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High-tech equipment for city police constantly evolving

admin — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:33:23 +0000

Handguns, notepads and BlackBerrys?

The tools used by Pittsburgh police officers have changed a little in the past decade.

Today, in the front seat of each patrol car is a sturdy, wireless laptop that generates maps, streams information from 911 calls and, with the swipe of an officer’s “Smart Card,” provides access to criminal databases.

“We’re creating this technology in-house,” said Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, who held a news conference Tuesday with police officials to showcase the department’s new technology.

Sixty patrol cars now have tiny printers that produce waterproof citations and can read and extract information from scanned driver’s licenses.

Officers in Zone 5 are testing windshield-mounted video cameras that remotely upload footage when they drive within 300 feet of a station. A microphone on the officer’s lapel records conversations during traffic stops, providing proof of what happened if disputes arise.

“Obviously, the film won’t lie,” Mr. Ravenstahl said.

The new technologies reduce paperwork and allow officers to return to the station less frequently, said Deputy Chief Paul Donaldson.

The wealth of information also keeps officers safer, said Sgt. Eric Kroll, who coordinates new technology training.

“There’s no lost communication between 911 and the officer,” he said.

The department continues to tweak its tools.

“Things work, things don’t work … it’s ever-evolving,” said Cmdr. Linda Barone.

And officers continue to return to the police academy for crash-courses about their dashboard.

“It’s like the cockpit of an airplane now,” said Officer Don Adamsky.

“A lot of our officers now are very computer-literate,” Sgt. Kroll said. “Most of them picked it up rather easily.”

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Newport News Police Academy holds DUI training

admin — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 19:34:08 +0000

Twenty local police officers had their hands full Friday night with six very intoxicated people – all so they know how to spot drunk drivers.

Newport News police held police academy DUI training. Volunteers attended what appeared to be a typical office party – with finger foods, music, and lots of alcohol.

The 20 Newport News police recruits waited in the room next door, about to begin their police academy DUI training.

Six people volunteered to be picked up from home and taken to the academy to drink. Within two hours, each volunteer was given up to eight shots of 80 proof liquor – enough to put them well over the legal limit.

In the classroom the recruits are trained on what to look for during field sobriety tests, including bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, and impaired movement.

Sgt. James Paddleford says this offers real life training on what to look for out on the road.

“There’s no difference between a person with a gun that is threatening somebody and somebody that gets behind the wheel and drives, so our department dedicates three to four days of training in the academy for the recruits to practice their DUIs,” Paddleford said.

About halfway through the night, blood alcohol levels were checked and recorded – then more liquor was poured.

Finally the recruits came in to put their knowledge to the test.

Recruit Danny Diaz passed his test.

Danny says he now knows what to do when he pulls a drunk driver over for the first time.

“I was expecting to just see it in motion, the eyes, but one thing I wasn’t expecting was to see the wobbling. I mean some people practice these things but you just can’t beat them,” said Danny Diaz.

All the volunteers were given a ride back home.

Tips to Pass the Law Enforcement Training Academy

admin — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:00:41 +0000

The law enforcement training academy is no laughing matter especially the first couple weeks, where instructors will try to break you mentally. You’ll come to realize that the police academy is not for the weak. You’ll be on a short leech throughout the academy. If you fail any of the training courses like criminal law, evasive driving, and/or crime scene investigation procedures you’ll be booted from the academy. You will not be given a third or fourth chance to pass exams that you’ve already failed.

“SO how can I prepare for the police officer academy”

The first thing you can do right now to prepare for the police training academy is to invest in a introduction to law enforcement book. You can get one at any local library or anywhere on line. There you’ll want to learn the history of law enforcement and how it evolved. You’ll also want to learn some general definitions within in the criminal justice system. Once you do that, you’ll want to know the role of the prosecutor in your county or state. The prosecutor is extremely important as you’ll have contact with he/she throughout your law enforcement career.

Study… Study… Study

Whether you’re paying your own way to the academy or you’re being sponsored by a local department, you must understand that you can flunk the academy at any time and be sent home. Don’t underestimate the importance of preparing yourself physically, and mentally for the academy. Although you’ll be stressed to the max during the academy, you’ll also be expected to pass the many exams that you’ll be given.

In conclusion, if you want to get prepared for the police academy and guarantee yourself a passing score, then I suggest that you go and download a police academy review guide.

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Fairfield Township Citizens Police Academy tentatively set to begin Jan. 19

admin — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 15:15:21 +0000

Applications are now being accepted for Fairfield Township’s Citizens Police Academy, which is tentatively scheduled to begin Jan. 19.

“It’s a chance for the residents and people who work in the township to see how their police department operates,” said Michael Oler, commander of the academy. “The news story side of what happens that you see on TV sometimes isn’t the full picture. Going through the academy will give a more balance view of what really goes on.”

Each week for 10 weeks, members of the academy meet from 6:30-9:30 p.m., Tuesdays, at the police department, 6485 Vonnie Vale Court. After five weeks, participants are eligible for one ride along with an officer during his or her shift. After graduation, participants can schedule additional ride alongs.

Topics to be covered include vice, patrol operations, criminal investigation/evidence collection, judicial systems, forensic hypnosis, domestic violence, crash investigation/traffic enforcement, Drug Abuse Resistance Education/Community Oriented Policing Services programs and police aviation.

There will also be canine and use of force/firearms demonstrations. Academy members can test the driving and firearms training simulators. There will be one session devoted to operations of the fire department, Oler said.

To be eligible for the academy enrollees should be at least 18 years old and submit to a background check. Preference will be given to those who live or work in the township. There is no cost to participate.

Graduates of the academy are given a T-shirt and identification card and invited to join the academy’s alumni association. That group puts on the annual Memorial Day community festival and hosts social and fundraising activities.

Alumni donated more than 650 hours to the police and other township departments last year, Oler said. The group has donated money for tasers, a defibrillator and other equipment.

“It’s a testimony to the support this township and police department gets from those who go through the academy,” said police Chief Richard St. John. “They are interested in staying involved with the police department and in donating their time and effort to help out.”

The alumni group has sponsored four weekend CommunityFest fundraisers.

Information/application for academy: 513-887-4406×4258 or www.fairfieldtwp.org/cpa.html

Facebook meets Police Academy

admin — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 17:30:56 +0000

Facebook used to be a a place where Police Officers were able to meet up with old alumni from the Police Academy Class that they graduated from. Currently a new Application is under way for Police Academy Alumni to be able to connect on Facebook. We will bring you more information as it becomes available. Police Academy Info will be instrumental with linking the different academes together and providing the database for this application.

More information about this new Facebook Application to come…

Newark Police Academy Graduates 58 New Police Officers

admin — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:27:52 +0000

NJ.com reports:

Newark Police Department’s 114th recruit class during their graduation ceremony today in Newark. Fifty-eight recruits were sworn in as police officers.

Newly-sworn Newark Police Officer Genaro Ortiz knew first hand from his father, a veteran detective on the force, what it takes to want the job.

“I grew up all those years watching him. I guess his inspiration rubbed off on me,” said the 23-year-old Ortiz, who graduated in the city’s 114th police recruit class today.

Friends and family cheered wildly inside the city council’s chambers as 58 cadets joined the force, at a time when the department is undergoing radical management and policy changes.

About 250 police recruits have gone through the city’s police academy under Mayor Cory Booker’s administration. The force now has 1,312 officers, according to the city.

Police Director Garry F. McCarthy said he expects to add another 50 to 60 officers this year to boost services, while the department seeks to slash about $3 million in spending from its $156 million budget.

The report also will reflect a drop in shootings to 297 in 2008, down from 393 the year before, and 502 in 2006, as well as the city’s declining murder rate. Newark ended 2008 with 67 murders, a drop from 99 the year before, and 107 in 2006.

McCarthy had stood with Booker during the graduation ceremony, while former police chief Anthony Campos was left sitting to the side. It was a clear indication of the department’s shift to civilian leadership under McCarthy, who signed on with the city during the first year of Booker’s administration two years ago.

Campos resigned from being the city’s top cop in October, but has remained under the civil service title of deputy police chief, after tensions with McCarthy. Campos began serving as an adviser to the mayor on public safety issues on Jan. 1.

The city council is expected to hold a second public hearing Wednesday, before voting on an ordinance to completely do away with the chief’s position, leaving McCarthy’s authority unchallenged.

The move comes after the city settled a lawsuit filed by the Superior Officers Association, which questioned McCarthy’s ability to oversee the force. Booker said he wants the position abolished, so the director can absorb the chief’s responsibilities of the day-to-day operations of the department.

The mayor said today that the position may end up abolished, but that the focus of his leadership team, which still includes Campos, was the same.

“Judge us not by our organizational chart,” he said.

Booker, who also spoke to reporters, said that, “everything was up for discussion,” when asked how an additional $812 million cut in state spending announced by Gov. Jon Corzine this week could impact city services.

However, Booker insisted that police services would remain untouched.

“We are not going to cut back on public safety,” he said.

Many Police Academies and Government Agencies have been forced to reduce their budgets. Although Police Training is instrumental and is evident within the daily functions of Police Officers nationwide, many Police Academies are forced to trim their budgets and find more efficient training programs to serve their officers.

Preparing for the Police Academy – Overview

admin — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 22:32:43 +0000

You may be thinking, I want to go to the Police Academy but how can I possibly prepare for what is next?

Well here it is in a netshell… You better prepare for the ride of your life.

The Police Department is a paramilitary organization and the training is such that you are required to be physically and mentally challenged.

The first thing you will want to do is to prepare physically. You will want to be able to run 1.5 miles in less than 11 minutes and 30 seconds. This may sound easy, but trust me it is not as easy as you think if you do not prepare in advance. You should be running at least 3 months before the academy begins. You should start with .5 miles and work your way up to 2 miles. This way you are more than ready to do the 1.5 miles that is required by many academies.

You should be able to do 60 sit-ups, in less then 2 minutes. You should be able to do 60 pushups in the same amount of time. If you can get this down you are in good shape.

The next area you will want to concentrate is the mental aspect. Don’t show up thinking you know anything, because you soon learn that you don’t. Remember this is a mental game and as soon as you think you know what the rules are, they will change. You will never be able to move fast enough, and think quickly enough.

The name of the game is stress. You will put under an inordinate amount of stress to see what your reaction is. If you are able to handle stress then you will make it through much easier than a recruit that cannot.

The best preparation is to control what you can control and being in shape is one thing that you can most certainly control. So if you can get the physical stuff out of the way and make that portion of the police academy a non-stress then you are way ahead of the game.

You will be required to memorize a lot of information while under extreme stress.

Surviving under stress is what will make you survive in the field as a Police Officer.

So now, stop reading and start running…