Greer offers free citizens academies for fire, police, development, and civics

GREER, SC – The City of Greer is proud to offer several opportunities for residents and community members to get a behind the scenes look at City operations through free citizens academies.

The City offers a Citizens Fire Academy, Citizens Police Academy, Professional Development Academy, and a Civics Academy. The Fire and Police academies offer a look at how first responders in the City operate. The Professional Development Academy is an effort to give developers, contractors, and other building development professionals and inside look at the department, and provide tips to get project approved on first submittal. Finally, the Civics Academy gives a high-level view of all City Departments for residents to have a better understanding of how local government operates.

“The Civics Academy that the City does where you go through each department is just the tip of the iceberg,” Deputy Fire Chief Josh Holzheimer said. “The Citizens Police Academy and Citizens Fire Academy just gives a more in-depth approach to that, and it does help.”

“The main purpose of this is to educate our customers that we work with on what our processes are,” Building and Development Standards Director Ruthie Helms said. “What we’re working towards is giving these engineers and architects the ability to earn a fast-track certification.”

All academies are now accepting applications. Fire, Professional Development, and Civics will all have a Fall session, while Police will hold a session beginning in early Spring.

Sign up links can be found below, and on the City website.

Citizens Fire Academy: https://www.cityofgreer.org/364/Citizens-Fire-Academy
Citizens Police Academy: https://www.cityofgreer.org/398/Citizens-Police-Academy
Professional Development Academy: https://www.cityofgreer.org/1058/Professional-Development-Academy
Greer Civics Academy: https://www.cityofgreer.org/905/Civics-Academy