Newspaper Clipping - Newspaper Clipping Scan - First Police Citizens Academy Graduates - 2/21/1996 � e
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First grads gain res ect or law enforcement ,
By Sue Hegarty drank liquor to experience so-
Staff Writer briety tests firsthand.
The Rev.George Martin,pas-
In a flash, the man lunged for of Sts. Martha and Mary
across the room before the sec- Episcopal Church in Eagan,took
g �
and man had a chance to draw the class as training to become a
his weapon. police chaplain. He and other
But in this case, the perpe- ministers in Eagan are organiz-
trator— a defense tactical in- ing a police chaplain program. "c
structor — was armed with a "If I'm going to be a police
felt tip marker.The victim—a chaplain,I have to understand
Citizen Academy student — what police are doing on a daily
was carrying an empty-bar- basis,"Martin said.
reled police revolver. Their When the chaplain service
mock altercation ended with begins, Martin said he expects
just a few ink marks across the to be called to work with fami-
victim's face and neck. lies caught up in the throngs of
The demonstration was part a domestic crisis.Mike Schrad-
of a new program offered er, a defense tactic instructor,
through the Eagan Police De- will help train the ministers.
partment and sponsored by the Schrader also was one of
Eagan Lions Club and the three instructors for the Citizen
Eagan Crime Prevention Asso- Academy classes about self de-
ciation.The first six-week class fense and use of force. He has
ended Feb. 15 with crime pre- trained the Eagan Police force
vention tips and a graduation for several years now. Officers
ceremony for the 25 partici- are re-certified each year. The
pants. training helps build self-confi- Denise Sonnee of Eagan learns the proper use of a police
Graduates of the first Citi- dence in officers,Schrader said. baton from Mike Schrader,a defense tactic instructor.(Sue
zen Academy in Eagan said "You can deal with the(per- Hegarty/Staff Photographer)
they have a new appreciation petrators) that you know are
for law enforcement officials. going to be a problem. You
"This has cemented my know what they're going to do," Thurlow said. "People should "I think it is just a tremen-
opinion that they have a tough he said."Then you have people respect their reasons and obey dous project,"said Larry Kran-
job to do,"said Sarah Keller,an who aren't sure themselves them." ing, a member of the Eagan
Eagan Rotary member. what they're going to do." When Police Chief Pat Gea- Crime Prevention Association
The course taught them the Eagan resident Ron Thurlow gan asked academy participants and an academy graduate.
ins and outs of police work.They registered for the academy be- how to improve the program, Geagan said the program is
rode along with officers on pa- cause he thought it would be fun. many said they'd like the class "labor intensive" which pro-
trol. They learned how to wield "You gain a lot of insight and extended and more question and hibits the department from of-
a baton and use handcuffs.They respect for what (police) do," answer periods offered. fering it more than once a year.