Yolo County District Attorney’s Citizens Academy  Summary of Classes in partnership with Yolo County Sheriff’s Office Davis Police Department Woodland Police Department West Sacramento Police Department Winters Police Department Yolo County Probation Department SPRING 2012 Thursdays, 6-8 PM Application Package (406 kb) <-- Click here (Requires Free Adobe Acrobat Reader) The deadline for applying is April 23, 2012. Applicants must be 18 years of age. Return the completed Citizens Academy application and Ride-Along application by mail, personal delivery or fax to: Yolo County District Attorney’s Office Attn: Wendy Wilcox 301 Second Street Woodland, CA 95695 FAX: (530) 666-8423 Answer every question unless specified as optional. Incomplete applications may result in a delay or rejection of your application. The deadline for submitting applications will not be waived. Course Outline
Week One: 5/3/12	Welcome:	Introduction on Citizens Academy and “It Takes a Community…” What can a concerned citizen do to make our community a better place to live?
	Summary:	Welcome to Citizens Academy with an overview of the next eight weeks and the participating agencies.
	Speakers:	Introduction and Overview of the Academy, Mission & Welcoming Remarks District Attorney Jeff Reisig
	Welcoming Remarks	Yolo County Sheriff Ed Prieto Yolo County Probation Department Chief Marjorie Rist Davis Police Department Chief Landy Black Winters Police Department Chief Sergio Gutierrez Woodland Police Department Chief Dan Bellini
	The Judiciary and the Grand Jury	Yolo County Superior Court Assistant Presiding Judge Steven Basha  Grand Jury Foreperson
	Overview of Public Safety Agencies	District Attorney’s Office Representative Yolo County Sheriff’s Office Representative Local Law Enforcement Representatives Yolo County Probation Department Representative
Week Two: 5/10/12	Topic:	The Role of the District Attorney and Challenges: “Law & Order”
	Summary:	While prime time television shows such as “Law & Order” capture ratings and audiences, they fail to show the day-to-day work of the District Attorney. We will provide an overview of the District Attorney’s Office and its Mission: Justice Finds No Solace in Delay. Learn about the various units in the office, filing decisions, case resolutions and challenges facing prosecutors today.
	Speakers:	Intake, Filings, and Case Resolutions  Yolo County District Attorney Representative   Juvenile Cases –Remands, Direct File Cases Yolo County District Attorney Representative
Week Three: 5/17/12	Topic:	Federal Criminal Justice System
	Summary:	We will be focusing on the federal system of justice and how it differs from the state system. How is it decided whether a case is prosecuted federally or in state court? How do judges learn how to be a judge? What types of crime do the FBI investigate?
	Speakers:	United States District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller United States Attorney’s Office: U.S. Attorney Representative Federal Bureau of Investigations: FBI Representative
Week Four: 5/24/12	Topic:	Special Challenges of Prosecution --- Three Strikes; Special Circumstances; 10/20/Life; Domestic Violence and Victim Services Division
	Summary:	What are some of the unique challenges faced by the District Attorney’s Office? How are Three Strikes cases decided? How do we handle Domestic Violence cases? What are the rights of victims and Proposition 9? We will talk about these issues and the services we offer victims.
	Speakers:	Director of Victim Services Program Manager Laura Valdes Yolo County District Attorney Representatives
Week Five: 5/31/12	Topic:	Race as a Factor in the Criminal Justice System
	Summary:	The issue of race continues to be raised on complex issues such as racial profiling.  Learn about law enforcement training on racial profiling and efforts to open lines of communication between law enforcement and the communities they serve.  The commission addressing racial profiling, a study on patrol stops and relevance of race in prosecution will be discussed.
	Speakers:	Law Enforcement Representatives District Attorney’s Office Chief Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Raven
Week Six: 6/7/12	Topic:	Role of Law Enforcement and Internal Affairs: “To Serve and Protect”
	Summary:	Over the years, the role of law enforcement has expanded to meet the changing and growing needs of the community. We will discuss with police and sheriff representatives the roles and perspectives of law enforcement, the Reviews Boards, and the District Attorney’s role, as well as outreach to the diverse communities. Internal Affairs representatives will discuss their role, departments and process.
	Speakers:	Panel Discussion on Internal Affairs and the Review Process Overview of Internal Affairs  Law Enforcement Representatives Davis Police Department Lt. Colleen Turay District Attorney’s Office DA Chief Investigator Review Boards Inspector General—Speaker TBA Bob Aaronson – Independent Police Ombudsman, City of Davis
Week Seven: 6/14/12	Topic:	Community Focus and Gangs
	Summary:	There is much more to the criminal justice system than the high profile cases we see on television or read about in the newspaper. Learn about a special unit which focuses on street gangs. What constitutes a gang? Who are the members? What does it mean to be a “gang” member? What can communities do to help prevent this problem and combat it today? These are a few of the issues to be addressed.
	Speakers:	Yolo County District Attorney Representative Local Law Enforcement Representatives from Gang Task Force Davis Police Department Officer Keirith Briesenick  Woodland Police Department Gang Expert
Week Eight: 6/21/12	Topic:	Building Bridges and Partnerships: Community Policing and Community Participation – “From Rhetoric to Reality – Where do We Go from Here?”
	Graduation
	Summary:	Reflections on the first nine weeks and a look forward to continue the dialogue. Closing remarks on community involvement and participation to achieve long-term public safety solutions and strategies. Graduation reception and ceremony.
	Speakers:	District Attorney Jeff Reisig Yolo County Sheriff Ed Prieto Davis Police Department Chief Landy Black Winters Police Department Chief Sergio Gutierrez Woodland Police Department Chief Dan Bellini
2008 - 2009 Biennial Report  (2.16 MBs) (Requires Free Adobe Acrobat Reader)