The Mayfield Heights Police Department was recently given a proclamation by Mayfield Heights City Council in recognition of its Citizens Police Academy.
“The proclamation was just given because of the hard work that we put into the citizens academy,” Cpl. Doug Woods said. “We had City Council members Gayle Teresi, Robert DeJohn, Michael Ballistrea, Diane Snider, and Donald Manno. So, coming on, they got to see a lot of answers to their questions.”
The yearly academy was started to help bridge the gap between the public and the often obscure job of the police, according to Woods.
“We started the Citizens Academy where they can actually come and see what happens at the police department,” Woods said. “We have guys from different parts of the department and come in each week.
“The first class is patrol, they talk about patrol and what the patrol guys do, their duties, their shifts, types of equipment,” he continued. “Then the students get assigned. They actually get to go on an hour and a half ride along with an officer. So, they can see what the police do and see what the city is all about.”
Students met for two hours every Wednesday for nine weeks, where they went through different aspects of the police department. Each week could range from a court day where students play the part of the judge, prosecutor, defense attorney, to a simulated SWAT scenario.
“We have a guy that comes from the Bureau of Criminal Investigations,” Woods said. “He comes in and talks about his job at crime scenes collecting evidence. Then our detective bureau will talk about interviews and interrogations.
“Students actually get to do a lot of hands-on training,” he added. “We will put them down in a mock crime scene and based on what they learned from the detectives the week before they get to go over through the crime scene and take notes and interact with us.
“Get them to use the thinking mode that they learned or thought they might have known from watching CSI.”
After eight weeks of hands-on instruction students have a graduation week, where a certificate is given and a shirt.
“I consider them students, by the end they are like long lost friends” Woods said. “That’s exactly what the police department wants to do. So, when those people are sitting around their campfires with their neighbors and the neighbors are going ‘Oh, the police don’t do anything – or why don’t the police do this or that.’
“We have those people out there selling our police department.”
Mayfield Heights Police Department also offers a C.A.T.S. Academy where teens can come and experience a similar version of the adult academy.
Students get to experience many situations, including hostage negotiations, an airsoft shooting range, and bomb squad tactic training. Students wishing to enroll must be between eighth and 12th grades, live in the Mayfield City School District and commit to attending all of the classes each week.
Those wishing to sign up for either program can find the application online at the Mayfield Heights police department’s website. Those wishing to attend the adult Citizens Police Academy must also be Mayfield Heights resident and commit to the full session.
