‘At the end of this,’ said Upper Darby Police Capt. Dave Madonna, ‘you will not be a cop.’ This was something Madonna repeated countless times during the first night of the police department’s tenth Citizens Police Academy in September. Two months later he repeated it again for the academy’s graduation night. Fifteen ‘cadets’ gathered their certificates of completion Tuesday night after completing a seven-week program that gives an in-depth look into the world of township police which offers ‘an opportunity to interact directly with our officers and learn firsthand the inner-working of each division within the department,’ police superintendent Mike Chitwood said. The academy met once a week for two hours at police headquarters on West Chester Pike. Held twice a year since 2009, 133 have completed the program. Madonna, who heads the program and serves as an instructor, was assisted by Capt. Anthony Paparo, Lt. John Burke, Sgt. Glenn Monkman and other officers throughout the weeks to provide insight on department standards including recruitment, patrol and crime scene investigation. Week in and week out cadets tried their hand as a police officer by performing a mock car strop, dealing with a domestic situation, interviewing a suspect, and shooting a few rounds at a gun range. Among the most popular sessions of the program was the overview of the department’s SWAT team. Paparo, whose SWAT team recently ranked second in the county among all emergency response teams, showed off special weapons and other gear used during operations. Although not providing a live demonstration, it was highly regarded for detailed discussions about their tactics and videos that showed off their skills. In addition to seeing how the department works, and Madonna’s arsenal of jokes, the goal of the academy is to increase a strong partnership between the police and the community. ‘I hope that you will find this academy both enlightening and informative as we seek to broaden our relationship with you, the public,’ said Chitwood. As the certificates were handed out, Mayor Tom Micozzie said he would like to have ‘all council members go through this.’ Council-elect Sekela Coles is ahead of the curve by taking part in the academy in spring 2011. ‘Attending Citizens Police Academy in the spring of 2011 was a very enlightening experience that deepened my respect for Upper Darby’s Police Department,’ said Coles. ‘Captain Madonna really did an excellent job introducing students to all of the functions of our local police department and with that we were able to get a real behind the scenes look at what our officers encounter on a daily basis. It is important to have a program like this that works to bridge the gap between a community and its local law enforcement as it can help build relationships.’ For information on the academy go to the police department’s website at www.udpd.org.
