THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 24, 1994 TAG: 9407220260
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY JUDY PARKER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 135 lines
IN AN ATTEMPT to teach ordinary citizens the nuts and bolts of police work, the Portsmouth Police Department has established the Citizens Police Academy.
The 10-week program takes private citizens, community leaders and business owners through much of the same territory police rookies go through.
They'll learn about probable cause, reasonable suspicion and the definition of a criminal act. They will also become acquainted with the criminal court system.
``We're very excited about this program,'' said Lt. A.A. Segal. Until reassignment to the Narcotics Investigative Unit July 1, Segal was director of training for the city's police department and manager of the Citizens Police Academy. His replacement is Lt. Rosetta Brown.
According to Segal, law-abiding civilians tend to view police officers as possessing some sort of omnipotent mystique.
``Through this program, we're going to open ourselves up to the public and tell people what we do, how we do it, what we can't do, and why,'' Segal said.
``Citizens sometime assume we have more authority than we actually have.
``For example, we'll get a call that a suspicious person is loitering and there is a suspicion drugs might be involved.
``The caller expects us to respond and make an immediate arrest. But it doesn't work that way,'' Segal said. ``Reasonable suspicion is not sufficient to make an arrest, although it is sufficient to conduct a stop of a suspect for questioning. That's the kind of information Academy participants will learn.''
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE Citizens Police Academy is part of Portsmouth Police Chief Dennis A. Mook's plan to change the way the department delivers its services to a complex and diverse community.
``I had read about efforts similar to this in other parts of the country,'' said Mook. ``Everything I learned indicated these programs are extremely successful in building a partnership between civilians and police officers.
``I believe it not only will result in better police officers, but will also improve the overall quality of life in our city.
``Citizens are our customers but they can also be our advocates if they understand what our job is all about.''
They learn the organization and history of the Portsmouth Police Department, the laws of arrest and firearms training and how 911 calls are prioritized. They become familiarized with search and seizure procedures and learn when and how to seek a criminal warrant.
Most of the 19 class members are veterans of the IDEA (Intensified Drug Enforcement Act) and the Neighborhood Crime Watch programs.
Cavalier Manor resident Charlie A. Broadnax Jr. has a background in private industrial security and also served for five years as a community services officer for the Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority working in several of PRHA's housing projects. He's currently a patrolman for the Virginia Department of Transportation assigned to the Downtown Tunnel.
``Those of us who worked for (PRHA) were the eyes and ears of the police officers,'' Broadnax said, ``and we were able to get real close to the tenants and act as a liaison between them and the police.
``That was good experience, but I'm learning so much more about the department in these classes and I can take that information back to my community. For example, I'm always hearing complaints that the police take too long to answer a complaint,'' Broadnax said.
``What people don't understand is that the police aren't ignoring calls. The calls just have to be prioritized. Officers can't be everywhere at once.''
NEIGHBORS GLORIA J. Shaffer and Tara Welt have been volunteers with the Neighborhood Watch Program for three years.
``If people don't get involved and support our police department, this city is going to go to the dogs,'' Welt said.
``We got involved in Neighborhood Watch after hearing gunfire from a nearby neighborhood. Gloria and I looked at each other that afternoon and said something had to be done,'' she added. ``When we heard about the Academy we jumped at the chance to learn more ways that would help us help the police.''
For Shaffer and Welt that has meant what to look for in suspicious situations and what not to do if they happen on a crime scene.
``A couple of weeks ago, somebody crashed a stolen truck in our neighborhood,'' Shaffer said. ``By the time we got to the truck, people were pouring all over it.
``We told them not to touch anything, because with all those different fingerprints it would be difficult, if not impossible, for the police to find the right suspect,'' she said. ``That's the kind of basic knowledge taught at the Academy.''
William Middleton, who began the Neighborhood Watch program in Cradock, believes if enough citizens participate in the Academy, history's clock might be turned back to a time when people left their doors open, windows unlocked and walked the streets in near blissful serenity.
``I'm ornery, I guess,'' he said, ``but it makes me mad that there's drugs on our streets. Most people are either too afraid or just don't want to get involved in changing that. The city belongs to those who obey the law, not to those who break it.
WHILE STUDENTS IN the Academy are being introduced to police work, only front-line experience allows anyone to understand the stresses officers face.
Academy instructor Robert Huntington makes no apologies that there's always an element of fear when an officer is confronted with a dangerous situation. Even what appears to be routine can become deadly, as recently happened to a Newport News police officer.
``An officer can never drop their guard,'' Officer Huntington said.
``I know some people are offended by what they perceive to be an officer's curt attitude. But we never know what we're going to face when we answer a call or pull a car over. The Academy will help people understand the things we face every day.
``Hopefully, they also understand that we're human and just doing our job.'' MEMO: Anyone interested in attending the Citizens Police Academy should
contact the Portsmouth Police Department's Training Unit, 1701 High St.,
Suite 110, telephone 393-8088. All applicants are subject to background
checks prior to acceptance to the Academy.
ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by D. KEVIN ELLIOTT
Color on the Cover: Police officer Gary Reid, right, shows Anne
Green how to make an arrest as officer Willie Mills plays the part
of a felon.
David Freeman listens to a guest speaker during the class at the
Citizens Police Academy.
``These programs are extremely successful in building a partnership
between civilians and police officers,'' said Police Chief Dennis
Mook.
Citizens such as Johnny Pennington learn about Portsmouth Police
Department as well as the laws of arrest and firearms training.
Reggie Allen experiences making a traffic stop as police officer
Steve Jackson acts as a civilian driver.
by CNB