
If you know a family in need or wish to become one of our angels registration will be at the Bryan Police Department. Families must have a completed application, proof of residency in Bryan and Birth Certificates for all children being claimed.
Crossing Guards
Together, the City of Bryan, Bryan Independent School District, and the Bryan Police Department work to make local area schools a safe place for Bryan students to travel to and from school.
The Bryan Police Department requires each School Guard to attend training and offers the necessary equipment for School Crossing Guards to be seen, safe, and confident.
Bryan Independent School District currently has 26 campuses. School Crossing Guards work at various locations around Bryan for 13 local elementary schools.
School Crossing Guards are required to arrive at their location one hour before school starts. In the afternoon, School Crossing Guards are readily awaiting the arrival of students soon after the bell rings.
School Crossing Guards are classified as “Temporary” positions with the City of Bryan and are paid $10.00 an hour. The maximum hours a Crossing Guard will work would be 10 hours a week, 20 hours per pay period. School Crossing Guards do not work when children are out of school for student holidays, staff development days, or summer vacation.
Requirements
School Crossing Guards must:
- Provide their own reliable transportation.
- Enjoy working with children.
- Pass a background check conducted by the Bryan Police Department.
- Maintain current and clear Drivers License and Automobile Insurance.
- Be of legal age and citizenship to work in the United States.
- Physical demands include but are not limited to: Sitting, talking, hearing, seeing, standing, walking, stooping, kneeling, reaching, pushing, pulling, twisting, bending; repetitive hand and arm motion, lifting and/or moving objects up to and including 25 pounds.
If you are interested in applying for the position of School Crossing Guard, please contact the City of Bryan, Human Resources Department, and fill out an Employment Application. For more information, you may contact Sgt. Blake Bell or call (979) 209-5364.
Chaplain Unit
The purpose of the Bryan Police Department’s Chaplaincy Program is to provide a core group of professional, ordained men and women from a variety of faiths who volunteer their time and talents to the City of Bryan as chaplains.
Chaplains ride along with officers to get to know the officers and the intricacies of their work. Our chaplains are on call at all times of the day, all days of the week. The police chaplain’s primary purpose is to assist those in crisis and to provide counsel to police department personnel, their families, and those in the community as a whole.
Police chaplains are also a resource for police officers when dealing with victims and relatives of victims of domestic disturbances and violent crimes. The chaplain will only go where they are invited or asked. The chaplaincy offers assistance to all people, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, national creed, or religion.
To learn about becoming a Bryan Police Chaplain, contact . Sgt. Ryan Bona or call (979) 209-5454.
Neighborhood Watch
Neighborhood Watch programs are one of the most effective means available for keeping crime out of neighborhoods. It relies on the best crime fighting tool ever invented, i.e., a good neighbor. Fortunately, good neighbors are found everywhere. They live in houses, apartment buildings, urban, suburban and rural areas. The Bryan Police Department Neighborhood Watch Program unites BPD with local organizations and individual residents in a community-wide effort to reduce residential crime. Neighbors working together with BPD are a formidable crime fighting team. Be a good neighbor and make your community safer by starting a Neighborhood Watch Program.
What is neighborhood watch?
Neighborhood Watch is a crime prevention program enlisting the active participation of residents in cooperation with Bryan PD to reduce the incidence and fear of crime in their communities. It involves neighbors getting to know each other to develop a program of mutual assistance. It involves neighbors being educated in crime reporting and suspect identification techniques. Finally, it involves neighbors using crime prevention strategies as tools to reduce crime in their communities.
Why neighborhood watch?
The community has the primary responsibility for fighting crime. The most effective approach to fighting crime is a proactive one, i.e., stopping it before it occurs. This can happen when neighbors cooperate with each other to assist the Bryan Police Department. Neighborhood Watch members place stickers in their windows and post Neighborhood Watch signs on streets, warning criminals they are in an active Neighborhood Watch community, and that “neighbors are watching out for each other.” Remember, you and your neighbors are the ones who really know what is going on in your community and there can’t be a BPD officer on every corner. Resident involvement is essential to combat crime.
How do I start a Neighborhood Watch Program?
Bryan Police Department will assist in starting a program in your neighborhood. A BPD Crime Prevention representative will be available for your meetings to assist with the organization of the Neighborhood Watch Program and discuss crime concerns specific to your neighborhood or community. Contact Sgt. Jason James to get started by calling 209-5539 or via email jamesj@bryantx.gov. Talk to your neighbors. Are they interested? Do they understand the value of a Neighborhood Watch Program? Are they aware of, or concerned about specific crime problems in your area? If they are, be sure to mention the following:
- Neighborhood Watch is a partnership between neighbors to assist the police in the reduction and fear of crime
- Neighborhood Watch does not require frequent meetings
- Neighborhood Watch does not ask anyone to take personal risks to prevent crime
- BPD personnel will attend your meetings to answer questions about crime and provide information about police procedures
Arrange a date, time and place for the first meeting.
Set the meeting date far enough in advance to give everyone adequate notice. Make sure the time is convenient for your neighbors to encourage attendance. Distribute a flyer announcing the meeting and remind everyone a few days before to assure his or her attendance. If you are anticipating a small group, have the meeting at one of the houses in the neighborhood. The location should make everyone feel comfortable. Everyone may not attend, and that’s okay. The program can still be successful with a majority of the neighborhood present.
Hold the first meeting
- Distribute name tags
- Make opening remarks
- Provide simple refreshments to create a relaxed atmosphere.
The BPD Crime Prevention Officer will discuss the following topics:
- BPD crime prevention programs
- The main purpose of the Neighborhood Watch Program
- Specific crime problems in the area
- Effective crime prevention techniques
- How residents can become Bryan PD’s “eyes and ears” and assist them with criminal investigations
- How to report a crime and what to look for when providing a description
Select a Block Captain
The role of the Block Captain is to:
- Oversee and arrange Neighborhood Watch meetings
- Be a spokesperson for the group
- Serve as a liaison between the police department and the Neighborhood Watch group
- Recruit neighbors to share the responsibility of hosting meetings
- Maintain a list of all members
- Designate work assignments such as enrolling new members, vacation home watch, block parents, neighborhood patrol, fund-raising, secretarial duties, developing and maintaining block maps and crime prevention material distribution.
- Remind members to call the police department with concerns.
The Block Captain’s role is to assist the Neighborhood Watch. To share the workload and responsibilities, the Block Captain position can be rotated on a regularly scheduled basis.
Develop and distribute maps
A map will help members give police precise information when reporting suspicious activity in your neighborhood. Your map should:
- Identify the Block Captain/Coordinator
- Clearly identify streets, cross streets and compass points
- Provide the name, address, and telephone numbers of each home and identify the ones with burglar alarms
- Identify seniors and/or neighbors with health or mobility problems who may need special attention
- List the make, model and license plate numbers of vehicles at each home. Help neighbors by letting them know which vehicles belong there during daytime hours
- Include non-emergency telephone numbers for police, fire and ambulance
- For crimes in progress or life threatening situations, call 9-1-1 immediately
- Update and reissue maps when any information changes
Gather and share information.
Knowing more about your neighbors, their vehicles and their daily routines will help you recognize unusual or suspicious activities. Consider exchanging the following types of basic information with your neighbors:
- Home and work telephone numbers
- Names, ages and number of family members or residents
- Work hours
- School or day-care hours of children;
- Who owns a dog
- Planned vacations or visitors
- Scheduled deliveries or repairs
Maintaining a Neighborhood Watch Program
After your Neighborhood Watch is established, be sure everyone understands and observes the following guidelines:
- Be alert to unusual or suspicious behavior in your neighborhood. Call the police if necessary. Write down descriptions of suspicious person(s) and license numbers
- Tell a trusted neighbor if your house will be unoccupied for an extended period. Tell him or her how to reach you in an emergency
- Look after your neighbor’s homes when they are away and ask them to look after yours. This includes picking up mail, newspapers and storing trashcans or recycling bins. Don’t send a message that says, “No One Is Home”
- Attend Neighborhood Watch meetings often. Your Bryan PD crime prevention officer will teach you about local crime trends and what you can do about them
- Above all, stay involved. It is the most effective way to reduce or prevent crime and make your neighborhood safe
- Remember your job is to report crime. The responsibility for apprehending criminals belongs to the police
Reporting Crime
The following tips will assist you when reporting crime to Bryan PD. Call immediately. A five-minute delay can reduce the chance of catching criminals. Tell the police as much as you can. No fact is too trivial. In many cases, what victims and witnesses tell the police about the criminal is what results in an arrest. You may be asked the following when reporting a crime:
- Who, What, When, and Where?
- How many suspects were there?
- Can you describe the suspect(s)?
- Can you describe their vehicle(s)?
- What was/were the license plate number(s)?
- What did they do?
- What did they say?
- What did they take?
- Which way did they go?
What is suspicious?
Anything that seems even slightly “out of place” or is occurring at an unusual time of day or night could be criminal activity. The following are some obvious things to watch for:
- A stranger entering your neighbor’s house when it is unoccupied
- A scream heard anywhere might mean robbery or assault
- Offers of merchandise at ridiculously low prices may mean stolen property
- Anyone removing accessories, license plates, or gas from a vehicle should be reported
- Anyone peering into parked vehicles may be looking for a vehicle to steal or for valuables left in the vehicle
- Persons entering or leaving a place of business after hours
- A sound of breaking glass or loud explosive noises could mean an accident, burglary or vandalism
- Persons loitering around schools, parks and secluded areas could be sex offenders
- Persons loitering in the neighborhood who do not live there
- Anyone forcing entry to, or tampering with a residence, business, or vehicle should be reported
Conclusion
The key to keeping a Neighborhood Watch group active is maintaining interest over time. By getting everyone involved you will create a feeling of pride and the atmosphere of a small town, even if you live in a large city. Neighborhood Watch can easily be adapted to meet your needs, wherever you live or work. Make belonging to your Neighborhood Watch group enjoyable. People will get involved and remain interested if the programs are fun as well as meaningful. Use your imagination. Schedule potluck dinners, organize clean-up campaigns or hold block parties. The possibilities are endless when neighbors unite and work together.
Bryan Police Officer’s Association
Bryan Police Officer’s Association (B.P.O.A.) is a non-profit organization composed of officers and civilian employees of the Bryan Police Department. B.P.O.A.’s main goal as an organization is to provide a unified voice for the department’s employees on all aspects of employment. B.P.O.A. provides shadow boxes commemorating the careers of retiring officers and will replace equipment that members of the department purchased themselves if damaged while working in the line of duty.
B.P.O.A. is also a service organization that has donated time, money, and supplies in times of need such as hurricane disasters. B.P.O.A. is in the process of establishing a scholarship fund (Mark Hiatt Scholarship Fund) for college students by having raffles, dog washes, etc. to raise money. Mark Hiatt was a Bryan Police Officer who perished in the line of duty.
Finally, B.P.O.A. is responsible for organizing the annual Blue Angel event in which we collect and deliver donated toys to needy families in December. For more information on Blue Angel refer to Blue Angel above. For monetary gifts, please contact Sgt. Stacey Nunn (979) 209-5318.
Reserve Police Force
The Bryan Reserve Police Force provides many hours of committed service to the residents of the City of Bryan.
The year generally begins with reserve officers providing police services for the annual celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr’s birthday, and culminates with the unit’s major function of the year … the annual Bryan/College Station Christmas Parade.
Other functions reserve officers have provided service to in the past include: The Armadillo Dash Half Marathon/5K fund raiser; the Junior League’s 5K fund raiser; the SOS Ministries 5K fund raiser; the annual Fiestas Patrias Parade; the Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History Half Marathon/5K fund raiser; the annual Rotary Club sponsored Veteran’s Parade in downtown Bryan; and the city’s annual Holiday Magic celebration in Sue Haswell Park, along with many other important events.
With few exceptions, the events supported by the reserve police are fundraisers conducted by non-profit organizations. And, were it not for the service provided by the reserve police these entities would have had to pay for their police support; thus, leaving fewer dollars available to support the good works of their organizations.
The officers assigned to the reserve police have other careers, which require much of their attention, but they have taken an oath to this department to assist with its missions of preserving the peace, enforcing the laws, and responding as needed for police emergencies. Each one of these officers makes a very important contribution to the safety and well-being of the City of Bryan and its residents.
How to Join the Reserve Police Force
Are you interested in being a Reserve Officer with the Bryan Police Department? The Bryan Police Reserve Officer Program is comprised of community members who wish to volunteer as Police Reserve Officers and experience working within a diverse and growing community. Reserve Officers supplement the full-time officers in a variety of duties throughout the department. They patrol in vehicles, on foot patrols, or on bicycle patrol. This program is an opportunity for individuals who have an established career but do not wish to make a transition to full-time Police Officer. Reserve Officers can enjoy the best of both worlds – maintain their chosen career while helping make the community a safer place to live.
Minimum Qualifications
- Be at least 21 years of age at the time of appointment
- Not have any felony or serious misdemeanor convictions that would prohibit you from possessing a firearm
- Be a United States citizen or have applied for U.S. citizenship
- Possess a High School diploma or GED equivalency
- Possess a valid Texas driver’s license
- If discharged from the military must be “honorable,” or “under honorable conditions”
Selection Process
- Successfully pass a written exam and physical agility test
- Successfully pass a comprehensive background investigation
- Successfully pass a polygraph exam, psychological screening, and drug screen/medical examination
- Successfully pass an Oral Interview
Duties of a Reserve Police Officer
A Reserve Officer performs general law enforcement, which includes street patrol, conducting preliminary police investigations, report writing, collision investigations, traffic control, issuance of citations, and other basic law enforcement functions. Reserve Officers are also utilized at special events such as parades and other city sponsored events.
Reserve Officers must complete a minimum of 8 hours per month in order to remain active in the program. All training, patrol duty, and special event duty counts towards the required hours. Recognizing that reserve officers have full time jobs and family commitments, the Department allows them complete flexibility in determining both when, and for how long, they spend on duty at any given time. Work hours are flexible and determined by a reserve officer’s other commitments.
Benefits of a Reserve Officer
A Reserve Officer is strictly a non-civil service volunteer position and does not receive any payment; however, the department does provide you a standard uniform and all necessary equipment. Reserve Officers will be required to undergo the same training that the full time officers are required to attend. This training shall include but not be limited to annual firearms qualification, use of force policy review, and legal updates. Reserve Officers are eligible for continued professional training, outside training courses, and any other courses taught at the Bryan Police Department at no-cost to that Reserve Officer.
How to Apply to Join the Reserve Police Force
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer for the Bryan Police Department as a Reserve Officer, please click on the link below to fill out and submit our online application. If for some reason you are unable to complete the form online and need to access a hard copy of the application click here to download and print. If you have any other questions about the Reserve Officer process, contact Sgt. Brad Pearson or call (979) 209-5370.
If you are interested in becoming a member of the Police Reserve Unit informational meetings are periodically held at the Bryan Police Department. For more information, please contact Sgt. Brad Pearson or call (979) 209-5370.
