WESTFIELD – The Westfield Police Department will accept applications for the Citizens Police Academy until Friday, Jan. 29. Only a few spots remain for the upcoming academy, which begins on Tuesday, Feb. 2 at police headquarters.
The 12-week Citizens Police Academy educates Westfield residents on the inner workings of the department and the jobs of police officers. The academy will accept 16 applicants for the newest class.
Police Sgt. Eric Hall, who heads the department’s Community Policing bureau, said participants who complete the course will receive a certificate of completion during a graduation ceremony.
“We cover many topics to give people an idea what police officers do on a daily basis,” said Hall.
Instructors will introduce a new topic weekly, which includes featured speakers and field trips.
Though the course is nearly full, Hall encouraged residents to submit applications as one or two people may drop out before the course begins. The awarded certificate does not give graduates any policing powers or authority.
The academy’s goal, said Hall, is to educate public about the rewards and difficulties police officers face on the job. The first night will cover the department’s history and followed by a visit to the dispatch center, located near Barnes Airport.
Another week entails discussions on the criminal justice system, and rules and procedures police officers must follow. Other topics include crime and fraud prevention, drug identification, crime scene issues, defensive tactics and use of force, school resources and talks on domestic violence.
Westfield District Court employees will speak on court procedures and the parole and probation systems.
Students can expect to learn about gun safety and partake in basic sidearm training, said Hall.
He said the academy represents the Westfield community at large, with students from all walks of life and age groups. “We’ve had 20-somethings and way up to people in their 70s taking the class,” he said.
The course also attracts criminal justice majors who are considering careers in law enforcement. Hall noted the academy is split evenly down gender lines.
Oftentimes students find themselves drawn into deep debates on topics that appear dry at first glance, like a class dedicated to criminal justice and the law. Police officers must respond to changing situations on the streets, which are fraught with legal perils, he said.
Officers need to know how to apply civil and criminal law in often complicated situations.
“You have to do all of this in a split-second,” said Hall. “That class, in particular, is an eye-opener for a lot of the citizens who take it.”
Hall’s hope is that graduates become ambassadors for the department in the community, an educated citizenry.
“We’ve taking a beating in the press over the last few years. There are people in every job who are suited for their job, law enforcement being no exception,” he said.
The department also runs The Cadet Program for youths ages 13-20. The cadet program operates year round. Cadets meet Monday evenings for two hours. An intensive week-long Youth Police Academy is offered in the summer. The summer academy is held in Connecticut.
“It gives teens an exposure to law enforcement, and to see if it’s something they want to go into,” said Hall.
The cadets also help out at public events throughout the year.
For more information on the upcoming Citizens Police Academy or the Cadet Program, call Sgt. Eric Hall at 413-642-9383.
