HUNTINGTON BEACH : 25 Residents to Learn of Police Operations

Twenty-five residents start class Wednesday in a special, new “academy” designed to help people learn more about police operations.

Called “Citizen Academy,” the training consists of 11 consecutive Wednesday night classes at the Huntington Beach Police Department. Sessions usually extend from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Participants volunteer for the program.

“We think it’s beneficial for people in the community to know about what we do,” said Lt. Patrick Gildea, who is in charge of the city’s community-oriented police program. “I got the idea for this while I was attending the FBI Academy. One of the programs there was about a successful program in a Southern community that helped citizens understand how police operate.”

Gildea said that the first Huntington Beach Citizen Academy was formed after about 40 people volunteered to take the course. That group was narrowed to 25, plus alternates. Gildea said future classes will also be limited to about 25 people.

“The people we have in this first class are from all ages, including a couple of 18-year-olds and several seniors,” he said. “They come from many occupations.”

The participants will be taught by police officers, and the training will include lectures on laws of arrest and use of firearms. Gildea said the students also will go on tours, such as to the police firing range.

The next Citizen Academy will be held sometime in September, Gildea said, and Huntington Beach residents can volunteer by calling (714) 536-5932 and leaving their name and mailing address. He said he will mail applications to all who call.

“We think this is a good thing for community relations,” Gildea said. He said both police and community members will learn more about each other through the new program.