Department plans for second citizens academy

Program opens up for 25 new interested residents.

By: Lea Kahn
   Fresh from the success of its first Citizens Police Academy, which ended in March, the Lawrence Township Police Department is gearing up to offer another 10-week session in the fall.
   The goal of the academy, which will meet one evening a week, is to give residents a peek at the inner workings of the Police Department, said police Lt. Mark Ubry. The classes run from 7 to 9:30 p.m.
   The academy will be open to the first 25 residents who sign up, Lt. Ubry said. Applications are available around the clock at the Lawrence Township Police Department’s dispatcher desk. The course is free.
   "The academy gives citizens a chance to learn what we do," Lt. Ubry said. "A lot of times, they see the police making a motor vehicle stop or walking a shoplifter down the hall at the Quaker Bridge Mall. At the academy, people will get to meet some of the police officers on a more personal basis."
   The academy dovetails nicely with the department’s emphasis on community policing, he said. In community policing, residents work closely with the police to monitor crime and other quality of life issues in their neighborhoods.
   Some of the courses will be taught by township police officers, while other sessions will be taught by representatives from the Mercer County prosecutor’s office and the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department, Lt. Ubry said.
   Citizens will learn about the history of the Lawrence Township Police Department, he said. They will learn about the structure of the Police Department, starting with the chief of police and working down toward the patrol officers.
   They will learn about the role of police in the community, including the typical duties of a police officer. They also will learn about motor vehicle law, including moving violations and drunken driving, Lt. Ubry said.
   Another session will be devoted to criminal law, including arrest and search and seizure laws. They will learn how police handle a crime scene, he said. The inner workings of the Detective Bureau also will be explained. They will learn about narcotics, including trends in the types of drugs available and how they are distributed, he said.