Academy gives insight into police work

BARBARA DIAMOND

Alumni of the Laguna Beach Police Department’s Citizen Academy will

gather Saturday at Golden West College Criminal Justice Training

Center in Huntington Beach.

“My academy staff and I are looking forward to getting together

with all of the alumni who can make it to the reunion,” Sgt. Darin

Lenyi said.

The Academy Newsletter keeps the alumni in touch, but the reunion

will give them a chance to see former classmates and to go through a

state-of-the-art firearm-training simulator and try out some

high-impact weapons carried by police officers. There will be a

drawing for Citizen Academy shirts, pens, portfolio folders and hats.

More than 200 citizens have graduated from the 10 classes

presented by the department, about 80 of them women.

The 12-week, nonstress course is designed to provide community

members with a better understanding of what the police department

does, how it does it and to foster better communication between

police and citizens. It is not designed or intended to prepare anyone

for a position in the department.

But it happens.

Graduate Ben Teschner, a grandfather, so enjoyed what he learned

in the academy that he attended the Police Academy to qualify as a

reserve officer. Coleen Walloch became a records manager -- the staff

that visitors see at the front desk of the department -- and

eventually took over the job of Community Services Officer, formerly

held by Janna Moore.

Since graduating in spring ‘02, Jeremy Somodi has been working as

a U.S. Border Patrol Agent in Southern Arizona. He wrote a letter

recently updating the academy staff on his activities.

“During one of my recent assignments in a rural mountain area, I

jumped 12 armed narcotics smugglers on a mountain ridge in the middle

of the night -- by myself. Although several of these smugglers were

subsequently injured, I came out of it safely and with 430-plus

pounds of marijuana.

“Although I received much of my training through the United States

Border Patrol and details [assignments] to Federal Law Enforcement

Training Center, I have to give some of the credit to my experiences

with the Laguna Beach Police Department and the Citizen Academy.”

Other graduates include Cindy Prewitt and Jean Lamphere, whose

sons are police officers, Jim Law, Anne Wood, Sande St. John, Frank

Ricchiazzi, Jackie Jacobson, Jody Billings and Laguna Beach High

School teacher Dawn Mirone, wife of retiring Sgt. Greg Bartz.

Many of the graduates have joined the department’s Citizens on

Patrol volunteer program. Just since the last newsletter, Brent

Wagner, Bo Nielson, Nanci Doyon, Terry Smith, Tony Dallendofer,

Michael Asaly and Vic Opinscar have signed on.

“The class is now a prerequisite for the COP program,” Lenyi said.

COP volunteers do not carry guns or issue citations other than for

violations of handicap parking, according to Lenyi.

Lenyi, who came up with the idea for the Citizen Academy while in

college, which he attended in addition to working full time for the

department, coordinates the classes. The staff also includes Officer

Tom Wall and COP volunteer Ross Fallah.

Wall, 59, a level two reserve officer, has gone back to the Police

Academy to qualify for a level one certificate.

“At level two, Tom was limited in some of the duties he could

perform,” Lenyi said. “For those of you who know Tom, you can imagine

this did not sit well with him.”

Wall is in the top 5% of his class and is the oldest recruit in

the class -- by 19 years. He started at the academy in January and

will graduate in December.

“He is a real story,” Lenyi said.

The next class will begin Sept. 1, held weekly from 6 to 9 p.m.,

Wednesdays, at the Police Department.

Applications are available at the department or can be mailed or

faxed by calling (949) 497-0701, ext. 0.

Class members tour the police department and familiarize

themselves with patrol vehicles and equipment used by officers. They

will shoot at the police firing range, participate in mock scenarios

and visit the Orange County Jail.

The course includes instruction on the history of the department,

traffic enforcement, gangs, narcotics, Neighborhood Watch, K-9 and

volunteer programs, crime prevention and investigations, including

accidents and driving-under-the influence and crime scenes.

Graduates receive a certificate of completion from the department.

Participants must be 18 or older, live or work in Laguna Beach,

have no felony convictions, outstanding warrants for arrest or

pending civil or criminal cases with the city or its employees. The

department reserves the right to refuse applicants.

Applicants are considered on a first-come, first served basis.

“We try to keep the class to 24, but one time we did take 28 so we

could squeeze everyone in,” Lenyi said.

There is no charge for academy. Applications must be submitted by

Aug. 25.

Individual or group academy sponsors are welcomed. Sponsorships

are Gold, $200 or more; Silver, $100; Bronze, any amount under $100.

Alumni Ted Brunner and Luci Berkowitz, Patricia Griggs, Lanny

Lewyn and Frances Kiddie, Mark Porterfield and Janine Fisette

sponsored Class 10. So far, alumni Paul Puma and Mary Klement and the

El Morro Elementary School PTA have volunteered to sponsor Class 11.

Donations are used for class materials and graduation plaques.

For more information about the academy or sponsorships, e-mail

dlenyi@lagunabeachcity.net or call (949) 497-0750, ext. 230.

GROVES OF ACADEME

Casey McCauley Cochran, a 2000 graduate of Laguna Beach High

School, received a bachelor degree in communication from St. Louis

University at the May 15 commencement. He works for Arnold Worldwide

in St. Louis.

CNN commentator Wolf Blitzer delivered the commencement address to

the 1,800 graduates.

The school was founded in 1818. It is the oldest university west

of the Mississippi and the second oldest Jesuit university in the

United States.

* OUR LAGUNA is a regular feature of the Laguna Beach Coastline

Pilot. Contributions are welcomed. Write to Barbara Diamond, P.O. Box

248, Laguna Beach, 92652, hand-deliver to 384 Forest Ave., Suite 22;

call (949) 494-4321 or fax (949) 494-8979.