The Kaua’i Police Academy’s latest classes have been unholstered. Classes taught and administered by Kaua’i Community College in a partnership with the Kaua’i County Police Department are, for the first time, being held on the Puhi campus in a trailer
The Kaua’i Police Academy’s latest classes have been unholstered.
Classes taught and administered by Kaua’i Community College in a partnership with the Kaua’i County Police Department are, for the first time, being held on the Puhi campus in a trailer classroom across from the Small Business Development Center office.
“We’ve been doing in-house academies forever. But the concept of sharing with KCC is brand new,” said Wilfred Ihu, deputy police chief.
He said the advantage is that the five civilians attending (along with nine police recruits) “think they want to be police officers, but they are not sure. So they go through the actual training, pass the course and if they still want it, they are fully qualified.”
Ihu said the students are paying their own way, approximately $500.
“The interest that these five people showed boosted our morale. Rather than giving up everything and then deciding they don’t” want to be police officers, “they can find out this way,” Ihu added.
The students are patrolling the campus in white shirts and black trousers. They raise and lower the American flag while on campus, and can be seen marching and drilling.
Most of the students are also taking technical writing and computer literacy courses.
The instructors are police officers, so regular KCC students have been advised not to worry if they see armed officers coming and going on campus.
Staff writer Dennis Wilken can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) and mailto:dwilken@pulitzer.net
