Ever wonder what daily life is like for a police officer? The Warsaw Police Department is offering a chance to show you.
The department is holding its 19th annual Citizen’s Police Academy this fall, and a reserved spot in the 10-week all-access course are currently available at no cost. The academy offers regular civilians a glimpse into the law enforcement industry, from how a 911 call is fielded, to how a K-9 is used, to what officers look for and deal with during traffic patrol stops, to live firearm training.
Academy head Sgt. Greg Oberlin said the course is an opportunity to not only show off what police do every day, but moreso to develop responsible, knowledgeable residents with an understanding of that police work.
“We don’t get an opportunity to do a lot of proactive things, and this is a proactive program we put together to kind of correct or dispel some of these misconceptions about what police officers do and why things are done,” said Oberlin. “This gives us a chance to explain why we do what we do.
“They just get a better overall knowledge of law enforcement, where they wouldn’t get from personal experience.”
The academy, held Thursday evenings beginning Sept. 8 for 10 weeks, will open with addresses from the mayor and chief of police, and a talk on and tour through the police department. Then, attendees will be full-go into police work, learning about recruiting, training and 911 communications, then K-9s and defensive tactics, traffic stops and drunken driving patrols, and records and Victim’s Assistance.
Students will learn from the department’s scuba and dive team and accident reconstruction, and get a look into gang and drug enforcement.
A class will held at the Kosciusko County Jail, giving citizens a hardened look into life behind bars, before firearms training with those who teach actual officers. Students will fire police-issue firearms, MP5s and shotguns in the range. Students will also have a course dedicated to the DARE program, and school resource officers will discuss their duties.A graduation ceremony will close the academy, with complimentary t-shirts given. For more information on the free Citizen’s Police Academy, or to register, visit the police department’s website at www.warsaw.in.gov, or contact Oberlin at 574-372-9540.
