Citizen's Academy

2019 Program

The District Attorney's 2019 Citizens Academy will begin August 21 and go through November  13, 2019. The Academy meets every Wednesday from 6 to 9 p.m.  Deadline for application is August 9, 2019. 

About Citizen's Academy

The District Attorney’s Citizens Academy is a 12-week program that is designed to immerse citizens in the criminal justice process, bringing participants together with law enforcement, prosecutors, defense attorneys and judges.

“For those who work within the criminal justice system, it is easy to assume that everyone in the community understands what we do, but that is not the case,” said District Attorney Pete Weir, regarding the need for the Academy. “With this program we can show people not only the role of the District Attorney’s Office in the criminal justice system, but we can also open up the process to them, helping to create a more informed and enlightened community.”

The Academy offers a better understanding of the justice system through hands-on instruction of case investigation and prosecution, including presentations on topics such as the autopsy of a high profile case, child sex trafficking, elder abuse, and identity theft. The Academy will include dialogue with criminal justice leaders, visits to the court and Detention Center, review of the functions of the District Attorneys Office and a “walk through” of a criminal case.

Participants must live in the First Judicial District, which includes Jefferson and Gilpin counties, submit an application, and pass a background criminal history check.