August 2008 - the Parklander

NEIGHBORHOOD INTEREST
The Coral Springs Citizens’ Police Academy
A Citizen’s Tool for Better Understanding and Appreciation
Story and Photos by Peter F. Grom
On any given day, we see them racing through town, with their
ear-piercing sirens blasting and lights flashing upon the hoods of their
white, shiny police cruisers. We see them walking in the shopping mall.
We see them in the Emergency Room. We see them riding bicycles
through the park and on the side of the road. And, yes, we even see them
in donut shops during their breaks. These are members of the Coral
Springs Police Department (CSPD). If they have arrested a family
member and brought them to jail or have given us a ticket for speeding, we
may or may not like them or respect them. But these officers are human
beings just like us and have feelings and emotions, too. Few of us as
citizens really know the folks who are sworn to protect us with their lives.
We really don’t have a clue as to how they are chosen, trained, and act as
our protectors and guardians, or how they function on a day-to-days basis
in an unpredictable and potentially deadly environment. To get a better
idea of what the CSPD is all about, all you have to do is apply to the Coral
Springs Citizens’ Police Academy (CPA) and attend class.
The CPA was established in 1994 and offers participants an inside look at
law enforcement operations and an opportunity for hands-on experience
in various areas of police work. All of this is covered in the curriculum.
The CPA is open to any Coral Springs resident or Coral Springs business
owner over 18 years of age who passes a background check. In addition to
residents, members of the clergy, City Commissioners, local business
owners, and media, are among the Academy’s graduates.
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The CPA is offered each year and classes meet Wednesday nights for 13
weeks in the evening, from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., at the CSPD located
at 2801 Coral Springs Drive.
The CPA is an important component of the CSPD’s community
philosophy. Its purpose is to provide a forum for the development of basic
understanding of the CSPD’s duty and its role in making our city safer.
“We hold the Citizen Police Academy for participants that want to be
more involved in their community and to provide a better understanding
between citizens and police through education. The academy also
provides our officers another chance to get to know our residents so that
we can remain responsive to the needs and attitudes of the community,”
said Police Captain Jim Milford. “The program provides graduates with
an understanding of the issues facing law enforcement and how the police
approach various problems.”
During the 13 weeks of the Academy, various personnel in the CSPD
cover a variety of subjects ranging from basic law enforcement to
discussions and demonstrations of specialized units within the CSPD.
Participants gain valuable knowledge of the Department’s important role
in the community.
Each three-hour Academy session covers a variety of subjects, ranging
from basic law enforcement, Search and Seizure, Internal Affairs and its
role in the community, to discussions and demonstrations with other
specialized units within the CSPD including: SWAT, Homicide, Mobile
Field Force, Crisis Negotiation Team, Gangs and Drug Suppression Unit,
Violent Crime Suppression Unit, K-9 Team, Traffic Unit, Crime
Prevention Unit, Bike Squad, Under-Cover, Identity Theft, Auto Theft,
Motorcycle Unit, and Youth Services Police Probation Team. Each
session has hands-on activities such as fingerprinting, high-risk traffic
stops, and use of less-than-lethal weapons (TASER). During each
session, participants ask questions and interact with police officers and
Academy instructors. Frequently, a police officer coming off duty or going
on duty will speak in class about their experiences. Many of them wear a
heavy belt loaded with a pistol, flashlight, TASER, extra bullets,
handcuffs, and a radio. Almost all wear bullet-proof vests and the
combined pieces of equipment weigh nearly 37 pounds. Often, the chosen
speaker will either compare or contrast the topic of the evening with what
is shown on television and in the movies.