LIHU‘E — The second class of the Kaua‘i Citizens Police Academy was treated to a graduation ceremony Tuesday at Ka Hale Maka‘i o Kaua‘i, Lihu‘e headquarters. The 10 graduates just completed a 13-week program that started in October. It combined
LIHU‘E — The second class of the Kaua‘i Citizens Police Academy was treated to a graduation ceremony Tuesday at Ka Hale Maka‘i o Kaua‘i, Lihu‘e headquarters.
The 10 graduates just completed a 13-week program that started in October. It combined classroom instruction and firsthand field experience with police and the courts.
“We think this is a great success for the community and the department,” said Deputy Police Chief Michael Contrades.
The class spanned four generations with diverse backgrounds, including a schoolteacher, security guard, heavy equipment parts clerk, a retired lawyer, a retired real estate broker, a customer service agent, an office assistant, an automotive technician and two county employees. The classes demonstrated that it is the people that the police serve, Contrades said.
“The main goal is of building relationships and gaining trust,” Contrades said. “That is the focus of the program, and the biggest benefit is with imparting this knowledge to the community.”
The goal of educating the public on police work will bring a better understanding of the department, help reduce misconceptions and bring the community and the department closer together, he added.
Kaua‘i Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. said he is very pleased with the progress of the department and the academy programs. The actual police academy is about to start a new class, and he credited the newly created
Human Resources department with helping to ensure that the men and women who join the police department are ready to serve this community.
“There are other programs on the horizon and we need to work collectively to do things we need to do,” he said.
The mayor congratulated the graduates for shadowing officers, and “witnessing, seeing, touching and understanding the challenges that police go through in their day-to-day activities.”
“This particular opportunity is just another example of getting people to be inclusive and giving the chances and opportunities,” Carvalho said.
“It was a great experience; I learned a lot,” said Melanie Marshall, academy graduate. “My husband is a police officer and so now I understand more about what he goes through on a daily basis.”
It was the first and likely the last time Marshall would be shooting a gun, she said, but she enjoyed the firing range a great deal. She appreciates the long hours that police work and the role they play in explaining processes and laws to people that want to see immediate change.
County Prosecuting Attorney Justin Kollar was present at the ceremony with Second Deputy Rebecca Vogt. The prosecutor’s office is also a partner in the academy and organizes a mock trial to show how important police work is in prosecuting crimes.
Kaua‘i Police Commission Chair Ernest Kanekoa Jr. and several commissioners were also present.
County Council Chair Jay Furfaro said the academy shows how important it is for people to contribute to the stewardship of our island. He said the government could not function without the volunteerism of commissioners and others who believe in the community.
“This is truly about stewardship,” he said.
Academy graduate Thomas Culbertson, of Lihu‘e, is a retired attorney who moved to Kaua‘i five years ago. As a Mainland policeman some 50 years ago in Fullerton, Calif., he said if there was trouble he had backup from neighboring sheriffs departments in Los Angeles and Orange County.
That is not the case on an isolated island, and Culbertson said he wanted to see how police handled this challenging and difficult job.
“It’s a very well-run operation, as far as I can tell,” Culbertson said.
Enrolling in the class was a personal growth experience, Culbertson said, but he also plans to be a police ambassador in the community.
Other graduates included Jose Ancheta Jr., Thomas Batara, Louis Fishman, Micah Hee, Douglas Nobriga and Meghan Ornellas-Goodale.
The two county employees in the academy were County Drug Action Team Director Theresa Koki and KPD Senior Clerk Michael Lane.
Lt. Paul Applegate and Sgt. Kalani Ke are the academy co-coordinators. They and other officers volunteer their time so the class can meet one weeknight a week and one full Saturday per month.
Ke said that participants complete class evaluations and that the suggestions go to help change the structure of the next class. The input from the first class led to an extension of the ride-along program from two to four hours, along with other changes, he said.
“These are the small intricacies made the program, I believe, a little more effective, enjoyable and positive,” Ke said.
The inaugural class graduated in September, and the next group is scheduled to start in January. Ongoing registration is available online at www.kauai.gov/police. There is no fee but space is limited.
Requirements are that applicants be Kaua‘i residents, at least 18 years of age, have a valid driver’s license and not been convicted of a felony, DUI, domestic violence offense or petty misdemeanor within the past five years.
Contact Applegate at 241-1606 for more information.
