Class 14-17 Week #1

The 14th session of the Sandwich Citizens Police Academy got off to a good start on Thursday, March 15th. This is Sgt. Bruce Lawrence's second year of being the lead instructor, and he has really hit his stride; he obviously loves teaching!

The new students picked up their class binders and were all photographed and given their ID badges. The binders are skimpy at the moment, but by the end of the class they will be jammed with information.

Sgt. Lawrence introduced the other Sandwich PD members in the room--Lt. Josh Bound, Lt. Jason Keene, and Deputy Chief Mike Nurse--and then Chief Peter Wack gave a detailed overview of the PD's staffing and operations. The Chief's focus is on modernizing the Department, with an emphasis on "branding." He wants to focus on training, development of new ideas, and networking with other law enforcement entities to share information.
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He created the new Deputy Chief position so that there would be a clearly defined second in command. He modified the SRO position so 

that the officer now wears a uniform instead of plain clothes and brings a marked cruiser to the school. SRO Christa Cabral introduced the concept of "Do the Right Thing," which recognizes and rewards exemplary students.

​Dispatch operations were civilianized in 2016 into Emergency Telecommunications, thus freeing up 6 officers to go back out into the community. According to Chief Wack, operations became much more streamlined and efficient.

The PD maintains a prominent community presence throughout the year, participating in such things as the adult and junior police academies, food drives, Toys for Tots, and Trunk or Treat. In collaboration with the theater department at Sandwich High School, the Department also stages a mock OUI crash--with fatality--at the high school to educate students about the hazards of drunk driving.
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SCPAA alumna Pam Lungarini provided homemade lasagna and sweets for the dinner break, which were much appreciated by all.

​                                                                  Contributing Editor, Donna Leiss

Photos courtesy of Pauline Fortin and Bob Nichols