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Citizen Police Academy Gives Waterford Residents A Look At Life Behind The Badge

Brian Scott-Smith
A role-play scenario of a police tasing is part of the Waterford Police Department's Citizen Policy Academy.

Police departments and tactics have come under increased scrutiny with the rise of social media. As a result, many departments are holding “citizen police academies” in an effort to show residents how officers are trained to deal with a wide variety of situations.

It’s a Thursday night at the Waterford Police Department in Connecticut. The latest class of the citizen police academy is finding out about the steps leading to the use of non-lethal force, including a role play of a police officer acting as a non-compliant suspect being tased.

Brett Mahoney, Waterford Police chief, says citizen academies are vital to their work.

“It makes people understand what we do, lets us interact with our community….it lets people in a more intimate setting know exactly what we do, why we do what we do and what the training costs are.”

The course has around 20 students from various backgrounds and ages.

It lasts for 10 weeks and covers all aspects of police work, with officers volunteering their time after their work shifts end.

Kim Twomey, a local business owner in Waterford, says for her the course is about creating a relationship with the police.

“I may be in the building alone, and it’s not in a great area so knowing if I call someone I can feel comfortable with who’s coming, I do feel safer.”

Patrol Officer Nick Surdo is one of the trainers and says police work now involves many new areas of responsibility.

“It’s not just going out and making an arrest anymore. We’re responding to situations with children who are autistic…We’re getting specific training on dementia, and we’re making sure we know how to respond to that appropriately.”

Now in its eighth year, Waterford Police say the academy has helped strengthen their relationship with the local community and has created another set of eyes and ears for them.