We learned about all the things that go on in the field of law enforcement. We learned this first-hand, from the officers themselves. It was an experience and a lesson that we could all benefit from.
Sometimes we don't know how the other side lives until we go to their house. We see on the television news clips of officers using excessive force or in some cases breaking the law. We also seem to be bombarded with all these television shows about police and their procedures and how they always manage to find the culprit within 45 minutes -- give or take a commercial break.
"CSI" was brought up many times in the classes. We were told quickly that the real world is nothing like "Cops" or "CSI" (insert city here). I took the class for that reason ... to separate fact from fiction. I have a better understanding of how the city of Wilson's Police Department operates.
The class lasted approximately 10 weeks, and during that period we covered topics such as use of force, laws of arrest and search and seizure, what is involved in a criminal investigation and a polygraph. We also had people from the Department of Juvenile Justice come in and speak. Then we covered gangs, the SRT team and the drug dog.
We also had some experiences hands-on like the shooting and driving simulator. Then we had the opportunity to fire a real weapon and drive a real police car. I declined on the firearms as I swore I would never fire a gun. That is the hippy in me. But I did enjoy driving the car.
And yes, it was fun, but it was also a learning experience. We were better able to understand that officers face challenges every time they get a call. They don't know what to expect. Something seemingly routine could turn into a tragic situation in seconds, especially now that crime is on the rise.
Police officers have families that worry about them and only want them to finish their shift safely and return home. We know too, that they are only human and prone to error or emotion or stress. Of course that is no excuse when they have done wrong because we also learned about Internal Affairs and how they will solve the problem if there are bad officers.
I would encourage every citizen to attend The Citizens Police Academy when offered so that all can have a better understanding of law enforcement and their local police. We should know what happens from the time we call 911 (we had a tour of that, too) until help arrives. Also, as citizens we should be aware of what is going on in our communities. We should know what law enforcement is doing as well as the council-people -- anyone who works for our community as our dollars are paying for it. The Citizens Police Academy is money well spent and time well spent.
Sharryn Johnson was reared in Orange County and now lives in Wilson County.