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The second annual PAPD citizens academy included presentations on the department's history, duties and functions -- highlighting, among other things, de-escalation techniques, counterterrorism measures and emergency medical response.
Participants also got behind the wheel of the patrol vehicle driver simulator.
Four sessions were held for 28 adult residents of New York and New Jersey.
The academy is "designed to enhance our relationship with people living in the communities we serve...and continue a direct communication line with them," PAPD Supt. Edward Cetnar said.
Samantha Perez-Gora, a liaison to the Union County (NJ) manager, said she'd recommend everyone participate.
"I learned invaluable and practical skills for real-life scenarios,” she said. “From self-defense to active shooter drills or first aid training, this course provided the tools to be better prepared for the unexpected.
"It is incredible how reactions can differ from what we imagine in high-stress moments," Perez-Gora said. "This course helped us build the mental resilience needed to respond effectively.”
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