What's It Like To Be A Waltham Police Officer? Try Citizens Academy

WALTHAM, MA — Ever wonder what it's like to ride in the front of a Waltham Police cruiser, hear the crackle of the dispatch come over the radio and flip on the lights and sirens to help someone in potential danger - or ahem, peeing in public?

Many officers join the force because they've got someone in the family who was an officer before them. Many join because they grow up playing cops and robbers and many join because they just want to help. Still, policing isn't always easy and can get a bad rap, especially in today's climate.

That's where programs like the Waltham Police Citizen Academy come into play. This 12 week program is aimed to show citizens the inner workings of police work and peel back some of the mystery. The Waltham Police Department has been offering the class for about three decades. Captain Dan Russo said he started the program in the '90s after hearing about a similar community policing program in Harvard.

"It’s one of the community policing programs, so that citizens get to meet the police and see what they’re all about. It fosters good relations and we get to meet people in the community and see what their concerns are," said Russo.

Throughout the past 20 years the program has changed just as policing has changed.

"We’ve changed some of the classes. When we started we never had to have terrorism awareness. The times have changed and so have some of the classes," he said, but the mission and how the program has been received has not, he said.

The program not only introduces participants to patrol procedures, narcotics investigations, domestic violence investigations, police field exercises, and firearms training it gives them an inside look at what it's like to work at the department. And it's costly, says Russo, but worth it for the mutual understanding that's built.

"We’ve had people donate cars to the drug unit or they’ve given money or time," he said. "I'm always surprised at all the generous people who give their time or money back after."

And yes, there will be a ride along, too. That was Mike Chen's favorite part when he took the class a few years ago.

'The Humanizing Part'

Chen had just moved to Waltham from Texas and was still getting his bearings when he happened upon a flier, much like the one currently posted to the Waltham Facebook site. He was intrigued. In Dallas, he'd known that police officers were there, but he'd never had much interaction with them.

So after giving it a bit of thought the software architect signed up - along with about 22 other folks - to see what this academy was all about.

"I found it was really insightful," he said. He was impressed that as he learned more about the types of departments and officers and ranks on the force, he was also introduced to officers.

"You don’t willingly drive to the police station. But for 12 weeks you drove yourselves there every night on a Wednesday, and I think that kind of humanized the police force," he said.

He got to know the officers by name, and came to find out that a couple of the officers even had children at the same school as his.

"That humanizing part of it makes a huge difference," he said.

Another part of it he found helpful was that the officers were open and frank with him, from everything from what the traffic cams were all about to the balance officers have to strike when it comes to constitutional law and civil law.

"The biggest thing I got out of it was just the complexity of constitutional law and criminal law they have to strike when responding. As a police officer you're kind of pulled both ways, and [the academy] allowed me to put myself in their shoes. For them to do their job effectively and humanely and a balanced way they have a lot to grapple with," he said.

'Timely issues'

Debbie Koundry took the class last year during a time the news was filled with reports of police involved shootings. She saw the advertisement somewhere on social media and with three family members in police departments on the East Coast, she said she, too was curious about the course.

It wasn't quite what she expected. The second night the class - all 50 of them - marched downstairs to see the indoor state-of-the-art shooting range. " I didn't expect to see that. I didn't know they even had that," she said over the phone recently.

She said she learned a lot, and the class was made up of all ages, the youngest was in high school and the oldest was nearing 90.

"I just think it’s a great thing for everybody no matter your age you’re going to take away a lot," she said.

Koundry praised Captain Russo who runs the program along with the other officers who came to speak and interact with her class. One memorable night the class got to see first hand how field sobriety tests work. But more than that, she said she developed a renewed sense of respect for the officers' work.

"Even more respect than I already had for police officers. It’s hard to hold a marriage together doing what they’re doing. I always think about my aunt wondering if she’s going to get that call. They don’t get enough respect and they’re probably not paid a lot for what they’re doing," she said.

Next class?

The department just announced its taking applications for September now. Each week it’s a different subject that’s covered. The classes meet Wednesday evenings for three hours through December. Chen and Koundry both said their classes were diverse in goals and social economic and age, three signed up because they were interested in joining the police force, others signed up out of curiosity. The guy who works at the local McDonald's down the street signed up, as did the retiree.

"Mostly I think it fosters good relations. I think the more city that live in it go through it the better the city," said Russo.

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Photo of Waltham Police Station by Jenna Fisher/ Patch