Citizen Police Academy Draws 'Students' From All Walks of Life

Four college students, four college employees, several school district workers and one former dispatcher are among the 18 people ranging in age from 18 to perhaps 70-something that make up the newest Kent Citizen Police Academy class.

Thursday was opening day for the ’s second session of the program designed to give community members an in-depth look at department operations. The 11-week academy is free for attendees, as the program is funded by a U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance grant.

The casual nature of the academy allows students to see the “human side” of police personnel – and allows personnel such as Capt. Jayme Cole and Lt. Paul Canfield to infuse their presentations with quick-witted humor.

Canfield, academy coordinator, said Thursday he was excited that three students were among the academy participants, as that’s a segment of the city population police are always striving to improve relations with.

Another academy member attends Stark State College, bringing the college-student total to four (all are studying criminology or criminal justice). There were no Kent State students in the police department’s first academy last fall.

There are also several employees in the second class, but there were none in the first. While there was a mother-daughter duo in the first academy session, the second class features the wife of a man who completed the program last fall.

There are four university employees in the current session: three work at Kent State and one works at Hiram College.

Each of the academy sessions attracted a former Kent Police dispatcher interested in seeing how things had changed since they worked there.