WEST WARWICK — Consider it Police Officer 101, but without the pushups, sit-ups or timed run.

Residents can get a sense of what it means to be an officer and an inside view of the town Police Department by participating in the Citizens Police Academy.

“Most people don’t deal with the police on a good level,” said Patrolman Scott Amaral of the community policing unit, which is holding the academy. “They see us when a crime has been committed, there’s an accident or they’re getting a citation. It’s a good way to see police on a different level where they can interact with one another, teach and ask them questions.”

Participants will learn about everything from identifying an impaired driver to investigating a crime scene to handling stress and identifying illegal drugs. Also during the course, on 12 consecutive Wednesdays starting Oct. 10, participants will be given a tour of the police station, have the opportunity to try out defense techniques on an officer and even practice their shooting skills at the police firing range, Amaral said. The course, for a maximum of 25 people, will meet at 6 p.m. in the department’s new Youth Drop-In Center.

Application forms are available at the Police Department, which will accept applications through Sept. 28. Preference will be given to town residents.

This will be the third academy the department has held in recent years, Amaral said. The goal is to allow residents to get to know local officers and better understand the things they do, he said.

The three-hour sessions are taught by local officers with expertise in various areas, Amaral said. Detectives from the Bureau of Criminal Investigations will examine a mock crime scene, and members of the SWAT team will discuss their work and training. Members of the undercover drug unit will do a mock car stop, Amaral said, where they will have someone do a field sobriety test. Officers will teach some basic defense techniques and have participants attempt to subdue an officer using those techniques. Participants will also spend four hours at the shooting range, Amaral said, where they will have a chance to handle the same firearms officers carry.

The academy is ideal for people who are thinking about a career in law enforcement or who simply want a better idea of what officers do every day, he said.

“We had one guy that came that didn’t like the police,” Amaral said. “He used to battle with us all of the time at Town Council meetings. He came to the Academy, did a ride along and became one of our biggest supporters.”

“Townspeople don’t realize what goes on a daily basis,” he said. “We deal with the bad things that don’t get publicized. This will give them a chance to see what’s going on day to day in town.”

tbuford@projo.com