By Larissa Mulkern
The Manchester Union Leader
MOULTONBOROUGH, N.H. — Who knew accident investigations required uncommon knowledge of physics or that Rony the K-9 loves his job and understands commands — in Czechoslovakian?
The average person has much to learn about the inner workings of their local police department, and now they have that chance. The first-ever Moultonborough Police Department Citizen Police Academy program began last month and continues through April 13. Every Wednesday from 6 to 9 p.m., police officers share their expertise — through live demonstrations, ride-alongs, on-site tours and PowerPoint presentations — with 11 local citizen cadets. So far, classes have covered defensive tactics, domestic violence, police recruitment and training, technical accident reconstruction and the police K-9 unit.
The program is free, but not quite informal. The citizen cadets have to be at least 21 and had to pass criminal background checks. There’s a business-casual dress code, and if you miss a class, it’s mandatory you make it up. If they make it through the rigorous sessions, cadets will graduate during a ceremony on April 13.
Police Chief Thomas Dawson said the department launched the program in part to dispel public myths and misconceptions.
The Laconia Police Department had a similar program that he’d read about.
“Quite frankly, one of the things we hear very often in Moultonborough ... is that we have too many police officers,” he said, adding that people either didn’t know the exact number or believed the numbers were higher.
Other residents questioned whether the town really needed a K-9 unit, he said.
The program informs the public and erases some of the concerns, said Dawson.
“We’d hear rumors about the police department that were off base. We want people to know what we’re doing,” said Sgt. Joseph Canfield, the program’s coordinator. One misconception doubled the number of police officers: The department has 11 sworn officers, not 22.
Canfield said the cadets establish relationships with police officers and gain a better understanding of the different aspects of the job.
“We’re giving them an inside view,” he said.
During Wednesday’s session, Canfield taught a class on the computer software program for “Photogrammetry.” He explained how on-scene photography is used to re-create accident scenarios for use in court cases.
From patrol officers to detectives, Dawson encouraged his personnel to get involved in the classes.
“We’re got a good group here. I wanted to get these guys and gals up there and speaking in front of crowds.”
The town’s public safety headquarters on Route 25, built in 2003, provides the space for community gatherings and training for police and fire department personnel.
Sally Carver, who had already been out on her ride-along with police, collected some insights along the way.
“I’m just getting a deeper appreciation of what their job really is. I did my ride-along for four hours, and as a taxpayer, I was always concerned with why we need another cruiser,” she said. “After riding around for four hours around town, I now understand why we need a new cruiser. It’s a big town geographically, and you go from one point to the other. You have to be out riding around.”
During the K-9 presentation, Detective Stephen Kessler told the class about the unit’s drug- and people-tracking skills.
The department’s 7-year-old German shepherd, Rony, can detect drugs, even a small amount, from a great distance. Kessler said Rony could sniff out as little as one marijuana seed in a parked car, thanks to 200 million scent receptors in his nose.
Born in the Czech Republic, Rony understands commands in that language.
Kessler said the K-9 unit in Moultonborough has apprehended suspects, found lost or missing persons, collected evidence and detected drugs. Rony is also a “visual deterrent” to crime, Kessler said.
Rony is fed a diet of raw meat, and he loves to come to work, said Kessler. His reward for a job well done is playtime with his favorite stuffed chew toy.
Canfield said more academies may be held in the future.
Copyright 2011 Union Leader Corp.