Edwardsville completes another successful Citizen's Police Academy with 19 graduates

EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Citizen’s Police Academy graduated 19 from its program this past week and each session it appears to be gaining popularity.

The next Citizen's Police Academy will be in April 2017, then Edwardsville plans to have a segment again in the fall 2017.

The topics covered in the past Edwardsville Citizen's Police Academy were:

• Law review
• Traffic/DUI enforcement
• Use of force, excited delirium, Crisis Intervention
• Firearms familiarization
• Force on force/active shooter hands on exercise
• Drug trends and identification
• Crime scene investigation with hands on exercise
• Computer crimes and identity theft
• Four-hour ride along 

The price of the Police Academy was most reasonable at $25. Each graduate received a shirt and certificate at the time of completion.

“Our membership increased and we have people commenting and trying to get in the next class,” Sgt. Matt Breihan said. “The date of signup hasn’t been announced but it will be sometime in the spring. The comments of those who have participated have been absolutely positive. Some of the comments we have heard from people attending the class is they did not realize the troubles law enforcement face and the decisions that have to be made in such a short period of time.”

“At the end of the final class, each participant shook hands with the officers and told us how much fun they had and that they would recommend it to friends and family,” he added.

The Edwardsville Police officers showed real videotapes of situations and the class all seemed compelled watching those, Sgt. Breihan said.

The class goes through every aspect and requirements an officer has to have from going through the Police Academy to equipment they wear and how they handle crime scenes. The impact of alcohol on a driver was discussed thoroughly. Those who attended the academy did role-playing with the officers in mock crime situations and discussed use of a force by an officer.

Drug trends were discussed with what the popular illegal drugs were in the area.

Breihan said he and the other officers enjoy working with the citizens, educating them about what officers do day in day out. In the end, this is just another example of the Edwardsville Police working with the public in their community service efforts, he concluded.

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