Greenwich Citizens Police Academy Wants You

Have you ever wanted to step into the shoes of a Greenwich police officer? You can at the 2011 Citizens Police Academy spring session, hosted by the Greenwich Police Department.

John Robbin Ferris of the Round Hill Association  graduated from the course in the fall. He said he decided to do it to satisfy personal curiosity and hoped he’d be better able to answer questions from members of the neighborhood association.

“I was very impressed with the professionalism of the officers,” said Ferris. “Anybody ought to do it. There were 41 of us from every cross-section of the Greenwich population, every age, ethnicity, job background, and over half were women, which I thought was very important.”

Sgt. Michael Reynolds, the officer in charge of the session, said the academy provides Greenwich residents with a first-hand overview of law enforcement and community-related functions of the department. Topics include use of force, motor vehicle stops, crime scenes, scams and fraud, narcotics investigations and domestic violence investigations, among others.

Officers from the department provide instruction and encourage participation in role-playing exercises. There are also boat and vehicle ride-alongs, as well as a demonstration at the police firing range.

The five-week program starts Thursday, April 26, and meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at  department headquarters, 11 Bruce Place. Graduation will be Thursday, May 26.

Applicants must be Greenwich residents, age 18 or older. There is no fee, but the department requests applicants be committed to the full program. Classes are limited to 40 students. Due to high demand, admission will be determined by a lottery drawing among qualified applicants. A criminal background check will be performed on all applicants.

Pick up an application at the Greenwich Police Department front desk or Greenwich Town Hall reception desk or download one from the town’s website. For more information, contact Sgt. Reynolds at (203) 618-8308.  

Be part of the conversation: What aspect of police work are you most curious about?

 

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