Academy to shed light on Police Department

By Kristyne E. Demske
C & G Staff Writer

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — With the thought that more communication is always better, the Police Department is hoping to get to know residents and others better through a new biannual Citizens Police Academy.

Sgt. Ken Cazabon said the first session of the academy will be held in April, the second in October, a schedule they hope to keep every year.

“I think it (will) be a good idea to better educate the residents and business owners of the operations of the Police Department,” he said. “They understand what’s going on, see where their tax dollars are going and understand the procedures we have to put through.”

He said the idea to host an academy came up awhile ago, but Cazabon — who works on the road, conducts crime prevention activities and processes crime scenes — only now had time to put the classes together. The four-week academy will meet 6:30-9 p.m.  on Mondays.

Cazabon said he hopes people who participate will learn everything that the department has to offer them.

“People need to know that their police department’s prepared to deal with anything, really, and deal with any situation out there,” he said.

He said he gets more and more calls each week to begin new neighborhood watch groups in the township, and people who complete the Citizens Police Academy will be even more prepared to help out.

He said there are many things residents call about that they don’t understand — such as why an officer is speeding or why a patrol car’s lights are on with no sirens, and how police respond to certain calls — and he hopes to enlighten them with the academy.

“It’s amazing how fast the word’s gotten around,” he said. “People have been calling all day.”

But for those who call after the session fills up, Cazabon said not to worry: They’ll be put first on the list for the next session.

“It’s going to be an ongoing program,” he said. “We need to educate people out there.”

He said he doesn’t expect the program to cost the department much, just a few man hours, maybe some refreshments and minimal materials.

“It’s a very low-cost program,” he said.

The academy is open to residents and business owners 18 and older with no prior felony convictions and no misdemeanor convictions in the prior three years. Applicants will undergo a background check.

The goals of the academy are to allow residents to meet the men and women who serve them, provide the department with an opportunity to meet and hear from the people they serve, foster better communication, and to educate the  community on procedures and the pressures associated with law enforcement.

The classes will cover two different areas of police service each week, conducted by certified police officers, supervisors and civilian instructors with expertise on each topic: criminal law and police procedures, narcotics, K-9, criminal investigations, family abuse and juvenile procedures, emergency response, the dispatch center, and traffic stops, including accident reconstruction and alcohol enforcement.

The spring 2010 session will start April 12 and is limited to 60 participants.

“People think that the police just drive around and write tickets. It’s much more involved than that,” said Chief Robert Leman. “The fact that we’ll have our police officers teaching the classes and being able to interact with the residents and you’ll get this one-on-one relationship … it just benefits the relationship between the police and the community, I believe.”

For an online application to the Citizens Police Academy, visit www.shelbytwp.org, click on Police Department and then Citizens Police Academy. Applications are also available at the front desk of the Police Department, 52700 Van Dyke Ave. Applications are due by April 1.

For more information, call (586) 731-2121, ext. 306.

Those selected for the academy will be notified in writing by the Police Department.

You can reach Staff Writer Kristyne E. Demske at kdemske@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1041.