Grand Prairie Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association

Awesome turn out for our August GPCPAAA membership meeting. Our Roz Henwood spoke on Scams. We are discussing a new committee to support our officers graduating and officers/staff being promoted. Also wrapping up the audit of our hosting the GPPD banquet. Lots on the agenda and more importantly lots of support for the Blue!!

Save the date for TIP A COP! Happening July 25th at Texas Roadhouse Grand Prairie benefitting Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Texas. Crisis Response Ministry and the Grand Prairie Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association in partnership with the Grand Prairie Police support the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Texas. Be sure to also mark October 12th for Touch A Truck Grand Prairie that also benefits the Law Enforcement Torch Run For Special Olympics Texas.

July 3rd and 4th members of our Citizens On Patrol assisted the GPPD Traffic Unit at Lone Star Park for their annual fireworks extravaganza. Special thank you to those who spent their holiday at intersections directing traffic.

Deja Vue or Round Two?? Today was the driving day for the Citizen Police Academy English class. It was exciting watching over 30 students take to the same driving course that GPPD recruits use to qualify. Students also got to role play a traffic stop as well as do some "situational driving". Thanks to Lynda, Jennifer and Curtis from our GPCPAAA crew for coming out to assist our community services officers. We are looking forward to having students from both classes become members of the GPCPAAA and helping to support our officers and staff!!

GPCPAAA is always ready to assist our Grand Prairie Police Community Service Officers with the Citizen Police Academy classes. Today was driving day for the Spanish CPA as they got to experience driving actual police vehicles through the same course as our recruits in the GPPD police academy.

Welcome to the NEW page for the Citizen Police Academy Alumni of North Texas. This is where we will be highlighting our member organizations and the great work, they do to support their local law enforcement agencies and their communities.

Please like and share with your family, friends, and organizations!

Grand Prairie Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association was well represented today at the monthly Citizen Police Academy Alumni of North Texas meeting.

GPCPAAA President Gary Mc, Secretary Vickie Graham, Director Prudence Mathis, and members Bob Addison and Fred Hollis were among those attending from the various cities that make up this organization.

Many thanks to the Arlington CPAAA for hosting today. Retired IRS employee, Paul Goodman, shared info on things a nonprofit secretary may want to consider. Some things I knew, but many I did not. 

Be sure to check out CPAANT’s new website at www.CPAANT.net.

Grand Prairie CPAAA members are invited to attend the monthly CPAANT meetings. The newest board members will be sworn in and Euless CPAAA provides great guest speakers. Hope to see you there!

Citizen Police Academy Alumni of North Texas - Membership Meeting | GPCPAAA Members of the Grand Prairie Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association are invited to attend CPAANT meetings. GPCPAAA pays yearly dues which entitles them to be members of CPAANT and attend their monthly meetings.

The holidays don’t slow down police department volunteers. Grand Prairie Police volunteers attended the Citizen Police Academy Alumni of North Texas December meeting. Thanks to Fort Worth Police Department and their volunteers for hosting the meeting and Christmas Celebration. The business meeting culminated in the annual elections. Gene, the current CPAANT President from Euless Police Department volunteer unit, ran the meeting. Congrats to Horace from Carrollton Police Department volunteer unit on being voted the 2024/25 President for CPAANT. Half of the executive board and directors were elected to a two year term. The meeting ended with the annual Christmas lunch and gift exchange. Sylvia, FWPD volunteer coordinator, kept the program running and entertaining. North Texas police agencies have the best volunteers!

Very proud of our GPCPAAA volunteers and their willingness to spend their time to assist the officers and make the members of the CPA classes feel welcomed. You're the BEST!

Well, this concludes another round of Citizen Police Academy classes. Class #51 graduated last night. Festivities included a delicious BBQ dinner from Spring Creek Barbeque being served by members of the Grand Prairie Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association. Each class member received a certificate of completion and several received a special reward for their accomplishments. The GPCPAAA works year round promoting the CPA classes as well as assisting by donating to GPPD $4,000 yearly towards the operation of the classes. Applications will be accepted for the spring session starting in March of 2024.

Felicidades to the Grand Prairie Police Departments Clase #5 Citizens Police Academy! Class #5 successfully completed the fall session of the CPA. The graduates and their guests were treated to a BBQ dinner from Spring Creek Barbeque served by the volunteers of the Grand Prairie Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association. Members of class #5 were awarded certificates of completion as well as a few special awards being presented. The GPCPAAA is a proud sponsor of the CPA program and contributes $2,000 per year to GPPD to help fund the Spanish CPA program. Programs such as the Citizens Police Academy give citizens a look at the daily operations of GPPD as well as helping to bridge the department and commUNITY.

Monday night, our Grand Prairie Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association members spent a commUNITY service night at the new Grand Prairie Santa Cop warehouse. Members did a “shopping night” that consists of gather toys for Grand Prairie kids in need and throwing a few extra items such as a puzzle, books, or art project as well as a stocking, tooth brush/paste and toboggan/gloves. Very fulfilling seeing our members support another Grand Prairie Police Department non-profit partner and doing good for the youngest citizens in Grand Prairie!

Arlington CPAAA hosted the monthly Citizen Police Academy Alumni of North Texas meeting at the Arlington Police Department South Substation.

There were about 35 attendees from the various cities that represent the North Texas alumni groups.

Grand Prairie Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association was represented by Gary Mc, Bob Addison, Fred Hollis, Bill Anderson, and me.

Officer Greg Parker with the UAS (Unmanned Ariel Systems) Aviation Unit gave an informative program about various drones.

Post credit: Prudence M.

Looking forward to you completing your class and becoming a member of the GP CPA Alumni Association!

Tonight’s Citizen Police Academy Class #51 is learning about a multitude of volunteer opportunities with GPPD. Looking forward to having you join the ranks in our volunteer unit.

Class #5 of GPPD’s Spanish Citizens Police Academy. We appreciate you for learning more about your police department. Tonight is volunteer night and getting to learn about all the volunteer opportunities available. We hope you will become volunteers and join the GPCPAAA to support the officers and staff of GPPD.

Great seeing GPCPAAA members that volunteer in multiple units for GPPD!

Touch A Truck Grand Prairie A Faith & Blue Child Friendly Event celebrating First Responders & Exploring CommUNITY Vehicles

Having the best COP program in the nation attend the conference to grow their knowledge and bring back best practices is an great investment in our commUNITY. We are happy to support GPPD’s Citizens on Patrol. Thank you to all for volunteering your time to support our officers and giving back to our community. Your contribution to public safety has helped make Grand Prairie the 8th safest major city in the State Of Texas.

Tonight’s GPCPAAA monthly meeting is another pack house. Discussing budgets and approved $2,700 in donations to GPPD to purchase senior lock boxes, water for officers and the sponsorship of the Citizen Police Academy classes. Guest speaker is Lee Templin sharing on her experience with MADD. Our members make a difference.

There are so many wonderful memories from the past 10 years as a Volunteer.

With the CPAAA my favorite time is being a part of the planning and fundraising for the Police Banquet. It is such a touching moment to see our Officers earn such deserved Awards that risk their life for us and give their all to our Community

There are so many favorite moments with my COP Family. My favorite moment is helping with traffic during Prairie Lights and directing the Chief of Police to make a right turn when he is wanting to turn left! Everyone is in the Christmas spirit, and trying to give me hot chocolate, cookies and popcorn. Another favorite and touching moment was helping with traffic on a very hot day, a Lady stopped, took her sunglasses off
and insisted I wear them.

Thank you to Outlaws Bar-B-Que and Catering for being a "Tow Truck Sponsor" for Touch A Truck Grand Prairie Event on Saturday October, 7th. We greatly appreciate your support!!

For more information about or to see their delicious menu visit their website at:

https://outlawsbbq.com/

Know anyone or a business that would like to support the Inaugural Touch A Truck event happening on Saturday, October 7th? Details available at wwwTouchATruckGP.org. Touch A Truck Grand Prairie is part of the Faith and Blue weekend bringing Law Enforcement together with the commUNITY.

Special thanks to Bancroft & Sons Transportation, LLC for being a "Big Rig Sponsor" for the Inaugural Touch A Truck Grand Prairie event happening on Saturday, October 7th. We appreciate your support and look forward to seeing you at the event!

For more information on Bancroft and Sons please visit their website: https://www.bancroftandsons.com

The monthly Board of Directors and Membership Meetings were held on Monday evening. A great turnout for the meetings and to hear our guest speaker from Code Compliance Supervisor, Allan Brown. Everyone walked away learning something new and interesting about Code Compliance. Did you know that our Citizens On Patrol assist Code Compliance by pulling "bandit signs" and reporting simple violations like tall grass, outside storage and dilapidated fences??? There are also code personnel assigned specifically to short-term rentals, convenience stores/donation boxes and automotive related businesses. Thank you to Supervisor Brown for taking your time to come speak to our group.

We also conducted regular business and approved to reimburse up to 10 of our Citizen On Patrol for conferences fees to the upcoming TCOPA conference as well as approving $2,500 to assist in redecorating the soft interview room for Victim Services. Lot's happening and lot's more to come from our great GPCPAAA members.

Be sure to follow Touch A Truck Grand Prairie for updates on the event. We will soon be looking for companies and individuals to show vehicles and sponsor!

SAVE THE DATE
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2023
GRAND PRAIRIE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S FIRST ANNUAL TOUCH A TRUCK GRAND PRAIRIE

Hosted by
Crisis Response Ministry
Grand Prairie Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association

Benefitting
Law Enforcement Torch Run For Special Olympics Texas
Crisis Response Ministry
Grand Prairie Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association

MORE DETAILS COMING SOON!!

This was a great week for the Grand Prairie Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association contingency that attended the 31st Texas Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association Convention & Law Enforcement Training. This year Grand Prairie had six members attend and the convention was hosted by the Brazos County Sheriff CSAA and College Station CPAAA in College Station at the Hilton Hotels & Resorts. We joined forces with Cedar Hill Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association during the convention. CPAAA associations from all over the State of Texas were in attendance as well as officers, liaisons and chiefs. The convention included high profile sessions such as “Danger Behind the Door; Officer’s Worst Nightmare” and several case studies. Breakout sessions included CPAAA Discussion/Workshop, LEO & Alumni Workshop, Road Rage, Winning the Encounter “AMAZING”, Current Drug Trends, Police Body Cam and Sexploitation. All were very informative and given by experts in their respective fields. Thank you to the hosts and Texas Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association for the very informative and educational convention as well as the hospitality. Looking forward to the 2024 Conference in League City!

Stop by the Grand Prairie Farmers Market this Saturday (7/8) to support some of Grand Prairie Police Department’s non profit partners. The GPCPAAA will be there with some new gifts with a donation! Several of our volunteers who sell handmade jewelry from Sisters at Heart and jams from Slamming Jammin will be on hand. These folks volunteer as Treasurer and Secretary for the GPCPAAA as well as volunteering in the Detention Center and as a RADS instructor. All donations to the GPCPAAA are used to support GPPD by hosting the annual awards banquet, purchasing water for our officers working out in the heat, funding the Senior Lock Box Program and much more. You can also donate at www.GPCPAAA.org.