In an effort to be more transparent with the public, the Oxford Police Department is hosting a Citizen Police Academy. HottyToddy.com editor Amelia Camurati enrolled in the pilot program of the course with no prior knowledge of law enforcement.
Day 1: Traffic stops
My nine classmates and I met Friday night for the first segment of the Oxford Police Department’s Citizen Police Academy, greeted by a handful of smiling, excited police officers. As Oxford Police Chief Joseph East welcomed us to the course, he continued to exude joy.
“The whole thing behind this is to teach you and answer questions that you want to know why we do what we do,” East said. “A lot of times, we get complaints from citizens, we get questions from citizens — why do you approach the car the way you do? Why do you talk to us the way you do? Why do you do certain things that you do?”
The program, now run by Deputy Chief James Owens, was conducted years ago under former Police Chief Steve Bramlett. Owens said he has shortened the program and made the sections more hands-on to give citizens a real experience. What’s it like to walk up to a truck with heavily tinted windows and how it feels to steer a police car through a treacherous driving course?
The academy is stretched out over five days and includes traffic stops, criminal law, DUI investigations, defensive driving and a morning at the shooting range, to name a few.
The course opened with a brief tour of the department, including the technologically advanced control room. There I learned just how many cameras are watching the Square, and continued with a brief department history from one man who helped build it.
Retired assistant chief H.C. Franklin served the Oxford Police Department from July 1, 1962, to April 1, 1989, during some of the most tumultuous times in Oxford and on the University of Mississippi campus. Franklin helped escort the procession for beloved local author William Faulkner’s funeral and was on the force during the riots when James Meredith enrolled at the university.
Franklin attended the Mississippi Police Academy before it was a requirement to be an officer. He was the first officer to make rank in the department, earning his role as captain. He was there when the first female officer, Quay Hudson, was hired in 1967, and he was there when the first black officers, David Webb and Persey Jenkins, were hired in 1972.
Below is a video from the department used for recruiting new officers from the state Police Academy and across the country that highlights what the department does and how it serves Oxford.
We watched a few videos on what should have been a normal, run-of-the-mill traffic stop, ending with a small citation, but went terribly awry, such as when a man jumped out of the car with an assault rifle with no warning and without even putting his car into park. In some cases, all parties survived, but in others, we witnessed the final breath of citizens and officers alike.
“When a police officer is doing a traffic stop, he or she never knows what they’re walking up on — ever,” Lyons said. “I may think in my 22 years, I’ve seen it all, I’ve done everything there is to do. There’s not one thing I haven’t seen. The minute I start thinking that is the minute I get killed.”
After the initial shock subsided, the group headed to the parking lot for a little more hands-on action, where unsuspecting residents pretended to perform traffic stops on very prepared officers.
Using a truck with some of the darkest windows I’ve ever seen, we walked slowly and carefully to the car, only to be “shot” by the driver or a hidden passenger.
“I’ll never be able to convey to you how dangerous these things are, and in my 22 years, I always felt uneasy going up on traffic stops, Lyons said. “All of us want to go home at the end of the night.”
Day 2: Defensive driving
Have you ever driven a police car? Have you ever hit a bunch of traffic cones and barricades with it? I have.
The second day, led by Sgt. David Mahaffey, focused on cars — how to keep your car in good condition, how to inspect your car for problems and even how to drive backward through a slalom of barrels.
Mahaffey shortened the usually four-hour presentation to hit the high points and share a number of valuable tips and tricks for residents.
Do you know when it’s time to buy new tires? All you need to do is stick a penny into your tire treads.
“If you can see the top of Lincoln’s head, go buy new tires,” he said.
Mahaffey said the No. 1 reason a car won’t start is because of a corroded battery terminal. For a quick fix, grab a can of Coke and pour.
Love driving down the highway with your windows down? Make sure to keep the windows either cracked no more than 1” or all the way down. During a wreck, Mahaffey said the window that’s halfway down could easily become sharp as a razor blade. Windows that are down will shatter within the door, and windows that are up should be blown out of the car instead of at your face.
The most shocking discovery of the night: The infamous “10 and 2” saying no longer stands for cars with modern airbags. Mahaffey said hands should be kept at 9 and 3 or lower to keep your hands from hitting your face in case of an accident.
The driving portion of the course was done at Della Davidson Elementary School off Sisk Avenue in a Dodge Charger, loaded with sirens, radios and lights galore. Some of us managed the three-point turns and parallel parking better than others, but Mahaffey and officer Cody Pruitt (not to be confused with the Rebels stellar defensive player) managed to stay calm and direct the civilians as we hit things left and right.Amelia Camurati is managing editor for HottyToddy.com and can be reached at amelia.camurati@hottytoddy.com.
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