Going through the academy

Deepa Bharath

I’d never ever gripped a gun in my hand. Nor had I seen three

different kinds of methamphetamines and five varieties of cocaine.

But over the last 12 weeks, I got a glimpse into a world that I only

hear and write about.

Enrolling in Costa Mesa Police Department’s Citizen’s Academy is

probably the biggest favor I have done for myself as a reporter who

covers public safety and courts.

The extensive course that ran 12 weeks for three hours each class

covered topics including the court process, police recruitment, crime

prevention, ethics and gang enforcement.

Some of the most exciting sessions were the ones that brought out the

SWAT team in sniper gear with an array of weapons in tow, the helicopter

show and the K-9 demonstration.

But the one that really did it for me and most of my classmates was

the evening at the shooting range.

Classmate Matt Pallo had a field day with an impressive score of 210

out of 220. His firing prowess won him the blue and gold SWAT team mug.

Pallo, a Mission Viejo resident who currently works as a cadet in the

Costa Mesa Police Department, says he would like to try out for the SWAT

team some day.

“Ever since I was a kid, all I ever wanted to be was a cop,” Pallo

said. “I came to this class because I wanted to meet more police

officers, learn more about what they do.”

And what he saw and heard made him want the uniform more than ever, he

said.

“I also learned cops are basically good guys,” Pallo said. “They’re

here to do their jobs.”

Sgt. Dave Walker and Officer John Smith, who were in charge of the

academy, said they benefited from the program too, although in a

different way.

“We learned a lot about the people in our community,” Walker said. “I

personally made a lot of friends in this group and hopefully, they will

be lasting friendships that will help us work together and make ours a

better community.”

For me, there were plenty of eye-openers over the weeks. The first one

came during my ride-along with Costa Mesa Officer Larry Hennen.

I have been on ride-alongs before, but never one so dull and

incident-free. However, I did learn something I didn’t know, that

officers don’t just apprehend druggies and control gang bangers, but that

they can also be knights-at-arms, rescuing and helping those in distress.

During our ride-along, Hennen responded to a call from a middle-aged

Latino woman who was being thrown out of the room she rented from

acquaintances. She stood at the gate with a couple of large suitcases and

the rest of her belongings squished into plastic grocery bags.

Hennen, who conversed with her in Spanish, picked up her bags, placed

them in his patrol car and dropped her off at a shelter where she could

stay until she found another place or until she could take the next bus

to her hometown in Texas.

As we continued with the ride-along, I expressed my surprise to the

officer.

“Well, I don’t know if officers in other bigger cities will have the

time to do this type of thing,” he said. “But here in Costa Mesa,

fortunately, we can assist the public with these kinds of problems.”

Wielding an officer’s 40 caliber semiautomatic handgun was also a

learning experience. It was something I looked forward to with a lot of

excitement.

My instructor, Sgt. Darell Freeman, pulled out his gun from its

holster and handed it to me saying: “Now, this is my gun. Hold it with

both hands and don’t let go when you fire. We don’t want it to fall down

and get scratched or anything.”

He was joking, of course, but my hands shook as I pulled the trigger

for my first shot. I was wearing ear and eye protection, but the sound

from the small gun was pretty loud.

Every time I fired there was the sound and a flash of light and what

scared me the most, a huge recoil that almost made me drop the gun the

first and second time I fired.

I guess the experience just made me realize the power of the weapon.

And I could clearly see what a speeding bullet could do to a target. To

me it was scary, and pacifist that I am, I don’t think I would ever

desire to own or fire a weapon. But I did have fun that night and it was

a significant experience.

As it was to Claudia Austin, who was one of the lucky four in the

class who picked the right numbers out of the hat and got a chance to try

out the SWAT team’s machine guns.

“A lot of our own officers are green with envy when they hear you guys

get to shoot these weapons,” said Lt. Ron Smith, SWAT team commander.

“That’s because they don’t get to do it themselves.”

Austin was reluctant to try the machine gun at first, but after a lot

of coaxing and cajoling from classmates, she gave in and went for it.

“I am not really a gun person,” she said. “I just thought it was very

heavy, although it did not have any kind of recoil like the smaller guns

had. But when I was done I had a lot more respect for what these officers

are doing.”

Police officers often get a raw deal when it comes to public image,

Austin said.

“Firemen are usually labeled as the good guys or the heroes,” she

said. “But when people see a cop they think, ‘Oh, they’re coming to

hassle us.’ It’s really sad.”

Costa Mesa resident Jo Badger agreed.

“The amazing thing was all these officers had such great

personalities,” she said. “They have this great sense of humor that they

probably need, given the nature of their jobs.”

Cop humor shone through in classes on several occasions, one of them

being the time Officer Tony Yannizzi showed us a glimpse of what young

recruits go through in the police academy by yelling his lungs out and

shocking most of us as he walked from the back of the room.

He explained it as a tactic instructors employ all the time during the

training period to make their recruits tough and thick-skinned.

“A lot of times when we give out a ticket or stop people, they get mad

at us and yell at us,” Yannizzi explained. “We need officers who will

react to those types of situations calmly without losing their head.”

Almost surreal was the presentation on drugs. Detectives Paul Dondero

and Mitch Phillips brought us all sorts of samples of street drugs to

see, touch and fear.

Both officers, who work undercover, joked about their long hair and

beards, but admitted that working a small beat like Costa Mesa, they do

get recognized by sellers once in a while.

The classes were also enlightening for non-sworn employees of the

Police Department.

Donna “DJ” Hendrick, who works in the records department, said she

just wanted to meet more members of the community.

“I talk to people all the time over the phone,” she said. “It’s nice

to see them face to face.”

Graduation on Tuesday night was a fun affair that captured the true

spirit of community with a potluck dinner and group photo sessions with

Chief Dave Snowden and other officers.

All participants received a certificate of completion. But for most of

us, I’m sure, that was just a symbol of acknowledgment. The real treasure

we take with us is the acquaintance of the officers and invaluable

knowledge and awareness.

“I don’t think people know what they are missing,” said Jo Badger. “I

don’t think you have any idea what your community is about until you’ve

taken this class.”

-- Deepa Bharath covers public safety and courts. She may be reached

at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at o7 deepa.bharath@latimes.comf7 .