DATE: Monday, March 10, 1997                TAG: 9703100035

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B7   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY SUSIE STOUGHTON, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: SUFFOLK                           LENGTH:   52 lines

SUFFOLK CHIEF PROMISES TRAINING FOR HIS OFFICERS - AND CIVILIANS

Just as he insists on training for his officers, Police Chief Jimmy L. Wilson wants to train civilians to work with the people sworn to protect them.

He plans to start Suffolk's first Citizens' Police Academy to teach interested residents to be ambassadors for the department.

``We would teach them. . . what we do, how we do it and how they can help us do an even better job,'' said Wilson, who has been in office about two months.

The chief said he hopes to start training citizens soon, but did not specify a date.

Plenty of residents regularly listen to scanners, he said, and numerous citizens are interested in the officers' activities and events happening in the community.

The academy, which would be put on by members of the police department, would give citizens a first-hand look at the officers' jobs, Wilson said.

They would learn about police methods, procedures, practices and communications and take a field trip to the police pistol range, where they would be taught about gun safety and proper shooting techniques.

``I like to throw in a little fun,'' Wilson said.

And at the end of the course, each graduate would ride for four hours with a police officer on patrol during a weekend evening shift.

Before being accepted, would-be participants would be screened through background checks.

Such academies have been started in numerous departments across the United States. In fact, Wilson started the fourth one in the country when he worked with the Metropolitan Police in Washington. There, a group of about 35 civilians met two hours a night, twice a week, for a month.

Metro Police Chief L. Soulsby said the program ``did more to bring the citizens and police together than any other activity'' by the department.

Later, in Mississippi, Wilson started a class with about 50 people.

``It makes me feel good knowing I've been able to contribute to the community,'' he said.

When he took office in January, Wilson promised ``training, re-training and more training'' for his department.

He pledged education beyond the 21-week police academy, weapons re-certification at the pistol range and seminars.

About 80 applicants made the preliminary cut last week for at least two openings on the police force.

Four other slots also could be available once promotions are made to supervisory positions that have been unfilled since the retirement of veteran police officers.

The police hopefuls first must pass background checks and survive oral grilling by a review board that starts March 17. Then they will have a chance to enter the 21-week police academy June 1.

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