THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 31, 1996 TAG: 9605290168
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover story
SOURCE: BY SUSAN W. SMITH, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 156 lines
BARBARA T. NEWMAN planted her feet, took careful aim and fired three rounds from a semi-automatic handgun.
It was the first time the 55-year-old nurse had fired a gun. She was going to take the target home, to prove to her six kids that she had gone through with it.
Newman took to the firing range because she was curious about what police officers really do. She was one of 27 citizens who participated in the first Chesapeake Citizens Police Academy, which began in February and ended this week.
During 12 Monday night sessions, the students learned about the daily operations of the Chesapeake Police Department, and got to see what it's like behind the scenes. There were housewives, retirees, civic leaders and aspiring police officers.
Student Jennifer L. Huston, 23, plans to try out for the Chesapeake Police Academy. She signed up for the citizens academy in hopes that it would give her an edge when competing for a spot on the force. The citizens sessions gave her an interest in the K-9 unit or maybe the bicycle patrol.
Michael L. Grooms, 20, also plans to become a police officer.
``The classes enforced the interest I already have,'' Grooms said.
Shawn L. Sines, 35, stays busy keeping children in her home, but she has plans to become a criminal psychologist. Laraine R. Neu, 55, a former police officer, said she was interested in pursuing other areas of police work, such as domestic violence and youth services. Eric E. Sharp, 32, president of the Chesapeake Crime Prevention Council, said he wanted to take information from the academy back to block security groups and civic leagues.
``I just want to be more aware for my own safety and to keep up with what's going on in my community,'' said Fred E. Dunning, 55.
Police Capt. J.E. Saunders, the program's director, said the academy was designed to show the public how the department works. Officials hope it will help get residents more involved in the community.
``Hopefully, it will also prove to the students that police business is not like what is portrayed on many cop shows,'' Saunders said.
The academy course costs citizens nothing. Graduates do not earn law enforcement certifications. To qualify, applicants must be residents of the city, over age 18, and must have a background check.
The course will be offered several times a year at the Chesapeake Police Academy on Sentry Drive.
The classes cover the gamut of police business, ranging from budget control to criminal investigations to target practice at the firing range.
Each new topic is presented by field experts, including Police Chief Ian M. Shipley Jr.
``Anything that citizens can do for our city is a step forward,'' Shipley said. ``Attending these classes and taking the information back into homes, neighborhoods, civic leagues and businesses is another way to help.''
Shipley welcomed the first session on a February night with facts and figures about Chesapeake. The students listened to a lecture about crime statistics, 1996 police department goals and basic procedures.
The chief said his department is the smallest in Hampton Roads, but covers a huge territory - about 353 square miles. Officers get calls for everything from missing newspapers to murder.
Students were shocked when Shipley said the Police Department handled 14,471 major crimes, 1,216 DUI arrests, 49,421 other traffic charges and 80,708 emergency calls in 1995.
But the average police response time, Shipley said, was seven minutes.
Other presentations were made by SWAT and dive team members, narcotics, bicycle patrol and uniform officers. Domestic violence, internal affairs, drug identifications, lie detector tests, misdemeanors and felonies were among the many topics.
The dry material was balanced with anecdotes, ``war'' stories and hands-on participation. Students watched videos, toured the training facility, eyed the K-9s, checked patrol bicycles and examined equipment like handcuffs and two-way radios.
And there was the big night at the firing range.
Field training officers L.J. Stolecki and Victor C. Pisani carefully instructed the group on safety rules and guidelines for handling a loaded weapon.
Two at a time, the students toed the line. Soon it was time to get ready, aim and fire.
For Jay B. Paciulli, 36, four out of six shots plugged the target dead center.
Neu, the former police officer, also got a bull's-eye.
``It was great,'' she said. ``But I was shaking.''
Newman, the nurse said it was harder than she expected.
``I felt powerful for a moment,'' she said.
Newman was among a few adventuresome types who signed up to ride a shift with a patrol officer.
``I wish more people would get involved and see what it is like on this side,'' said Officer A. Gene Frederick, Newman's guide.
Between 4 p.m. and midnight, Frederick's shift, Newman rode along as the officer responded to a domestic dispute, a reported teen runaway, a street fight, a parking lot beer party and a prowler. Then there was a stolen car chase.
With lights and sirens flashing, Frederick and Newman raced through South Norfolk to join an all-units call in pursuit of the car.
When the car was found abandoned, Frederick joined the foot search for the thief. This time, the bad guy got away.
At the end of the shift, Newman asked Frederick whether that was a routine night.
``I would never be so casual as to call any night routine,'' Frederick said. ``To assume anything would be careless, and that could be a fatal mistake.''
Back at the academy on another class night, students crowded around the unmarked radar car of Officer M.H. Burns.
Traci L. Myler, 36, checked the lights, switches, flashers, the console computer, the camera connected to a hidden VCR and Burns' portable desk packed with papers.
``I never dreamed there was so much equipment,'' Myler said. ``And so much paperwork involved to record each incident.''
Later, officer Steven G. Bryan was a big hit when he introduced his partner, Robby, a highly trained drug search specialist. Robby is a Belgian Malmois dog.
In other class sessions, Capt. A.G. Barlow, Officer B.C. Johnson and Officer A.T. Creely gave lectures and fielded questions from the citizens about bar fights, concealed weapons, rotating shifts, traffic tickets and stress debriefing.
Detectives R. Van Williams and Dwayne E. Edmonds talked about criminal investigations of white collar crimes, including bounced checks and credit card fraud, youth crimes and person-to-person crimes like assaults and robberies.
``What are you seeing now that you did not see several years ago?'' student Chester A. Leibrand, 38, asked Edmonds. ``And where do kids get guns from?''
``I see the same problems, just more of it,'' Edmonds said. ``There are now acid stickers for school notebooks out there. Everyday thefts are common. And many teens get guns from breaking and entering.''
The citizens, many of them parents and grandparents, were disbelieving at first. But reality quickly set in.
A flood of questions followed Edmonds' presentation on youth problems, which included discussions of satanism, gangs, drugs and weapons. All the citizens wanted to know how they could help.
Saunders reminded the class that although Chesapeake is rated the safest city in Virginia and the fifth safest in the nation for its size, there are still too many concerns to get complacent.
``Do what you are doing now,'' Saunders said. ``Stay involved.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photos by L. TODD SPENCER
Field training officers L.J. Stolecki and Victor C. Pisani carefully
instructed the group on safety rules and guidelines for handling a
loaded weapon on the firing range.
Officers Victor C. Pisani and L.J. Stolecki prepare ammo at the
firing range.
Officer L.J. Stolecki helps a student with her aim on the firing
range. For some civilians, it was the first time they had ever fired
a weapon.
Officer Steven G. Bryan and the K-9 partner. Robby, demonstrate a
drug search. The demonstrations helped balance the formal lectures.
Some of the civilians signed up to ride a shift with a patrol
officer, one of whom responded to a domestic dispute, a teen
runaway, a street fight, a parking lot beer party and a prowler. by CNB