Law Enforcement Overview—

Citizen Police Academy Informational Program Offered 

By Andrew Gorosko

For residents and business owners interested in gaining an overview of local law enforcement as it relates to the criminal justice system, the Newtown Police Department will again offer to the public its free, informational program known as the Citizen Police Academy.

It is the 17th time that the police department has offered the program since the mid-1990s.

The program will have ten weekly sessions. Classes will start on Thursday, March 15, and run on successive Thursday nights until May 17. Each session will run from 6 to 9 pm.

The academy is open to people who are at least age 18. Sergeant David Kullgren will be the program’s coordinator.

Through classroom sessions and hands-on instruction, participants will learn what it is like to be a police officer in Newtown, according to Sgt Kullgren. Besides classroom instruction in a town facility, field trips will be held.

Subject matter in the curriculum includes: a tour of the police station, the police hiring process, the police field training process, police patrol work, crime prevention services, crime scene investigation, fingerprinting, a police dog demonstration, traffic enforcement, firearms, and police weaponry. An overview of the laws that police enforce is planned, including drunken driving law, motor vehicle law, as well as laws concerning juveniles and the schools.

People in the Citizen Police Academy will have an opportunity to ride along with a police officer on patrol duty for four hours. Participants would not be placed in dangerous situations.

Most of the instructors for the academy are Newtown police officers. Guest speakers from outside the police department, including state and federal officials, also may give talks on aspects of law enforcement.

Sgt Kullgren explains that the academy is open to residents of Newtown and surrounding towns, with registration preference given to Newtown residents on a first-come, first-served basis. The class is limited to 25 members.

People who want to take the course must complete an application. Applications are available at the police station at 3 Main Street or they may be obtained at the police department’s website, www.newtown-ct.gov/Public_Documents/NewtownCT_Police/index.

Applicants for the academy will be subject to a “criminal history record verification” by police prior to acceptance in the academy.

Applicants should mail, e-mail, hand deliver, or fax their completed applications to police before March 1.

People with questions about the academy may contact Sgt Kullgren at the police station at 3 Main Street at 203-426-5841, fax number 203-270-0637. His e-mail address is david.kullgren@newtown-ct.gov.