The news of the last couple of years should convince anyone that police and the people they protect could stand to know more about each other.
Douglas County started efforts in this area a decade ago, with its Citizens Police Academy.
It's much more than a Saturday riding in police cruisers. Academy members spent 11 weeks, three hours a week, learning about police procedures and rationales.
The Douglas County Sheriff's Department puts on the academy with the Roseburg Police and Umpqua Community College. Sheriff's Community Outreach Coordinator Andrea Zielinski visits with tales from the academy.
