Ever wonder what it’s really like to be part of the Port St. Lucie Police Department? You know, the department responsible for keeping Port St. Lucie Florida’s “Largest Safe City” safe? In January, you can get that chance.
The Port St. Lucie Police Department’s Citizens’ Police Academy is starting up Jan. 23. Because space is limited, residents interested in participating are encouraged to speak now or wait until the next academy.
“There’s so much and so many divisions,” Assistant Police Chief Richard Del Toro said, explaining that those who participate will learn much more than they expect.
Classes will meet twice weekly, on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Participation will not, however, lead to certification or employment as a police officer.
The first class is Jan. 23 and the last is scheduled for March 15. Classes will be held at police headquarters, 121 SW Port St. Lucie Blvd., Building C.
Along with in-class sessions, students will take a Saturday tour of the 911 call center and the St. Lucie County Emergency Operations Center. “They want to know their tax dollars are being spent the right way,” Del Toro said. It’s a “peek behind the curtain a little bit.”
Not only do residents get to learn more about their police force, but also the police force gets to know better the residents they serve. Del Toro said the academy helps to serve as a relationship builder, a bridge, between police and citizens.
And many of police department’s volunteers have joined because of their experience in the academy, he added.
“We really encourage all to come to the Citizens’ Academy,” he said, adding it helps to open their eyes to how it all works.
They get to interact with agencies they don’t normally come into contact with. And, they’ll also see how the police department is implementing its call to excellence in customer service.
Del Toro said that 95 percent of the calls the department responds to are from your average, everyday resident, someone for whom this one call might be the only interaction they will ever have with police.
For the department, it’s a matter of providing professional, courteous service to everyone – in an effort to stave off a bad reputation.
“That doesn’t mean we roll out the red carpet for bad guys,” the assistant chief added.
There is no fee to attend the academy but space is limited, so early registration is encouraged. Applications are open to Port St. Lucie residents ages 18 years or older. You can sign up by contacting Volunteer Coordinator Thomas Andrew at 772-344-4052.
The Citizens’ Academy is funded through the police department’s general budget. However, donations are always appreciated, according to Del Toro, to the PSL Police Foundation. The foundation is allowed to take donations on behalf of the department and allocate the funds as needed.
