Citizens’ Academy gives residents hands-on experience in police work

Spokane residents can ride with police, learn about SWAT teams, and even test their judgment about when to use a firearm.

The Citizens’ Academy was developed by the Spokane Police Department to help residents better understand the challenges faced by police. The academy is a 10-week course held at the police academy. Full-time certified police academy instructors conduct the classes with hands-on and classroom instruction.

“You’ll get a real education on the whole Police Department and understand why we do the things the way we do,” said Sgt. Martin Anderson, who is assigned to the academy. “The more you know about us, the better relationship we’ll have.”

Participants get an in-depth look at each department’s function. Topics such as fraud, drugs, gangs, domestic violence, defensive tactics and major crime are discussed. The curriculum includes core values and ethics.

“I wish everyone could take the class,” recent academy graduate Mary Franklin said. “I was so impressed. It was professional and yet friendly. It’s good information about what goes on in our city. You’ll never want to miss a class.”

The program gives each student the chance to participate in a mock traffic stop. Students are allowed to drive a police vehicle in a controlled situation and watch a volunteer driver perform a traffic violation.

“They have to make a decision just like an officer if they would write a ticket or not,” Anderson said.

Another session is titled “I Always Wanted to Ask a Cop” where any question is fair game.

“The questions run the gamut,” Anderson said. “Everything you can think of. I just try to answer each question the best way I can.”

Students also have the opportunity to ride along with an officer on a 10-hour shift.

“It gives them a real opportunity to talk to us one-on-one,” said Anderson. “They spend the entire shift watching the officer work.”

Another experience for the students is the VDO Simulator. In the simulator, a situation will unfold on the screen, and students have to make a split second decision whether to use a firearm or not.

“You don’t know what’s coming, just like real life,” Anderson said.

Established in 1991, the academy recently finished its 42nd class last November.

“It’s been a really outstanding program,” said Anderson. “We truly want you to understand what we do and how we do it. It may be a cliché, but we can’t do our job without the help from the citizens.”