State, city police hold Citizen’s Police Academy
Fayette County District Attorney Jack R. Heneks Jr. congratulates one of 19 graduates who attended the Citizen's Police Academy, organized by both the Pennsylvania State Police and the Uniontown Police Department. Also participating in the ceremony (from left) are Uniontown police Chief Jason A. Cox and Lt. David Heckman, commander of the Uniontown state police barracks.
Fayette County District Attorney Jack R. Heneks presides over a mock trial held Thursday as part of the Citizen's Police Academy organized by both the Pennsylvania State Police and the Uniontown Police Department.
?Several Uniontown residents given an opportunity to learn more about police work and the law are the most recent graduates of a Citizen’s Police Academy, organized by both the Pennsylvania State Police and the Uniontown Police Department.
Nineteen graduates who participated in the eight-week course were presented with certificates Thursday following a mock trial presided by Fayette County District Attorney Jack R. Heneks Jr.
Also on hand to congratulate the graduates on their success and thank them for their dedication to the program were Lt. David Heckman, station commander of the state police station in Uniontown, and city police Chief Jason A. Cox.
Both Heckman and Cox said a strong relationship between community members and police is important and assists the police is providing better protection.
The Citizen’s Police Academy, which was for the first time co-organized by both departments, is designed to give the average citizen a better understanding of police work and the way in which the criminal court system works.
State police Cpl. Gerald Pflug, one of the academy instructors, said the classes provided a comprehensive look at real-life police work and taught residents how they could take a proactive role in their community by helping to deter crime.
Pflug said graduates of the Uniontown Citizen’s Police Academy, which began in May, attended classes that focused on everything from criminal and fire investigations to discussions on crash reconstructions and police forensic units. Instruction about trial procedures and an informational tour of the central booking center in the city police station were also parts of the program, as was a police K-9 demonstration.
Jeff McLaughlin, the city’s Weed and Seed coordinator, said the program was a success and that another Citizen’s Police Academy may be held in Uniontown in the near future.
“The goal of the program is to strengthen the connection between residents and police,” McLaughlin said.
The Weed and Seed program is funded by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, a state agency focused on combating crime in communities.
City police Patrolman Eric Hanula is the Weed and Seed liaison for the city, and he also participated in Thursday’s mock trial and graduation ceremony, as did state police Cpl. Charles Frey and Trooper Scott Krofcheck.
Cox said he is glad the Uniontown Police Department was able to work in collaboration with the state police to be able to offer the Citizen’s Police Academy to city residents.
“It’s important residents have an understanding of police work and the hurdles we have to cross to bring a case to trial,” Heckman said, noting that he looks forward to further cooperative efforts between the state police and city police.
Heneks, who acted as judge during the mock trial argued by assistant district attorneys Michelle Kelley and J.W. Eddy, said Thursday’s class provided residents with an “intense and realistic look at the criminal court system.”
“It’s important for citizens who may not otherwise experience a trial to understand what occurs and how the system works from the initial arrest to the courtroom” he said.
Heneks, who serves on the Weed and Seed steering committee, said the Citizen’s Police Academy is beneficial because it focuses on all aspects of crime prevention, the law, police work and the court system.
For more information on the Weed and Seed program, visit online at www.uniontownweedandseed.com.