Newton Police Academy back in September

The very popular Citizens Police Academy is back for its 2015 edition and spaces are going fast. The eight-week long program hosted by the Newton Police Department begins Sept. 15 with classes scheduled from 6 to 9 p.m. every Tuesday through Nov. 3.

“We did evaluations every week last year and we got a lot of input that they wanted more hands on, more stuff that is fun and exciting, not just listening to people talk,” Lt. Ron Cook said. “We’ve kind of molded it to meet that. I think this one is going to be really good. It’s shorter, this is less classroom and more hands on.”

The academy is for those 18 or older. If someone under 18 is interested, they must be accompanied by a parent and the decision to let them in is at the discretion of the police chief.

The first week the group will learn about what it takes to become a police officer. Training that officers get from the academy will be discussed along with in-house training at the department. The group will then get to tour the department.

“The second week you are going straight out and doing emergency driving. We get to use the speedway, which is huge,” Cook said.

Cook said they will start with slow activities such as backing and parallel parking, which make up many of the accidents local officers respond to. Participants will then get the chance to work on high speed activities including “chasing” a police vehicle on the in course at the track.

“It’s not just the driving but the officer in the car is also talking on the radio, listening to other people that are coming in, getting prepared for if the person stops. There is a lot of mental stuff going on,” Cook said. “You find even if you just turn on the siren, you really start to understand the pressure the people are under.”

The third week covers defensive tactics and weapons. The officers will talk about how they physically control people and participants will get to attempt to handcuff someone.

“This is obviously a topic that is in the news a lot, so we’ll do a lot of talking about that. They will get to see some of the stuff that we use for personal protection to help other people,” Cook said. “The first thing that always comes to mind are guns and now Tasers, so we will have a lot of questions about that.”

During the fourth week, the group will head to the gun range for the opportunity to shoot a fire arm and participate in a situation room. The group  will also be introduced to the what the SWAT team does.

The fifth week covers traffic stops. The participants will get to perform a regular stop along with a felony or high-risk stop. In the high-risk stop, they will decide if they need to take the person out of the car and place them under arrest.

“Some of the biggest interactions that we have with the public is through traffic enforcement and a lot of people don’t like that,” Cook said.

Week six bring the group to the Jasper County Jail where they will talk about OWIs and tour the jail and 911 facility.

“I have always thought it was under appreciated. We go out and talk to the dispatchers. People don’t realize how tough that job is. I like those at the academy to see what the dispatchers do and how they work with us,” Cook said. “It is really a big team and they are really a big part of it that doesn’t get a lot of credit.”

Investigations are covered in the seventh week including sex abuse and child abuse. A crime scene will be set up for the participants to investigate including speaking with the “suspect” and “victim.” They will get to make their own decision about whether to arrest the person or not and if there is any evidence to collect. Fingerprints and footwear prints will also be taken.

The final week the group will discuss illegal drugs. An officer from the drug task force will speak and answer questions the group may have.

“A lot of people wonder about meth or meth labs. What is it, is it something like CSI, some big lab? He will come and do a demo and show them what he is finding. What constitutes a meth lab, it is probably not what you would think,” Cook said.

A benefit that comes from the academy that is often overlooked is the benefit to the officers involved. The completely volunteer staff gain insight into what citizens are thinking about the police department and see citizens in a positive environment instead of a negative one.

“A lot of the officers that come in and do the guest instructing work nights. What you learn from going to this academy is the environment they live in is different from you and I,” Cook said. “I can tell you that the people you come in contact with are generally very negative. Most of what we do is tell people that they can’t do what they are doing anymore, which makes them unhappy. It’s very nice for them to interact with people that are not there for a negative reason.”

The NPD is hoping to keep the class size to 20 people or less. Those interested are asked to get applications in as soon as possible. Applications are located at the Newton Police Department, 101 W. Fourth St. S. The deadline for applications is Aug. 24. For more information contact the department at 641-791-0853.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com