An opportunity for Cape Elizabeth residents to get a behind-the-scenes look into the police department, including a ride-along and firearms training simulation, has been canceled due to lack of interest in the community.

Community Liaison Officer Mark Dorval said nine people had signed up to attend the free police academy, slated for one two-hour evening a week for eight weeks. With that amount of interest, Dorval said, it didn’t make sense to rearrange officers’ schedules to teach the class. The class had 16 slots open.

Cape Elizabeth Police Chief Neil Williams the police department wanted to get “the biggest bang for the buck” and would try again this spring.

The police department has offered similar programs to senior citizens in the past, Dorval said, which were well attended. But this is the first year the class had been opened to all residents.

Dorval said the program had been well publicized, but thought the commitment of so many evenings was the problem. He said the department would work on different methods to get the word out and get a better turnout in the spring.