WSPD Citizens Police Academy offers participants experiences ‘they won’t soon forget’

By Janice Jennings The crowd of curious and chatty souls pursued imaginary criminals on Patterson Avenue, on a recent Thursday night. Twelve weeks of classes spent in the Winston-Salem Police Department’s (WSPD) Citizens Police Academy (CPA), culminated in a hands-on evening in the forensics lab, where we learned to work a crime scene, made impressions of tiny boot-prints with dental stone, lifted fingerprints from a range of surfaces, and tested biological samples for blood. It was an experience none of us will soon forget. Welcomed into the WSPD community by officers and support staff alike, it was clear that the entire team takes pride in the work they do. They like and respect each other, and they believe 100% in their role to protect and serve each of us.  On night one, Chief Penn explained that community engagement is the primary goal of the academy. Recruiting for the understaffed department is another. To their credit, they delivered on both points. Prior to our forensics session, we met with the SWAT (special weapons and tactics) team and the Bomb Squad. We spent time with the gang, traffic enforcement, accident investigations, motorcycle, driving while impaired (DWI), criminal investigations, evidence, and drone units....