Citizens Police Academy graduates a new set of recruits

By Ruben Lowman

Another set of fresh rookies graduated from the Citizens Police Academy recently in a ceremony held at the North Myrtle Beach Department of Public Safety complex in Ocean Drive. 

The academy is an annual program created by the NMB Police Department with the purpose of building a strong and lasting partnership between the department and residents and businesses of the city and through education and cooperation.

Graduating from the academy this year in a special ceremony held on Thursday, March 10, were Molly Hall, Debra Bumpus, Raven Bunton, Elizabeth Prince, Billie Somerset Martin, Keith Kiser, Ronald Barry, John and Gina Enos, and Sandra Willard.     

“We limit it to about 15-20 in the class. They come every week, and each week they get to experience a little bit of every division,” said LCpl. Amy Vicks, Community Engagement Officer with NMBDPS. “They get to hear about every division and do some hands-on stuff. They get to hear from the traffic units, the K-9 division, narcotics. This time they got to do some hands-on stuff, shoot off taser cartridges and weapons simulations with a computer-generated screen.”

The academy is eight weeks long, with most classes held on a weekday between 7 and 9 p.m. The instructors and presenters are all current employees of the department, ensuring that every graduate comes out of the experience knowing exactly what officers do here in the city everyday. Vicks said the academy provides a rare opportunity for residents to learn first-hand about police operations, which fosters better understanding and communication between the department and the public. 

“From the feedback we get from the people that take the Citizens Police Academy, I think there are a lot of citizens out there that don’t know the behind-the-scenes of all the divisions that are in our department and what our divisions do, and what our patrol officers do,” Vicks said. 

Everyone in the academy is required to do a ride-along and have a certain amount of ride-along time with the force’s officers, as well as spending time sitting in dispatch. Vicks said that this gives them the chance to see all the components of how first responders deal with active situations, in real-time, showing them first-hand exactly how a call comes in, to the time the call comes out to patrol officers, to the time a call is cleared.

“They don’t know what it’s really like when you’re in that car and you’re listening and you’re watching,” Vicks said. “And these officers are very helpful and are educating them on what they’re doing and how they do things and our training, and stuff like that. They don’t know what we actually have to go through on the road, so they get a whole different perspective.”

There are a few requirements to that potential applicants must adhere to in order to be accepted into the program. Those wanting to take part in the academy must be at least 21 years old and either city or county residents; complete an application and academy waivers; and pass a criminal and background check.  

When the city’s police volunteer program is implemented, Vicks said that you will have to take the Citizens Police Academy as a prerequisite to be eligible to be a volunteer for the department.   

“I wish more would sign up for it and one day we could expand it to a whole bunch of people at one time,” Vicks said. “But the people that we get in there are so grateful and so thankful for giving them the opportunity to see what we do on a day-to-day basis.”