North Huntingdon plans citizen police academy
The North Huntingdon Citizens Police Academy, in which residents view demonstrations by the K-9 unit and crime scene and fire investigators, is proving to be popular with the public.
Police Chief Robert Rizzo said Wednesday he expects the class that will begin on Sept. 3 to be filled by the end of this week. Up to 20 people can participate in the academy, which is for those age 18 and older.
The eight-week Citizen’s Police Academy is designed to acquaint residents with the activities and day-to-day operations of the township police department. One of its goals is to increase the rapport between citizens and police officers, Rizzo said.
Students will receive classroom instruction by personnel from many police department divisions, including motorcycle officers. Topics will include defensive tactics, emergency medicine and emergency response training.
Once training is completed, students have the opportunity to participate in simulated scenarios that officers may encounter on a shift.
“This is usually an eye-opening experience for many students as they get to see situations with a different perspective,” Rizzo said.
The classes will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. on Tuesdays, at the North Huntingdon Town House. Applications are available at the police department, 11265 Center Highway. For more information, contact Ptlm. Anna Jandric at Ajandric@nhtpd.us.
Joe Napsha is a TribLive reporter covering Irwin, North Huntingdon and the Norwin School District. He also writes about business issues. He grew up on Neville Island and has worked at the Trib since the early 1980s. He can be reached at jnapsha@triblive.com.
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