City and police officials announced the graduation of the sixth class of the Department of Public Safety’s Citizen/Clergy Academy.
According to Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose, the ceremony was held at 6 p.m. on Monday at the First Timothy Baptist Church where 87 Newark residents graduated.
Officials say, during the eight-week course, attendees learned the essential functions and operations of the Police and Fire divisions as well as the Office of Emergency Management (OEM). Students were given a glimpse into the training, operations and organization of the Police Division, with insights offered into deployment decisions, the operations of the dispatch center and how calls for service are prioritized.
The training included presentations on crime prevention, gang awareness, domestic violence issues and “a day-in-the-life of a Newark Police Officer.”
New to the academy curriculum this year was an introduction to the Police/Community Initiative on Trauma-Informed Responses to Violence. The Police/Community Initiative uses the public health lens of trauma to create the necessary space for police and community to work together to reduce violence and increase community health and well-being effectively.
The training provided attendees with information about resources in the city, county, and state to help achieve this goal.
The Fire Division offered classes on fire escape plans and arson investigations and taught students how to use a fire extinguisher properly. Demonstrations of the Fire Division’s equipment were given. Students learned how the OEM responds in various catastrophic emergency situations and were exposed to some of the agency’s most advanced equipment.
“The Citizen/Clergy Academy taught community members how all the different components of the Department of Public Safety come together to function as one unit,” said Director Ambrose. Adding, “The course allowed our community members to become partners in our efforts to reduce crime while giving them a glimpse into the everyday life of police officers, firefighters, and emergency management personnel.”