Law Enforcement Mini-Course for Citizens to Be Considered : Thousand Oaks: City Council will study the 12-week program designed to create a cadre of trained ‘eyes and ears.’

Twenty-five residents of Thousand Oaks may soon get a chance to test their reflexes--and their judgment--in a simulated cops-and-robbers shootout.

They may also get to heft a SWAT team semiautomatic weapon, meet the four-legged members of the K-9 narcotics group, and marvel at the sophisticated phone equipment used in top-secret hostage negotiations.

This hands-on look at law enforcement would be part of a 12-week Citizens Academy training course, proposed this week by Ventura County Sheriff’s Cmdr. Kathryn Kemp, who heads law enforcement for Thousand Oaks.

Designed to train a broad spectrum of citizens, from college students to retirees, the academy would lay out the basics of Ventura County’s criminal justice system and offer a glimpse into officers’ rigorous training. The Sheriff’s Department would consider expanding the program if the idea is well-received in Thousand Oaks.

“We’re not trying to make you police officers here,” said Sgt. Bruce Hansen, a crime prevention expert who developed the curriculum. “We just want to give people as much information as possible about law enforcement.”

The Thousand Oaks City Council will consider the academy proposal Tuesday at 5:15 p.m. The program--including certificates and identification badges for graduates--would cost about $1,600. Kemp has suggested that the city pick up half the tab and the Sheriff’s Department contribute the rest.

“It’s very inexpensive,” Councilman Frank Schillo said. “Spending money training a cadre of people in our community is an excellent idea--it’s just like paying for more policemen.”

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In addition to creating a cadre of trained “eyes and ears,” the Citizens Academy would generate positive publicity for the Sheriff’s Department, Hansen said.

Ideally, graduates would emerge with a better understanding of police work--and would spread the message that sheriff’s deputies are “dedicated and professional public employees whose concern for the people they serve is at the heart of everything they do,” Kemp wrote in a memo to the council.

But given the community’s generally positive view of law enforcement, some questioned the need for trained cheerleaders.

“My concern is not to beef up public relations, but to find ways to better and faster respond to problems and still the anxiety as to the safety of our community,” Mayor Elois Zeanah said.

The City Council this week approved a $126-million, two-year budget allocating money for seven new law-enforcement positions, including four sworn officers and three civilians who answer non-emergency calls and give parking tickets. The budget also calls for two new patrol cars.

Yet Zeanah called that boost inadequate. She said she would prefer to focus on augmenting the police force and strengthening Neighborhood Watch, rather than inviting citizens to meet bomb team experts or tour the crime lab in a Citizens Academy.

‘More eyes and ears for the police is not the total answer,” Zeanah said. “We need more police. Right now, we’ve got so many eyes and ears that the police can’t even respond to all the calls.”

Despite the mayor’s skepticism, some residents said they are excited about the academy--and eager to sign up for the course.

“The politically correct remark these days is reform, and we do need to stop and take a good look at our crime-prevention programs,” said Gina Lane, who has formed a coalition of Neighborhood Watch leaders. “It’s time to take Neighborhood Watch into the year 2000 by educating us about what we need to look for and how we need to respond to problems.”

To further boost Thousand Oaks’ 70 Neighborhood Watch groups, the City Council on Tuesday will consider investing in Voice-Tel, a message system that could link up to every touch-tone phone.

Neighborhood Watch activists would be able to call a message center to hear the latest descriptions of suspects, or to learn about common scams. And cellular phone users could check the recorded information if they spot suspicious activity as they drive around town. The Oxnard Police Department has a similar system.

Kemp has requested a city appropriation of $2,500 to set up the message centers and publicize the new system.