University Police will hold training sessions this fall to improve relationships between officers and students. Credit: Courtesy of Ohio State

University Police will hold training sessions this fall in an effort to improve relationships between officers and students.

The free Community Police Academy will take place Oct. 20 through Nov. 10 and give civilians a chance to work with law enforcement officers in a controlled training environment,  Detective Cassandra Shaffer, program coordinator, said.The four-week program is open to students interested in a career with law enforcement and anyone curious about the inner workings of law enforcement.

“Whether you want to be a law enforcement officer or not, I think the mystique of what we do exists for everybody,” Shaffer said. “This is a unique and free opportunity for someone to come in and experience some of what we are trained to do — some of the things that we’re prepared to take care of every day in our line of duty.” 

University spokesperson Dan Hedman said this program benefits not only future law officials, but also people who may be wary of law enforcement officers.

“For people who may have had a poor perception or maybe even, to an extent, a fear of police, this is an opportunity to engage in dialogue,” Hedman said.

This is an opportunity for officers to talk to students, and vice versa, Hedman said.

“Not only will the community learn about policing and why they do what they do, but this is an opportunity for the police division to learn what matters to the community they serve,” Hedman said.

Shaffer said the open-dialogue format is also designed to encourage people to talk about confusing or controversial topics with the police.

In the past, this program has allowed officers and civilians to find some middle ground on tough topics even if they do not always see eye-to-eye, Shaffer said.

“The only way we’re going to improve our relationship with folks, or improve perception or improve how people look at what we do, is by explaining what that is,” Shaffer said.

Participants experience a variety of topics and training, and the program is different each semester, Shaffer said. This semester will focus on traffic safety, building search and civilian casualty care.

Enrollment for the academy is currently open, and Shaffer said they will continue to accept participants until the class reaches its 30-person capacity. Anyone interested in participating can register here.