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By Robyn L. KirschPROGRESS STAFF WRITER

The O’Fallon Police

Department (OPD) had its

largest Citizen Academy

class of 27 individuals

graduate from its eight-

week program Tuesday,

Oct. 28.

“It’s programs like these

that keep O’Fallon spe-

cial,” OPD Chief Eric Van

Hook said. “Captain Mark

Berry initiated this pro-

gram only three years ago

with a handful of partici-

pants and now look around

you and just see how its

flourished.”

A standing ovation from

a room full of residents,

community members, city

officials and officers fol-

lowed Chief Van Hook’s

generous words of Capt.

Berry.

“I already have seven

people lined up in the

wings for next year’s ses-

sion IV, so as you can see

how fast things move

through the grapevine, I

don’t even think I’ll have to

advertise it next year, and

that’s the beauty of educa-

tional community pro-

grams like these,” Berry

said.

Berry pointed out to the

graduates in the audience

that with this diploma cer-

tificate, graduates, “will be

called upon for varying

volunteer opportunities like

the upcoming Breakfast

with Santa Claus hosted at

Amelia Carriel Junior High

School, so wear your OPD

Citizen Academy (cour-

tesy) polos to events you

can help out with so people

can identify you.”

Berry pointed out other

departments in Fairview

Heights, Collinsville and

St. Louis have their own

Citizen Academies offered.

“If this thing continues

to garner attention and

grow legs, so to speak,

maybe additional depart-

ments will join in and

(spearhead) their own,”

Berry added with a chuck-

le.

The class this year had

three O’Fallon aldermen

participate: Jerry Mouser,

of Ward III, Jerry Albrecht,

of Ward II, and Herbert

Roach, of Ward IV.

Mouser said, “This class

has been very cool, and

really was such a very

informative and exciting

time—I’m very impressed

with O’Fallon’s Police offi-

cers and how professional

they are.”

Albrecht said his favorite

part of the academy was

being able to ride along

with an officer for a whole

shift.

“There were a variety of

instances and calls but

going along and witnessing

all I did just simply con-

firmed what I already

thought about the officers

of the OPD—they demon-

strate their professionalism

time and time again,”

Albrecht said. “Seeing the

behind the scenes was very

neat and Capt. Berry told

us going in that it’s all

about perspective, and it’s

so true.”

According to Roach, the

virtual reality-based train-

ing with real-to-life scenar-

ios and target shooting

training equipment called

PRISM was his favorite

element of the academy

training.

PRISM is owned partial-

ly by the Southwestern

Illinois College Police

Academy and also by the

Southern Illinois Law

Enforcement Commission

(SILEC), which is a state

funded training organiza-

tion for law enforcement.

“Being beholden to time

when an important deci-

sion needs to be made—the

quickness that is demanded

in a stressful moment full

of distractions like inno-

cent bystanders or victims

was fascinating to me,”

Roach said. “We ought to

be proud that O’Fallon has

such a great team of people

protecting us, and not to

mention the facilities,

training and equipment

O’Fallon has at its disposal

is amazing.”

Many who have miscon-

ceptions about the manner

police officials conduct

their business should con-

sider taking the course,

Roach said.

“If they could see the

efforts and the controls the

police have put in place to

ensure they don’t go over

the line and everyone stays

safe, then I think they’d

have a much better under-

standing of what they do

and just how much is

demanded of them. I mean

there’s a lot more prepara-

tion for these guys before

they go out on the street is

even more extensive than I

initially thought.”

According to Van Hook,

this year’s session was a

challenge for the depart-

ment to keep up with sim-

ply because the class limi-

tation was originally set at

20 students.

“We were pretty much

topped out with 27, espe-

cially with some of the

important hands on practi-

cals and activities like the

gun range safety course

and the police officer ride

alongs, but we managed

very well.” Van Hook said.

“Berry did a great job facil-

itating still a very personal

and interactive, in depth

experience for the students

all the while being respect-

ful and mindful of their

time in the academy.”

Van Hook went on to

explain that this year’s ses-

sion included a new ele-

ment—fire safety.

“Fire Chief Brent

Saunders held a presenta-

tion on Fire Safety and he

did an outstanding job giv-

ing the class an insider’s

view into the Fire

Department and all they

do,” Van Hook said. “We’re

aiming to come full circle

with the entire Public

Safety Department theme,

not just Police and

Emergency Medical

Services we provide here.”

“This Academy provides

a great opportunity for our

citizens to learn more about

law enforcement and our

Police Department,” said

Mayor Gary Graham. “I

encourage you to get your

application in early as the

spots will fill up quickly.”

The Academy is taught

by officers from the

O’Fallon Police

Department and guest

speakers from other agen-

cies. This academy is open

to citizens of O’Fallon and

persons working in the

O’Fallon area. There will

be a tax deductible $25

course fee to the partici-

pants that will be donated

to “The BACKSTOP-

PERS, Inc.” The Academy

is designed to give partici-

pants a realistic view of

police work by providing

instruction and education

on different aspects of law

enforcement.

Academy classes were

from 6-9 p.m. Tuesday

evenings from September

through October in the

OPD Community Room at

285 N. Seven Hills Rd.

Participants are intro-

duced to the structure of

the Police Department as

well as basic information

that all police officers must

know to perform their jobs.

Topics included, but were

not limited to, patrol tactics

and training, general inves-

tigations, firearms, gun

safety, fire safety, response

to resistance, CPR and

AED training.

Due to the nature of the

course and curriculum,

individuals with prior

felony and/or certain mis-

demeanor charges/convic-

tions are declined. The

OPD will accept next

year’s participant applica-

tions next summer in July

2015. Interested persons

are encouraged to come to

the O’Fallon Police

Department to pick up an

application or print a copy

from their website:

www.ofallon.org/citizens-

police-academy

[email protected]

O’FALLON PROGRESS NEWS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014PAGE A10

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OPD Citizen Acdemy huge success

PROGRESS/Robyn L. KirschThe O’Fallon Citizen Police Academy Session Three graduation class, con-sisting of 27 individuals who live or work in O’Fallon, with the O’FallonPolice Department Command staff, Honor Guard and other officers onTuesday, Oct. 28.