>>>
>>> THE
>>> THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS TEAMED UP WITH THE POLICE
DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTY
TO OFFER CIVILIANS THE
OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN FIRSTHAND
ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES OF LAW
ENFORCEMENT.
ENFORCEMENT. THE POLICE ACADEMY IS OPEN TO
ANYONE LOOKING FOR INSIGHT AND
WANTING TO MAKE THEIR
NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITY
SAFER.
SAFER.
SAFER. HERE WITH MORE PLEASE WELCOME
THE COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICER
SANA WIGH AND KATE BYSHEIM.
IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE.
>> WE ARE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
THE POLICE TO OFFER COMMUNITY
MEMBERS A 12 WEEK COURSE AND AN
ACADEMY THAT RUNS 12 WEEKS IN
THE SPRING AND THE FALL.
THEY ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY
TO LEARN ABOUT VARIOUS SERVICES
THAT ARE IN THE AREA.
>> IS THE POINT TO BE
INTERESTED IN JOINING THE
POLICE FORCE OR WHAT DO PEOPLE
ULTIMATELY GET OUT OF THIS?
>> RECRUITING IS A BIG THING SO
WE WANT TO BE OUT THERE BUT
IT'S ALSO A METHOD TO ENGAGE IN
THE PUBLIC AND THE COMMUNITY
AND TO BRING COMMUNITIES CLOSER
AND OFFER -- BRIDGING THE GAP.
>> ARE THERE UNEXPECTED THINGS
THAT POP UP?
>> SCHEDULING IS ALWAYS A THING
BUT FOR THE MOST PART, WE HAVE
AN AGENDA FOR THE 12 WEEKS AND
WE OFFER VARIOUS DIFFERENT
THINGS FROM DETECTIVES AND
SERGEANTS AND COMMAND STAFF AND
ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE TAUGHT
OR PRESENTED TO THE CLASS WERE
DONE BY EXPERTS IN THE FIELD.
>> WHAT MADE YOU SIGN UP?
>> I THINK IT WAS THE WHOLE
COMMUNITY THING AND BEING A
PART OF THAT AN UNDERSTANDING
WHAT THE OFFICERS GO THROUGH
AND WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO FOR
THEIR TRAINING.
THEIR TRAINING. IT GIVES YOU A MUCH BETTER
UNDERSTANDING OF ALL THE THINGS
THAT THEY NEED TO KNOW ABOUT TO
DO THEIR JOB.
IT'S NOT JUST KNOWING WHEN TO
HIT THE SIREN AND STUFF.
IT IS KNOWING HOW TO DIFFUSE
CRITICAL SITUATIONS AND MAYBE
KNOWING WHEN AND WHERE TO
APPROACH A PERSON WHEN YOU DO
NOT KNOW IF THEY ARE THE BAD
GUY OR THE GOOD GUY.
>> WHAT DID YOU EXPECT TO LEARN
AND WHAT DID YOU ACTUALLY GET
OUT OF THIS?
>> I DID NOT HAVE HUGE
EXPECTATIONS BUT I CAME AWAY
LEARNING WAY MORE THAN I EVER
THOUGHT I WOULD.
MY HUSBAND AND I TOOK THE CLASS
TOGETHER.
TOGETHER.
TOGETHER. >> DID YOU LEARN THINGS THAT
YOU THOUGHT MADE YOU SAFER?
>> YES.
>> YES.
>> YES. ONE CLASS WE TOOK WAS THAT THE
CRIMINAL JUSTICE CENTER AND
THEY WILL TELL YOU HOW TO
DEFEND YOURSELF AND ESPECIALLY
FOR A WOMAN THAT MAYBE YOU DO
NOT FEEL THAT COMFORTABLE BUT
LITTLE THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO
TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND BE
AWARE AND NOT BE STUCK TO YOUR
PHONE.
PHONE.
PHONE. >>
PHONE. >> CAN STUDENTS AND YOUNG
PEOPLE TAKE PART IN THIS?
>> FOR THE COMMUNITY PLACE, IT
IS 18 AND OVER BUT WE ALSO
OFFER A TEEN COURSE AND THAT IS
RUNNING RIGHT NOW.
>> PEOPLE COULD BE INTERESTED
IN THE KERNEL JUSTICE AND THEY
COULD GET MORE INFORMATION.
WHAT IS IT LIKE FOR YOU TO OPEN
THE DOOR TO THE COMMUNITY AND
LET THEM KNOW MORE ABOUT HOW
YOU FUNCTION?
YOU FUNCTION? >> IT'S SUCH A JOY TO BE ABLE
TO SHOW SOMEONE A DIFFERENT
SIDE OF THINGS.
WE DO A SIMULATION OF SHOOTING
AND IT GIVES YOU A SCENARIO AND
IT SHOWS YOU SPLIT SECONDS AND
HOW DECISIONS ARE MADE AND WHAT
IS A NECESSITY DURING AN
EMERGENCY OR A CRISIS AND MOST
EVERYONE THAT TAKES THAT
EXPERIENCES A DIFFERENT ASPECT
OF POLICE WORK.
>> DID YOU MEET PEOPLE FROM
YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?
YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD? >> WE DID.
A COUPLE OF THEM WE HAVE KEPT
IN TOUCH WITH AND WE ARE IN THE
PROCESS OF DOING OUR OWN LITTLE
NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH GROUP.
>> I WAS GOING TO ASK IF IT
MADE IT EASIER TO DO THAT
BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT
WE CAN ALL DO FOR EACH OTHER
AND KEEP AN EYE OUT.
IF YOU DO NOT KNOW YOUR
NEIGHBORS, YOU DON'T TEND TO DO
THAT.
THAT.
THAT. >>
THAT. >> EXACTLY, IT WAS NICE TO GET
TO KNOW THE LOCAL OFFICERS THAT
SOMETIMES YOU SEE AT A CITY
COUNCIL MEETING BUT YOU DO NOT
REALLY KNOW WHO THEY ARE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF THE SERGEANTS
AND DETECTIVES AND OFFICERS AND
THEN YOU CAN SEE THEM FACE-TO-
FACE AND TALK TO THEM AND YOU
JUST FEEL LIKE YOU CAN APPROACH
THEM EASIER.
THEM EASIER. >> DO YOU EVER GET CHALLENGING
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE WEIGHT
POLICE OPERATE?
POLICE OPERATE? >> -- ABOUT THE WAY POLICE
OPERATE?
OPERATE?
OPERATE? >> THERE ARE SOME LEGAL
QUESTIONS BUT WE JUST TRY TO
SAY WHAT IS BEST FOR THEM.
THE BIG THING ABOUT THIS
PROGRAM IS THAT IT IS NOT ONLY
BRINGING COMMUNITY MEMBERS
TOGETHER BUT POLICE AND SHOWING
THE PUBLIC A DIFFERENT SET OF
POLICE AND WE ARE HUMAN JUST
LIKE THEM AND WE HAVE FAMILIES
AND THIS CLASS OFFERS THAT AS
WELL.
WELL.
WELL. WE
WELL. WE BRING IN PEOPLE THAT ARE
REAL AND EXPERTS IN THEIR FIELD
AND THEY SHOW HOW MUCH THEY ARE
DEDICATED TO PROTECTING AND
SERVING THE PUBLIC.
>> THERE ARE ALSO OTHER AREAS,
RIGHT?
RIGHT?
RIGHT? >>
RIGHT? >> I KNOW MAPLE VALLEY HAS THE
SAME THING AS WELL.
BE MET THANK YOU VERY MUCH BOTH
OF YOU.
OF YOU.
OF YOU. CLASSES ON WEDNESDAY NIGHTS
FROM 6:00 TO 9:00 AND IT STARTS
AT -- STARTS ON SEPTEMBER 12.
THEY ALSO HAVE SNACKS.
YOU CAN GET MORE INFORMATION
ONLINE.
ONLINE.
ONLINE. WE WILL BE RIGHT