Academy Offers Citizens a Peek Inside the Broomfield Police Operations

ACADEMY OFFERS CITIZENS A PEEK INSIDE THE

BROOMFIELD POLICE OPERATIONS

By Kristen Beckman

A group of Broomfield residents will spend several weeks over the summer learning the ins and outs of the Broomfield Police Department during its BPD - Inside Citizens’ Academy. The 15-week academy began in March when about three dozen Broomfield citizens were informally sworn in, received a syllabus and workbook, and began learning the history and basic structure of the department starting with a tour of headquarters. The Academy includes three fiveweek blocks with breaks in between each block and culminates in a graduation ceremony in September.

The first block covers topics such as patrol, dispatch, animal services, code compliance, K-9, and traffic. The second block includes classes covering crisis negotiations, crime scene investigations, body-worn cameras, internal affairs and recruitment, as well as victim services, police chaplains, and public information. The third block covers the detention center, including emergency response and transport, as well as taser training, a shooting simulator, and a police driving course where students learn what it’s like to stop and approach a vehicle safely. Classes usually consist of a classroom component and an interactive or hands-on component and are taught by subject matter experts within the department.

Rachel Haslett, BPD’s public information officer and the primary organizer of the academy, said the program has been offered for about 15 years and about 30-35 students typically enroll. Classes of this size are ideal for the combination of classroom learning and hands-on experiences the students participate in.

Although the time commitment for participants is substantial, Haslett said the department has never had trouble filling a class. In some cases, people who are interested in a career in law enforcement apply to the academy so they can learn about the many different roles available beyond patrol and dispatch. Applicants must pass a background check because the academy provides access to secure areas in the department’s facilities.

Police departments across the country have offered citizens academies for years. Haslett said it provides a great opportunity for the department to bring in community members and encourage them to ask questions and break down the invisible barriers between law enforcement and the community. “Sometimes our residents are surprised at how complex things are and that there’s so much more that goes into everything than what you see on TV,” said Haslett. “It’s kind of breaking down those stereotypes and showing what really happens. We have great discussions and our community members become ambassadors for us and can go out and share what they’ve learned with the community.”

Christina Surprenant is one of the students attending the 2022 academy. She said she signed up in part because she wanted to know more about how the police department operates and how as a citizen she can be an ambassador for the department. Surprenant said she is looking forward to learning more about patrol cars, body-worn cameras, and the detention center.

“I feel very responsible to learn more about the police department that serves me, my family and friends, and this community,” said Surprenant. “I feel that as a citizen, I should understand and know more about the police department so I can be an ambassador and hopefully help people feel like our police department is approachable. We owe it, in my opinion, to our police officers to learn more about how we can serve them and what we as citizens need to be understanding of so we can be there for them as much as they are there for us.”

Applications for the academy open in February each year. Information about how to apply will be available on the department’s website and social media channels.

TEEN ACADEMY

The department also offers the BPD - Inside Teen Academy in June for teens aged 16 to 18 years old. The one-week course is largely organized by school resource officers, who also do the majority of the teaching along with contributions from subject matter experts within the department. Applications for the teen academy close in early May.