CPA – Day 9

For those of you actually following along with my citizen police academy you’ll notice there is no post for Day 8. That’s because I played hooky that day and didn’t go. I was looking after my sister’s cats because they were away and then I just wanted to go home. Day 8 covered diversity, the communications centre and media affairs.

Tuesday was Day 9 and covered community policing support. For the community policing to be effective they have a number of the programs, all volunteer, to help members of the community.

The C.O.A.S.T program that helps people in the community over 16 years of age with mental health issues. The plain clothes officer is teamed up with a social worker. The number of calls they got last year was staggering, to me. Mental health issues are a huge and no one likes to talk about them.

There was an officer talking about education services which includes the D.A.R.E. program. Officers are assigned to schools and can actually get to know the students. The D.A.R.E. program starts in grade 6. I never had it when I was in school. Then in grade 8 they follow up with the MOTIVE 8 program.

A member of the auxiliary police service spoke as well. The volunteer police service helps out in the community a lot. They get training just like the police do. They also have to go through the background checks, interviews etc. It’s a two year commitment but most of them end up staying longer.

The last two speakers were from the victim services unit and elder services. Victim services is there to help anyone who has been the victim of a crime. Any incident that could cause the person trauma. Elder services is of course there to help the elderly when they can’t always help themselves. Or they don’t know their rights in order to help themselves.

Next week we get to check out the judicial system. Can’t wait for that.

I’m off to work.

Until next time…

Cindy