Citizens' Police Academy

18 years ago

I am currently enrolled in my town's Citizens' Police Academy. It meets once a week and we learn a lot about the police department. Last night we met at the city warehouse for our firearms scenarios. We had real police guns, either empty or with wax bullets. The police officers did a fantastic job of setting up scenarios for us. My partner and I lost one of the scenarios about serving a warrant. We one the domestic dispute one. It was fun to be yelling loudly "Drop the gun, drop the gun".

I have learned about accident investigation, crime scene investigation, defense tactics and use of force, narcotics, juvenile law and sex offenders and many other things.

Tonight I do my ride along from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. I imagine we will encounter lots of drunk college students tonight.

I will post tomorrow about the drive along.

I know Jodi has done something similar in California. Any others done a citizens' police academy?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (11)

jenni_ca
18 years ago
I think that would be such an interesting thing to do.
Do you know the officer you will be riding with tonight?
Hey Linda....how's the new job driving a city bus?
I haven't seen you mention it for quite a while.
Do you like it?
linda_in_iowa
Original Author
18 years ago
Jenni, I don't know who I will be riding with tonight but I am hoping it will be the Drug Recognition Expert.
I quit my bus driving job. We had more snow this year than we have had for many, many years. It was hard enough to drive that 40 foot bus under the best of conditions but with all the ice and snow I didn't think it was worth the stress. I have really enjoyed not working.
Related Discussions
Senior Citizen arrested for pruning in park
Q
Comments (8)
I know just how she feels. I was visiting the Alamo in San Antonio several years ago with my husband. Behind the church is an absolutely lovely garden. Many of the plants were past their prime and yet would bloom again if they were dead-headed regularly. Without thinking about it, I casually reached down and started to break off a spent bloom. Out of nowhere a park ranger appeared and grabbed my arm yanking me back away from the plant. "You can't do that!" she yelled loud enough for them to hear it in Dallas. DH and I were so stunned by this attack we both just stood there with our mouths open while she chewed me up one side and down the other for touching a flower. When she paused for a breath, I was able to stammer out, "I'm sorry," before she launched into another tirade about defacing public property and taxpayers dollars, yadda yadda. Finally DH recovered and we slunk away from there like the sad dogs we were. The other visitors to the garden who witnessed this event parted like the Red Sea as we passed, a couple of them made facetious comments like, 'well, I guess you won't be doing any more gardening around here', and 'what a temper she has.' I, of course, was mortified and although I would love to visit the Alamo garden again, I probably won't. At least not until I'm too senile to remember the "Attack of the Angry Ranger."
...See More
Saturday's Question...........
Q
Comments (30)
I have a cordless phone and my SIL gave me a landline corded phone for when the power goes out. LOL The corded phone is coming in handy because the battery on my cordless needs replacing and I end up switching phones in mid conversation. If I need to make a private call like when my sister gives me her telephone banking information for me to do her banking for her when she is away in St. Louis or when she wants me to order something for her online I make sure we are both using corded phones when she gives me that info. I used to have a police scanner which picked up the calls whenever my neighbours used their cordless phone. I know the newer cordless phones can scramble the calls so they can't be picked up but I don't trust them. Banks use corded landline phones for that reason. I only had one phone jack in my house until this past summer which was a pain in the butt. Now I have one in the living room which means no more phone cord running across the kitchen and living room floor to connect my Webtv. Anne
...See More
OTDo you deserve to be a citizen?
Q
Comments (21)
To get an off-topic post back on topic, here's how I figured out the answers: 1. Knew it 2. Obviously not Bush or Jefferson, but I knew it anyway. Gonzales is the current Attorney General. 3. I didn't know the exact date, but that it was after 1776 and before 1812. 4. Knew it. Right to bear arms is in the 2d amendment, trial by jury is in the body, and happiness is not anywhere in it. 5. Knew it. 6. Knew it. Third answer is a trick. See below. 7. Knew it. Too famous not to know. 8. Knew there's nothing about voting rights in the first ten, so it was no. 7. 9. Tricky. The one with NZ is obvious, but DC is not a state, and Kentucky is west of the Appalachians so it's not an original colony. Knew it. Knew it, but it's obvious. A preamble to something is an introduction. Didn't know the exact number, but knew it was in the high 20s. Knew it. Many presidents were never govenors. Knew it. Congress confirms many appointmenst including general and flag officer promotions. Knew it. Soon to be 437. Knew it. Knew it. Knew it. Considerable debate over this. The president commands the armed forces, so he can deploy them at will. The War Powers Act says he has to seek permission from Congress if the deployment goes past 90 days. Only been five formal declarations of war in US history. The trick question I warned about above. The form to apply for citizenship is the "application for citizenship." Knew it. All of them are in the first amendment. Cheers!
...See More
Gun laws or rules for citizens
Q
Comments (4)
Actually I thought police were to shoot to wound, or shoot those sand bullets or use the taser. But it seems lately they shoot to kill, even when the perpetrator is running away! No, police are trained to shoot to defend themselves by taking the most accurate shot possible. Shooting to wound a person in the arm or leg may end up getting a police officer killed. Police will aim for the largest part, the chest, in order to bring down an assailant. Running away? Let's say a man just murdered another person and takes off running. Should the policeman be polite and not shoot him, or attempt a shot in the arm or leg? Of course not, the officer should shoot to bring him down, fast. Here's a good explanation about police training. Shoot to kill? Yes, maybe, or maybe not.
...See More
itsmesuzq
18 years ago
Linda, yes I have been to a 10 week Police Academy at my local police department. I live in Culver City, in Southern California. It was fantastic!! We learned about the same things you have, along with a K-9 officer that talked about how the dogs are trained, etc., plus a demonstration on how they work. The best thing to me the the ride-along. We picked partners from the class and I was with another gal who didn't want to sit in the front seat. Of course that's exactly where I wanted to be!! It was so interesting, exciting and really cool to cruise the streets of the city that I grew up in. I'm 62 (I did this about a year in a half ago) and I can't tell you how great it was riding in a police car for 3 hours (I too had the late shift) talking and listening to the Sgt. tell us about my city. We didn't have much action, just backed up a another police car on a alarm call. But even that was totally cool! They offer two classes a year and have said that if we would like to take part again, or even give suggestions for future classes they would be very grateful. I will be taking them up on their offer in about another year. I will also be volunteering to help with our VIP (Volunteers On Patrol) program when I retire.

~Susan
gadgets
18 years ago
That sounds so very interesting. Something that I would have done if it had been available in our area back when I was physically able.

Shirley
Jodi_SoCal
18 years ago
Oh Linda, something near and dear to my heart.

In Irvine we call it the Community Police Academy or CPA for short. I graduated in 2000 and have been quite involved in training scenarios (SWAT, terrorist/hostage, report writing, crowd control, sobriety detection, etc.) and volunteer work. I did LiveScan and ink fingerprinting once a week for a year. That was a blast! When I got a full-time job outside the home, I had to give it up.

Have fun on the ride-along. I've gone of six of them and ours go for 12.5 hours (3:00pm to 3:30am). I've seen some pretty interesting things.

I took a small basket of Trader Joe's snacks when I went on my first ride-along. It was over-kill but the officer liked it. We got called to a crime scene just as we sat down to dinner at a restaurant so around 11pm we sat in a parking lot, grabbed the basket and ate.

Keep in mind, anything you might bring with you (jackets, notebook, food, etc.) pretty much has to sit on the floor at your feet. The trunk has police gear in it and the backseat is reserved for bad guys. At least that's how our PD cars were set up.

Jodi-

Here is a link that might be useful: Irvine CPA
waddles
18 years ago
I used to be a police/fire dispatcher. I was able to do a couple of ride alongs, it sure does give you a new appreciation of the police.
jenni_ca
18 years ago
Linda I would have quit too. Life is to short for that much stress!
linda_in_iowa
Original Author
18 years ago
This won't be my first ride along. When I was much younger and lived in Mountain View, CA, I did two ride alongs with officers in that city and one with the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office.
uxorial
18 years ago
I would be terrified to ride along in a police car!

My hat is off to those of you who serve your community in this way.
Eliza_ann_ca
18 years ago
This sounds like a great idea...wonder if such a program would be beneficial to do with high school students?Kind of show them the right side of the law.Mmmmm something to think about!
sandy_in_ia
18 years ago
Sounds fun, Linda! I think you could see enough drunks get into their vehicles if you just sat by the 'Tip Top Lounge'! (Did I ever tell you that Caryn lived across the street from there?? Scared us to Death!!! Never had one problem tho) LOL I am sure there would be plenty of drunk young adults down in campus town....other than that, I don't see too much excitement! NOW...if it were Veisha!!! That could get interesting.

We have been watching Cops this winter...just because there hasn't been much of ANYTHING on TV!! I just have no time for some of the drunkereds....I keep yelling, 'Tazer the fool'!!! I would make a bad cop! LOL

Citizens' Police Academy

Comments (11)

jenni_ca

linda_in_iowa
Original Author

Related Discussions

itsmesuzq

gadgets

Jodi_SoCal

waddles

jenni_ca

linda_in_iowa
Original Author

uxorial

Eliza_ann_ca

sandy_in_ia

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Citizens' Police Academy

Comments (11)

linda_in_iowaOriginal Author

Related Discussions

linda_in_iowaOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

linda_in_iowa
Original Author

linda_in_iowa
Original Author