The Costa Mesa Citizen Police Academy held its first session of the fall on Thursday, which over the next eight weeks will give attendees a behind-the-scenes look at sworn officer training and tactics.

SWAT maneuvers, crime scene investigations, and K-9 management are just a few of the topics covered in the program’s annual curriculum. Attendees will also learn how dispatchers guide 911 dialers through life-and-death situations and will be placed in the shoes of responding police officers.

In one of the academy’s training exercises, participants assume the role of officers and are equipped with tactical gear and a mock firearm. They are then presented with a staged emergency and must distinguish between potential threats and civilians in need.

“I was one of the actors in that, and you would always see on the faces of the community members, like…” Thank goodness there are people trained to react appropriately because I would shoot everyone. world,'” the Costa Mesa Police Department captain said. said Joyce LaPointe. “They shot Grandma with the doll. They shot a family member coming out of a back room [during the exercise].”

Those who complete the academy tell LaPointe that it gives them a deeper understanding of the wide range of situations officers and sheriff’s deputies must be prepared for as well as an appreciation for the challenges they face.

Many are volunteering for the department, Costa Mesa Police spokeswoman Roxi Fyad said. The program accepts about 20 people a year, she said, and all end up showing up for each session.

“I think the most memorable moment for them is to take a ride and be with a real officer, sit in the seat and see what we’re really doing day to day,” LaPointe said. “Because they are a little shocked. They are a little surprised at the calls we make. There’s no call too small in Costa Mesa…we can have a neighbor argument, a barking dog, or a big emergency, and we’re going to go out there and try to make people’s day a little bit better.

LaPointe has been involved with the academy since 2008 and said it was one of the department’s most popular events. He had been put on hiatus due to staffing issues, but returned four years ago.

The academy is not a one-sided learning experience, LaPointe said. It’s also a way for the police department to connect, face-to-face, with the people who live and work in Costa Mesa.

“It’s an opportunity to listen to the community and find out what their needs are, what they expect from the police department, what customer service they expect,” LaPointe said. “If you don’t know what’s expected, you can’t provide that service to them.”

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