Community Support & Engagement Programs

What is the Tacoma Public Safety Partnership?

TPSP is an 18-month pilot initiative that will bring community members, TPD leadership, and labor representatives together for learning and candid, two-way conversations about policing and public safety.

Meetings may include presentations, demonstrations, discussions about department operations and policy, and selected case studies involving completed complaint investigations, commendations, or critical incidents.

How is TPSP different from the Community Police Academy?

The Community Police Academy provides a broad introduction to TPD and the different functions within the Department.

TPSP begins with foundational learning but continues beyond that introduction. Participants will meet regularly throughout the pilot to discuss real-world topics, ask questions, share community perspectives, and identify opportunities for greater understanding or improvement.

Education is the starting point. Ongoing dialogue and relationship-building are what make TPSP different.

Why is it called a partnership?

Participants will not simply receive information from TPD. Department representatives will explain our work and answer questions, but they will also listen to the experiences, concerns, and perspectives brought forward by community partners.

People will not always agree. The partnership is built on a shared willingness to listen, learn and have respectful conversations about difficult issues.

Who will participate?

TPSP will include approximately 12 to 15 community partners representing different neighborhoods, backgrounds, professions, and lived experiences.

They will participate alongside the Chief of Police and members of TPD leadership, labor representatives and subject-matter experts invited based on the topic being discussed.

How will community partners be selected?

Community partners will be selected through an application process intended to provide broad representation across Tacoma.

Prospective appointees will participate in an individual conversation before final selections are made. This will allow TPD to explain the program’s purpose, expectations, and time commitment, while allowing applicants to ask questions and determine whether the TPSP is the right fit for them.

What will be expected of participants?

Participants should be willing to listen, ask thoughtful questions, share their perspectives respectfully, and remain open to learning.

TPD is not looking for people who will always agree with the Department. Different perspectives are important. Respectful participation and a genuine willingness to understand those differences will be essential.

Will TPSP shape TPD operations or policy?

TPSP may inform our work, but it will not govern it.

Participant questions and feedback may identify opportunities for clearer communication, stronger community connections, or continuous improvement. TPSP will not direct operations, make policy, investigate complaints, determine discipline, or change investigative findings. Final responsibility for Department decisions remains within TPD’s established leadership and accountability structure.

What do we hope participants take back to the community?

We hope participants will share their experiences and general learning with others. They will not be expected to speak for TPD, defend every decision, or leave every meeting in agreement with the Department.

They will, however, have a better understanding of what their police department does, how our processes work, and how we serve Tacoma. If they have confidence in a process, they should be able to explain why. If they still have questions or concerns, they should be able to speak about those from a more informed place as well.

The goal is not automatic support. It is a more informed community conversation grounded in firsthand learning and meaningful dialogue.

Are TPSP meetings open to the public?

TPSP meetings are structured working sessions for appointed community partners, TPD representatives, labor representatives, and invited subject-matter experts. They are not public forums.

TPD will provide updates throughout the pilot, including general topics discussed, lessons learned and the partnership’s progress. Participants will also be encouraged to share their general experiences and learning with the community.

How will TPD determine whether the pilot is successful?

TPD will consider participant feedback, attendance and engagement, lessons learned, and whether the program created stronger understanding, communication, and relationships between TPD and participating community members.

The 18-month pilot will also give us an opportunity to make adjustments along the way and determine whether TPSP should continue.

Would you like to gain insight into how the Tacoma Police Department works? The Community Police Academy (formerly known as the Citizens’ Academy) is for you.

The Community Police Academy highlights the Tacoma Police Department’s Community-Oriented Policing philosophy, which strengthens the bond between our community members and our police officers as we proactively work together to solve community issues. The goal of the Community Police Academy is to create a growing core of well-informed community members who are proud of their police department, and who can serve as ambassadors who share their experiences with and knowledge about law enforcement with other community members.

During two-hour sessions (6-8 p.m.), held on Wednesdays in the fall for 13 weeks, the Community Police Academy offers City of Tacoma residents, employees, and community and business leaders an up-close and personal look at the way the Tacoma Police Department is organized and an opportunity to learn more about its:

Operations Bureau Activities

Patrol, Traffic, Community Policing, Homeless Outreach Team, School Resource, Explorers, Violence Reduction, Marine Services, K-9, SWAT, Special Response Team, Search and Rescue, Designated Crisis Responder, Bomb Squad, and South Sound 911 Dispatch.

Investigations Bureau Activities

• Violent Crimes including Homicide, Death Investigations, Missing Persons, Assault, Special Assaults, and Sex Offenders.
• Major Crimes including Special Victims, Domestic Violence, Child Abduction Response and Child Abuse, and Arson.
• Career Crimes including Property Crimes and Financial Crimes. Also presented are Forensic Services and Special Investigations (Narcotics and Vice).

Administrative Services Bureau Activities

Crime Analysis Unit, Internal Affairs, Hiring/Recruiting Unit, Training, Chaplaincy, and Jail.

Chief’s Office

Public Information Officer, Community Engagement, and Community Relations.

Each session at the Community Police Academy can accommodate 30-36 community members over the age of 18. Instructors are officers and personnel from within the Tacoma Police Department and other law enforcement-related agencies who are department-recognized subject matter experts.

The Citizens’ Academy, now known as the Community Police Academy, first launched in 1987 and is coordinated through the Tacoma Police Department’s Operations Bureau. More than 1,400 community members have graduated from the Academy, and we look forward to growing the number of graduates for years to come.

Application Process and Schedule

The next Community Police Academy will run from September 16 to November 18, 2026, meeting each Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The classes will be held at the City of Tacoma Fleet Operations classroom, 3639 South Pine Street, adjacent to Tacoma Police Department headquarters. In addition to a completed application, you must include a scanned or photocopy of your Washington state driver license.

Apply for the Community Police Academy

To apply for the Community Police Academy, please fill out the interest form below. Once we receive your contact information, a member of the Tacoma Police Department will reach out to you to complete the screening process.

We are accepting applications through September 4, 2026, for the Fall 2026 class series, but applications can be submitted anytime for future dates.

The Tacoma Police Department sponsors Police Explorer Post 711 which is overseen by Learning for Life, an affiliate of the Boy Scouts of America. The Tacoma Police Department supports the program with equipment, training, and mentoring in the law enforcement career field.

The Tacoma Police Explorers meet every Tuesday evening from 6 PM until 9 PM at the Tacoma Police Headquarters located at 3701 South Pine Street. The meetings are mandatory and are a requirement to maintain standing in the Explorer Post. The first Tuesday of the month is an administrative meeting that covers the upcoming Post events, past events, and monthly assignments for the Explorers. The other Tuesday meetings are training meetings that include both lecture and practical experience.

As an Explorer, you will learn about the many different aspects of law enforcement which are intended to enhance your ability to enter into the law enforcement career field. Some skills that are taught include officer safety techniques, de-escalation resources and response, handling high-risk and routine calls, report writing and more.

Tacoma Police Explorers are trained and equipped with the basic skills required to work as volunteer representatives of the Tacoma Police Department.

To become an Explorer, you must:

• Be mature and professional
• Maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0
• Pass the physical agility test (25 push-ups, 35 sit-ups, and run one mile in under ten minutes)
• Have good attendance at school and meetings
• Volunteer as an Explorer at events (an average of 12 additional hours per month)

Most events are usually held on weekends. In addition, Explorers must attend the Explorer Academy within one year of being accepted into the Explorer Post and at least one academy per year thereafter. The Academies are one week in duration and are held in August and over winter break between December 26 and December 31.

The Police Explorers requires a serious commitment for young adults who are interested in a career in Law Enforcement and volunteering in their community. All Explorers are registered as City of Tacoma volunteer workers and are also Pierce County Department of Emergency Management volunteers.

For more information on this challenging and rewarding program, call Sergeant Custis at (253) 302-1184 and leave your name, a return phone number and the best time to reach you. You may also reach Sgt. Custis by emailing the Explorers. We look forward to hearing from you.

The Tacoma Police Department Volunteer program began in December 2005 and consists of Tacoma area residents who staff the information counters at each of our Substations. Volunteers receive no compensation for the work they perform. Our volunteers work one four-hour shift per week during normal business hours of the Substations from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Volunteering is a rewarding way to support and serve your community. If you are interested in becoming a Tacoma Police Department Volunteer, here are the qualifications we look for:

• Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age
• People who are courteous, patient and have strong “people skills”
• Some computer skills (email and word processing) are helpful, but not required
• All applicants must be fingerprinted and undergo a background check

*Due to COVID, the Tacoma Police Department Volunteer program was suspended and remains inactive at this time. When the program is reinstated this page will be updated and applications made available.

Camp is located on 40 acres in the beautiful foothills of Mt. Rainier in Wilkerson, WA, overlooking Sunset Lake. Selected children take part in a variety of activities at camp including swimming, horseback riding, archery, fishing, a whiffle ball tournament, and campfire skits and songs. The kids are given a chance to see police officers and deputy sheriffs in roles they may never have seen them in, camp counselors. This gives the kids a chance to see that officers have lives that include families, hobbies and activities outside of law enforcement. The children are what the Law Enforcement Youth Camp is all about.

The 2025 camp schedule will be announced soon.

For more information, visit the LEYC website.

Shop with a Tacoma Cop is sponsored primarily by the Tacoma Police Union Local #6, in cooperation with the Tacoma Police Department, Walmart Store of Tacoma, Dick’s Sporting Goods of Tacoma, and others.

History of Shop With a Tacoma Cop

The program began in 1990 with the sponsorship of the Tacoma Police Union Local #6 and the Tacoma Police Department, and is a registered, non-profit corporation. Police Officers volunteer their time and dedicate resources to help Tacoma children and their families. Since the program is primarily a volunteer effort with few expenses, donations from the community are tax deductible.

Where is Shop With a Tacoma Cop Held?

In 2022, events were held at Dick’s Sporting Goods and the Tacoma Walmart. Both stores opened early the day of the event. At Tacoma Walmart, store employees donate their time, and the store donates refreshments, pictures with Santa, wrapping supplies, goody bags and gift certificates. At Tacoma Dick’s Sporting Goods, store employees donate their time and the store donates breakfast and gift certificates. Prior to COVID, the Tacoma Target Store at South 23rd and Union Avenue hosted the event.

When is Shop With a Tacoma Cop?

The Walmart event is held on a Saturday in early December, and parents and guardians are notified in advance. Police Officers in uniform pick the children up at their homes, take them shopping, and return them home after the event. The children are given the donated money at the store and are allowed to spend it as they wish. Officers keep track of the spending and help the children with gift ideas.

The Dick’s Sporting Goods event is held on a Wednesday in early December. Wednesdays are Tacoma School District’s late start day, so the children do not miss school. Parents drop the children off at the store where they are paired with a uniformed police officer. The children then enjoy breakfast and games and are provided a gift card with funds donated by Dick’s Sporting Goods and matched with Shop With a Cop funds. The gifts are then wrapped.

How are children selected to participate?

Children are recommended for participation in the program by referrals from Tacoma Police Department members and Tacoma School employees.

For the event hosted at Walmart, the criteria for the children are they must be a resident of Tacoma between the ages of seven and eleven and have a social or economic need, have not participated in the Shop With a Cop program in the past, and are not currently receiving support for Christmas through another charitable program.

For the event hosted at Dick’s Sporting Goods, the criteria for the children are they must be a resident of Tacoma attending a Tacoma middle school, have a social or economic need, have not participated in the Shop With A Cop program in the past, and are not currently receiving support for Christmas through another charitable program.

For more information on the Shop With a Tacoma Cop program, or to make a donation, please contact:

Shop With a Tacoma Cop
Attention: President
3701 South Pine Street
Tacoma, WA  98409