CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Charleston Police Department began its 11-week Citizens’ Police Academy Tuesday night, giving residents a chance to learn about law enforcement.
The program, which was free for anyone over 18 years old, will meet each Tuesday night from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
“This is a great chance for us to interact with the public, for us to get some support for the public. For them to get a chance to put themselves in our shoes and vice-versa for us,” said Sgt. Paul Perdue.
Over two dozen residents signed up for the class. Perdue said they would learn about just about every aspect of the police department over the next three months.
“In 11 sessions, they’ll come into contact with every department within the police department,” he said. “From the patrol division, the SWAT Team, the CID, the K-9. They get to see everything and some kind of interaction in all those facets.”
The course also features a ride-along in a police cruiser at the end of the program.
“Hopefully we learn the ins and outs of the decisions that police make every day,” said one of the participants, Rashard Clark. “It’s definitely a difficult decision to put that much power in somebody’s hands and make the right choice every single time. To see how somebody does that I think is a good opportunity for myself.”
There was a lot that Debbie Salon wanted to learn from the opportunity.
“I’d like to learn more about the SWAT team. But I think it’s all going to be very interesting, very informative,” she said. “I think it’s a great service they’re providing the citizens. It’s free of charge and I think we’re going to benefit greatly from it.”
Perdue hoped that participants in the class would have a better understanding of police work after they completed the 11 weeks.
“I think they’ll have a better knowledge of what we can do, what we can’t do, and why we do things the way that we do,” Perdue said.
The class is being held each week at the Charleston Police Department Training Center at the City Services Center on Quarrier Street.