Police Department Offering Citizen Police Academy

By Andrew Gorosko

The Newtown Police Department will again offer a free informational program to the public designed to provide residents and local business people with an overview of municipal law enforcement, within the context of the criminal justice system.

It is the thirteenth time the police department is offering the program.

The sessions will include both classroom and hands-on instruction for participants, describing  what it is like to be a police officer, Officer Domenic Costello said of Citizen Police Academy XIII.

Officer Costello is the academy coordinator, as well as a school resource officer for the police department, currently working at Newtown High School and Newtown Middle School.

It is his first time coordinating the Citizen Police Academy course, which had been coordinated by Sergeant Christopher Vanghele for many years.

Officer Costello said February 6 that eight people have applied for the program, so far. The class size limit is 25.

“If you’ve ever been interested in [learning about] police work…It’s absolutely a great program,” he said. Several of the people who have applied for Citizen Police Academy have expressed an interest in becoming police officers, he noted.      

The academy will meet for ten sessions on Wednesday nights, starting on March 26 and concluding on May 28. The last session will be a graduation ceremony. 

The initial class will be held at the police station at 3 Main Street. Most classes will be conducted at the town offices at 31 Peck’s Lane. Some field trips will be made. Classes with run from 6 to 9 pm, with a 20-minute refreshment break included.

Officer Costello explained that the curriculum is an introduction to law enforcement, containing subject matter similar to the topics covered at an actual police academy.

The first session will include a tour of the police station and the emergency communications center, including the town’s E-911 system. The second session will cover how a person becomes a police officer, police patrol operations, and crime prevention.

Following sessions will include a trip to the state forensics laboratory; a police canine demonstration; crime scene investigations and fingerprinting; firearms instruction and police weaponry; a field trip to the state firearms range, and an explanation of criminal law covering juveniles, the schools, and domestic violence.

Officer Costello said that each academy student will have an opportunity to ride along with a police officer for four hours while on patrol. The students would not be placed in any dangerous situations, he said.

Most instructors during the course will be police department members, with some guest speakers also providing talks, according to Officer Costello.

The minimum age for academy participation is 18. Preference will be given to town residents and local business people. Preference also will be given to people who have not previously attended the academy.

Applications are available at the police station at 3 Main Street. Applications also are available online at www.newtown-ct.gov. Applicants will be subject to a criminal history record verification prior to acceptance into the Citizen Police Academy.

Prospective participants must be able to attend at least seven classes in order to graduate and receive a graduation certificate.

People who have questions about the Citizen Police Academy program may contact Officer Costello at the police department, telephone 426-5841, fax 270-0637. His e-mail address is: domenic.costello@newtown-ct.gov.