Horsham, Hatboro Offer Community Policing Class

Have you ever watched "CSI," or "Law and Order" and wondered what it's really like to see a high profile case through?

Well, now you can have your chance.

Beginning on Feb. 20, the annual will again teach a class of community members the ins and outs of law enforcement work.

For those with an eye for "CSI," Horsham Township Police Lt. Jon Clark said one of the 10-week sessions featuring Lt. Rich Nilsen, a homicide detective in the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office, will not disappoint.

"He’s going to present a case, a case that happened in the past," Clark said. "It gives the participants a chance to see, from beginning to end, how it’s prosecuted."

Clark, along with Hatboro Sgt. Pete VanDolsen has led the Citizens Police Academy since its inception in 1999. Clark and VanDolsen invite other law enforcement officials to classes to offer insight on various topics ranging from police K-9, to firearms, use of force, drug awareness and more. At the end of the free 10-week program, participants receive a certificate of completion.

To date, more than 300 locals have graduated from the academy and gained a better understanding of the police officer’s role, Clark said.

Part of that understanding, Clark said, is to not only get a glimpse of crime scene investigations, but to feel more comfortable reaching out to and interacting with police. 

"I just want them to understand that we need the community to be our eyes and ears and help us do our job," Clark said. "The more they understand about doing the right thing and calling when they see something that doesn’t look right gives everybody a better quality of life."

If you go

To register for the Horsham, Hatboro Citizens Police Academy, or for more information on the free program, click here to read more in Patch's events calendar.