DA Allen Unveils New Citizens Academy
District Attorney General Charme Allen is proud to announce the creation of the DA’s Office Citizens Academy. This program is the first of its kind in the State of Tennessee, and it will offer citizens an opportunity to learn more about the District Attorney’s Office and what it is like to represent the State and argue a criminal case as a prosecutor.
In a six-week course, participants will engage with prosecutors discussing a range of topics, including the role of the prosecutor in the criminal justice system, the opiate epidemic, gang prosecution, human trafficking, and other emerging trends. Additionally, citizens will have the opportunity to take on the role of District Attorney while prosecuting a mock case in the court system.
Graduates will be able to take their newfound knowledge of the District Attorney’s Office and the criminal justice system into their neighborhoods to form stronger relationships between the DA’s Office and the community it serves. “During my time in office, I have focused on educating the public about how prosecutors work to protect the citizens of Knox County,” said DA Allen. “The Citizens Academy will further the goal of education in an interactive and informative way.”
The program will be held Tuesdays from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. from September 6, 2016, through October 11, 2016, at the City-County Building.
Applicants must be at least 18 years old, live or work in Knox County, and must undergo a background check, including a criminal history check. Applications can be downloaded from the following PDF: Citizens Academy Application.pdf. Completed applications may be emailed to the Community Affairs Director, faxed to 865-215-4253, or mailed to the District Attorney’s Office at 400 Main Street, Suite 168, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37902. The deadline to submit an application is July 31, 2016. In order to promote active participation and individual attention, class size will be kept to a minimum.
If you have any questions regarding the Community Affairs Unit, please contact the Community Affairs Director at dag@knoxcounty.org. or 865-215-2515.