Waldoboro Police Chief William Labombarde first raised the idea for a Citizen’s Police Academy to the Board of Selectmen in an effort to build improved communication between Waldoboro citizens and the police department.
The academy, proposed during the regular Board meeting on Dec. 18, would be a first step in addressing questions citizens have about police procedure and to develop a mechanism by which the police department can explain some of the complexities of law enforcement, Labombarde said.
Starting in February, the eight-week course would cover what it takes to hire and train a new officer, police ethics and constitutional law. The course would also cover search and seizure, traffic stops, motor vehicle law and juvenile law.
Certified instructors would also go over the mechanics of arrest and use of force, covering take-downs and other arrest procedures. Labombarde suggested course instructors could show take-down procedures in a gym setting, where participants would learn first hand how arrests are carried out.
Crime scene investigation and a class on civil rights would close out the academy curriculum, Labombarde later said.
The class would include between 35 and 40 people. In response to a question posed by selectman John Blamey regarding target audience, Labombarde said he would want participants to be at least 21 years old. Business professionals and other citizens interested in participating in the academy would go to the police station and fill out an application.
The target times for the classes are February, March, September and October, Labombarde said. Selectman Theodore Wooster wanted to know how much the program would cost. The Chief said most of the certified instructors would volunteer their time to teach participants. He said that in addition to himself, officer Thomas Hoepner is a certified instructor.
At the end of the eight-week course, participants would receive a certificate of completion Labombarde said.
“When you leave here, if nothing else you will be educated,” he said, then later adding, “We are building a bridge between the community and the police department.”
Selectman Clinton Collamore wanted to know if there was ever an issue regarding a person adopting the role of a law enforcement official after completing such a course.
“What this is trying to do is to educate people so they don’t become victims,” Labombarde said, adding that participants would not start acting as police officers.
He said the proposed program is for educational purposes, only. While the police department is not ready to initiate a neighborhood watch program, Labombarde also wants to encourage participation in an advisory board.
The advisory board would consist of town officials and members of the police department for the purposes of discussion and resolution of town issues.
“We would all be working pro-actively instead of reactively,” Labombarde said.
Involving town citizens in the activities and procedures carried out by the police department received a positive reaction from members of the Board; however Collamore said there are still some concerns expressed by citizens in the community, especially as it relates to the use of force and firearms. Collamore said that there are citizens who are not certain how law enforcement can justify the use of force with a firearm.
When later interviewed about the possibility of the town having a citizen’s police academy, reactions by some citizens indicated a strong need for better communication and clarifications for past and future actions in relation to police/citizenry cooperation.
“The everyday citizen shouldn’t have to worry about it,” said Alex Schweighauser, 31, of Waldoboro. “They should have the reassurance that their local police department has the training to do their job.”
Schweighauser and other residents in the downtown area expressed their frustration over the outcome following the shooting death of 18 year-old Gregori Jackson of Whitefield on Sept. 23, 2007 by Waldoboro Police reserve officer Zachary Curtis.
“I was appalled by that fatal shooting incident,” Schweighauser said. “It was never clear to the public what happened. It sort of got shoved aside.”
Schweighauser said he had law enforcement training while serving in the Coast Guard. He said that the citizen’s police academy would be an interesting course, though he didn’t think it was completely necessary. Schweighauser said he had thought seriously about getting into law enforcement.
Jonathan Basner, Assistant Pastor of the First Baptist Church in Waldoboro, reacted positively toward the proposal. The proposal is a good idea and any attempt by the local police to improve communication is a good step, he said.
“There probably needs to be some kind of venue for the police department to listen to the voices of the community, just as the community could learn from the police department,” he said.
Basner said that it is important for there to be a program that includes this element of give and take. He suggested that the citizen’s police academy include this communicative exchange in the academy’s program.
Given public support, Labombarde said he would want to include representatives from other agencies in the citizen’s police academy. He hopes to invite representatives from groups such as New Hope for Women in Damariscotta and from a local sexual assault response team.
