KYLE — The Kyle Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association (KCPAAA) is a local nonprofit that supports the Kyle Police Department and strives to foster a connection between the police department and the community of Kyle; it is gearing up to grow that relationship by hosting a gala later this month.
Started in 2013, the KCPAAA is the local chapter of the Texas Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association (TCPAAA) that fundraises for local first responders and provides classes for civilians to learn more about how the police department functions; classes are typically held in the early fall every year. After completing the class, students then have the opportunity to join the KCPAAA.
The association also offers an advanced class in the spring for those who complete the first class and residents who finish the advanced class then have the opportunity to join the Citizens on Patrol (COP) program. Members of this program have the ability to respond to low level calls into the police department, which frees up police officers to respond to more critical situations.
The TCPAAA holds a convention every year to bring together all Texas chapters of the Association. This year, it will be held at the Waco Convention Center, where there will be classes and training, as well as opportunities to meet community members from all around Texas.
During the year, the KCPAAA fundraises by selling first responder-themed items at market days and events. Because of the fundraising, the KCPAAA was able to get a fingerprinting ID kit for the police department. At community events, the association will have a booth with the kit inside to allow parents to get a copy of their children’s fingerprints on a USB flash drive, which is helpful should anything happen to that child.
“God forbid, [if] something were to happen to their children becoming lost or stolen, they could take that information wherever they are,” said KCPAAA President Aaron Story. “If they're traveling, they would obviously want to take the USB flash drive with them to take to the local police department and they'll have kind of a leg up on starting that investigation find the kids quicker than trying to get all that information a couple hours or days after they respond and all that information is stored on the USB that we get them.”
One of the fundraisers that the KCPAAA has held for the past three years is a gala, which will be held 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 18 at Texas Old Town, located at 1205 Roland Lane in Kyle. It is an opportunity to raise money for the police department and other first responders, as well as to recognize those who have gone above and beyond.
“A lot of organizations, I think, are more things you do for fun and this is one that a lot of people I've seen have a passion for giving back to an organization that already sacrifices a lot.” said Story.
As it has worked to support KPD and the relationship between law enforcement and the community, KCPAAA is already looking to the future. According to Story, the association’s goals are “to continue to educate the community on what our nonprofit does, how the police department works in their daily life and how they're looking to not only improve their policing, but their community service and outreach, as well.”
For more information about the Kyle Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association, visit www.facebook.com/kylecitizens. Tickets for the gala can be purchased at bit.ly/4a1CrQc.
