Police Department - SPD Citizens Police Academy

The founder of modern policing was Sir Robert Peele. In his wisdom many years ago, he understood that enforcers of law must have the support and understanding of the community. One of his more accurate and timeless quotes is, "the police are the public and the public are the police". There has never been a time when law enforcement agencies needed community support more than now. The implementation of a Citizens Police Academy (CPA) was inevitable.

The intention of the SPD is to include the public in our day-to-day operations and offer an invitation to learn about us and why we do some of the things we do. Perhaps more importantly, we are able to inform the class about why we don't do some things that the cops on TV do. So with this in mind, we set out to develop a class curriculum that would give our citizens a realistic view of today's law enforcement. We knew we could only give the students a "taste" of real law enforcement given the fact the class is 30 hours over a 10 week period.

The successful completion of the CPA does not certify the student as a police officer by any stretch of the imagination. But, it does offer the public a clear and concise understanding of today's law enforcement and the incredible demands placed on police officers in Smithfield each and every day. It also affords the officers the opportunity to meet and form a bond with citizens from the community they may not have otherwise met.

SPD Citizens Police Academy Curriculum:

• Welcome and Orientation - Dept. Structure, Officer Selection and Field Training
• Constitutional Law - NC General Statutes - City Ordinances
• Patrol Procedures and Activities - Traffic/DWI Enforcement - Controlled Drinking Exercise - Alco Sensor Demonstration - Field Sobriety Testing
• Criminal Investigations - Crime Scene Investigations - Legal Issues
• Domestic Violence - Crime Prevention – Community Watch
• Criminal Prosecution / Court System - Probation / Parole - Juvenile Law
• NC Dept. of Corrections - Johnston County 911 Center – Johnston County Detention Facility
• Use of Force - Firearms (actual firing of weapons by students)
• Drugs and Vice - SWAT - Search Warrants
• Community Policing - Course Evaluation - Graduation
• Mandatory Ride-A-Long of 8-12 hours to be completed sometime during Week 1 - Week 9

2nd Session - SPD Citizen Police Academy
Spring 2006
Left to Right: Chief Gillikin, Bill Wells, Suzannah Crayton, Nicole Whitley, Michelle Capps,
Judy Edwards, Kim Johnston, Brett Embler, Pete Connet, Capt. Cuddington

1st Session - SPD Citizen Police Academy
Fall 2005
Left to right: Capt. Cuddington, Jim Henderson, Garry Gavitt, Paige Connet, Waiel Mohammed, Joanne Dunn, Chris Keys, Warren Grimes, Mark Hall, Deborah Lee, Clayton Narron,
Roger Capps, Chief Gillikin