Citizen Police Academy To Focus On Law Enforcement

By Andrew Gorosko

Town police will again offer the Citizen Police Academy program for the general public, intended as an explanatory course on local law enforcement and the criminal justice system.

It will be the ninth time that the police department has conducted the informational program, which originated in the early 1990s under the guidance of former police chief Michael DeJoseph. The program is intended for Newtown residents and local business people.

Police Patrol Sergeant Christopher Vanghele is the coordinator for the free program, which will hold ten weekly sessions for participants.

“Through classroom and hands-on training, the students will learn what it is like to be a police officer,” according to Sgt Vanghele.

The academy will start on Thursday, March 25, and will meet on Thursday evenings through May 27. The last session is a graduation ceremony. Each session will run from 6 to 9 pm, including a 20-minute refreshment break. The initial session is slated for the police department. Following sessions will be held at the Booth Library meeting room.

Subject matter includes a general introduction to law enforcement, similar to the courses that are taught to police officer trainees at the state’s municipal police academy, according to Sgt Vanghele.

The course will include a tour of the police station at 3 Main Street, a talk on the history of policing, and an explanation of the town’s dispatch/Emergency 911 center in the police station.

Course content will include: domestic violence laws, juvenile law, school law, evidence gathering and interpretation, crime scene investigations, criminal investigations, criminal law, drunken driving law, motor vehicle law, crime prevention, police patrol work, and a description of how people become police officers.

Sgt Vanghele said each participant will have an opportunity to be a citizen observer in a police patrol car for a four-hour period during a routine patrol shift. The observer would not be placed in any dangerous situations, he said.

Most Citizen Police Academy courses are taught by local police officers, augmented with talks by guest speakers.

Sgt Vanghele said the academy is open to people over age 18. The program has space for 25 participants. Newtown residents and local business people who have not attended a previous Citizen Police Academy will be given attendance preference.

Participants are required to complete an application for academy participation, which will then reviewed by police. Applicants will be subject to a criminal history record verification prior to course acceptance. Applications are available at the police station. Completed applications may be hand-delivered, mailed, or faxed to the police department.

Police will contact successful applicants approximately one week after receiving their application to confirm their course participation.

“Each prospective student must be able to attend at least seven of the classes in order to graduate and receive a certificate of completion,” according to Sgt Vanghele.

People with questions about the program may contact Sgt Vanghele at the police station, telephone 426-5841, fax 270-0637.