CHILDERSBURG, Ala. – The Childersburg Police Department’s second Citizens Police Academy has begun with an in-depth look at constitutional law and Alabama codes, including how they commonly apply to police officers in the field.
While the need for police officers to understand constitutional law may seem straightforward, applying it is not always as simple as it sounds. Understanding Alabama codes can be even more challenging. Officers must consider laws from a legislator’s perspective, evaluate cases as both defense attorneys and prosecutors might, and distinguish subtle differences between similar laws that determine the severity of certain crimes. Those complexities help explain why legal instruction at a police academy is so intensive.
The thought of keeping those distinctions at the forefront while responding to so many different types of calls is mind-boggling without considerable experience, and that was just the first class, which covered key highlights of the subject. I came away with a newfound appreciation for and respect for the work police officers do – an appreciation I expect will deepen over the next month and a half.
The program is designed to build mutual trust and improve communication between police and community members while bridging gaps and dispelling misconceptions. Participants learn basic information about the department and explore its operations, from patrol and investigations to evidence collection, through hands-on activities.
Upcoming Thursday evening sessions will cover fingerprinting, firearms safety, traffic collisions, traffic stops, search and seizure guidelines, legal foundations, CPR and first aid, crime scene investigation and photography, and a K-9 demonstration.
We will follow the seven-week series and provide a synopsis of each session.
