Plainfield Police Citizens Academy Invites Locals for an Immersive Experience
Writer / Melissa Gibson
Photography Provided
Have you ever wondered why a police officer handled a particular situation the way he or she did? What does it take to become a
police officer? When they’re not out in the community, what are they doing at the station?
Citizens and business owners of the Town of Plainfield have an opportunity to answer all of these questions and others through the Plainfield Police Department’s (PPD) Police Citizens Academy.
The class is an eight-week program that shares all the ins and outs of what our police officers do, how they do it and why they do it. This spring, the third Plainfield Police Citizens Academy will be hosted by the department.
Week one includes a tour of the facilities, an introduction and orientation for the class. Each following week is a breakdown of all things law-enforcement related.
“We have a week with detectives, sharing a case study and how they break it down to solve,” says Lieutenant Chris Cutshaw, PPD training coordinator. “There’s a day we go over the use of force requirements. That’s a hot topic in the news. We give the class an idea of our limitations, our training and how to evaluate the information you might see in the news.”
Another class is all about firearms, and involves the PPD shooting simulator, their training and why one firearm may be necessary over another.
Participants also have the opportunity to meet with specialty groups such as the K9s, bike patrol, school resource officers (SROs), the drone program leaders and others.
The final class is held at a Plainfield Board of Police Commissioners meeting, where participants are recognized and officially graduate from the program.
“These are citizens who want to know their community a little better,” says PPD Deputy Chief Joe Aldridge. “On the one side we see mainstream media, and on the other side we’re taking them through our operations and they can see why this was done that way. It’s all about community engagement and involvement.”
The Town of Plainfield hosts a Citizens Academy each year, walking participants through each department that makes the town operate, including Public Works, Parks and Economic Development.
The PPD shares a quick overview of their department on one evening including information about the budget and where the taxpayers’ money is going. The Police Citizens Academy allows interested parties to dig a little deeper.
Nichole Swickard is a Plainfield resident who completed the Citizens Academy and then the Police Citizens Academy. The mother of four says she came into the class interested in learning more about how the department was handling the current climate surrounding police officers across the country, and wasn’t sure how she felt about SROs in the school system.
“My kids love their SROs, and listening to [the officers] talk about what they’re really there for really changed my mind,” Swickard says. “These are not security guards. They are trained police officers from the town and that made a big difference to me.”
In addition, Swickard has found new ways to volunteer in her community and says it’s fostered a sense of community in her children as well.
“I joined the Plainfield Kiwanis Club and the Plainfield Chamber of Commerce,” she says. “I’ve served on the Quaker Day Parade committee, and overall I think it’s just opened doors for me. I’ve met so many different people from the town.”
Michael Brouillard also attended the Police Citizens Academy after attending the town’s Citizens Academy.
“At a young age I was taught about the importance of service to your community, and I thought, ‘What better way to see the inner workings of Plainfield than going behind the scenes and attending these courses?’” Brouillard says.
He was impressed by the openness and friendliness of the officers in the different departments as the classes continued.
“Everyone was so nice and anxious to show us how they do their job – the SWAT team, detectives, K9 patrol, those working in the evidence locker and others,” Brouillard says. “I walked away from the course with a newfound respect for the police officers. I learned that the people wearing this uniform are the same people that live down the street from you and I.”
Cutshaw and Aldridge have received additional feedback.
“I’ve heard people say they had no idea how long the hiring process takes, or they’re surprised about the statistics regarding how often an apprehension is made with a K9 that doesn’t involve a dog bite,” Aldridge says. “Most people think if there’s a dog and a suspect, they’re going to get bit, but actually it’s only about four times out of 300. K9 apprehension resulting in a dog bite is very rare.”
The amount of training required by officers seems to be another surprise.
“I think people are interested in learning just how much it takes to become an officer,” Cutshaw says. “There’s the academy and field training, and ongoing training every year.”
Swickard noticed this. “They do way more hours of training than what is required of them, and we learned how they are constantly talking and developing ideas,” she says. “For example, if there’s an incident in another state that involved an officer, they say, ‘Let’s sit down and evaluate what could or should have been done differently so we know how to handle this if it occurs here.’”
The class is serving its purpose – educating and connecting with citizens, who then go out and volunteer, and share what they’ve learned with others.
“[The academy] was something we were really missing in the department,” Aldridge says. “There’s a lot of misinformation out there and we want to share what we are doing here, and the ways the community can volunteer and get involved. When misinformation is presented, they can say, ‘I’ve been to the academy and that’s not really how that works.’”
Cutshaw believes the academy course will evolve as they continue to develop the curriculum.
“We’re just getting started,” Cutshaw says. “I’d like to add some more hands-on opportunities. We do have the firearm simulator and the K9 demonstrations, but I think as we make slight changes and improvements, we’ll continue to add a few more things like that.”
“If you’re wanting to get the real facts about how our town works, this is the way to do it,” Swickard adds. “It’s fun. You’re meeting
people that are out there helping and protecting our town. These people will be the ones who show up when you need them.”
To join the academy, an application is required and generally posted on the PPD Facebook page or on their website in late February. Each class is approximately 2.5 hours once per week, and the PPD asks that participants attend at least six of the eight classes.
Background checks are required to ensure a safe environment for the entire class, and the spots fill quickly. You must be a resident of the Town of Plainfield or a business owner in Plainfield to attend. If not invited to attend in 2024, applicants are welcome to apply again for the following year.
Visit townofplainfield.com for more info.
