For the 31st time, a diverse group of community members completed the Glendora Police Departments outreach program, known as the Citizen’s Academy. This class was dedicated to Officer Louie Pompei on the 20th anniversary of his death.
The Citizen’s Academy has continued to put on this class for small groups, usually between 20-30 people from the community. This group includes business owners, students and other residents through a weekly class of all the aspects the department consists of. The GPD created this program many years ago with the idea of giving a different perspective to community members, the officer’s perspective.
Many of the weekly classes went into detail regarding how and why police operate in different scenarios, investigations and training procedures. The classes, which were highlighted on Glendora City News, consisted of crime prevention, arrests, felony traffic stops, fraud, domestic violence, social media, K-9, air support, traffic collisions, DUI enforcement, etc…
Chief Tim Staab, Sgt Mike Henderson, CSO Nita Ulloa Pedroni and Auxiliary Volunteers
On hand for the graduation ceremony were Mayor and Department Chaplain Karen Davis, City Council members Gary Boyer and Mendell Thompson as well as City Manager Chris Jeffers. Chief Tim Staab, Captain Joe Ward and Sgt. Mike Henderson, who runs the academy, attended and spoke to conclude the 12 week course.
Each week many Glendora officers and staff volunteered their own time to teach and put on demonstrations for the class. Community Services Officer Nita Ulloa-Pedroni led auxiliary officers as well each week to prep the classes and provide support.
To Sgt Henderson, this class is an important community resource in allowing citizens to gain an officers perspective.
“The Glendora Police Citizen’s Academy continues to be our best program for educating members of the community on current challenges facing law enforcement. We accomplish this goal through lecture, presentations, role-playing and stress scenarios in which the student is placed in difficult situations. The most important tool used is open communication between officers and students”, Henderson said.
The next Academy will be this coming spring. Applications can be picked up at the Glendora Police Station, 150 S. Glendora Ave, Glendora, Ca. 91741
Graduating Class:
Martha Barcelata
Zak Bushey
Bulmaro Cortez
George Cox
Kevin Elliott
Andrea Nunez-Escobedo
Jerry Gervais
Linda Hermann
Daniel Hernadez
Danyelle Horta
Georgianna Keeling
William Keeling
Paulette Koss
Marissa Madrid
Marylynn Maldonado
Madelyn McVicar
Mitch Merritt
Melanie Miller
Julie Mortensen
Errol Pielaat
Wyatt Pielaat
Luvina Reyes-Russi
Tom Shain
Rebecca Sifuentes
Oscar Valerrama
Alexuss Valentine
Christine Ward
