Graduates praise Brantford Police Service’s citizen’s police academy

Participating in the citizen’s police academy was an enlightening experience graduates say they would recommend to others.

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Yaqoob Bromand, Iva Obayuwana, Virginia Kershaw and Anita Menon said they learned a great deal about the Brantford Police Service (BPS) during the four-week session.

“It allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of the various roles and responsibilities of our police officers and how they adapt to the ever-changing dynamics of our city,” Obayuwana said. “Brantford police are committed to providing tailored services that comply with the law while collaborating with other community resources, which is essential given our city’s growing diversity.”

The academy is an opportunity to learn about forensic identification, major crime investigation, internet crime and safety, the work of the emergency response team, the traffic unit and motor vehicle collision investigation.

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Other topics included police training and the use of technology including drones.

The sessions were led by Const. Nick Lawson of the BPS training unit and featured presentations by several officers from the various units.

Obayuwana said a highlight for her was meeting Hank, the “highly alert and ready-to-work police dog” and his partner Const. Adam Fisher.

More members of the community should be given the opportunity to attend the academy, she said.

“Such programs foster greater understanding and collaboration between the police and the public, which is crucial for the continued growth and safety of Brantford,” Obayuwana said. “It is an invaluable experience that strengthens community ties and enhances public trust in our law enforcement.”

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As a new Canadian citizen and Brantford resident, Bromand said the academy gave him a remarkable sense of attachment to the city.

“One of the aspects I enjoyed most was gaining a deeper understanding of the day-to-day working life of the police in our community,” he said.

Bromand said it was inspiring to see individuals from different age groups, genders, and ethnic backgrounds come together to learn and engage with the police service.

“This diversity truly reflects Brantford’s inclusive and welcoming nature as a community,” he said.

Although the sessions were highly informative, the time allocated for each session felt tight. Extending the sessions, particularly the question and answer parts, would be beneficial.

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Brantford Police Service was one of the first in Ontario to offer a citizen’s police academy starting the program in 1999. The program was canceled during the COVID-19 pandemic and was just recently resurrected.

Menon feels fortunate, humbled and grateful for the opportunity to learn about the police service. She especially enjoyed learning about the vehicles, equipment and the opportunity to fly the police service drone.

The academy helps citizens better understand police work and the insight gained might change someone’s perspective of policing. It might also encourage well-informed feedback, Menon said.

Kershaw found the police fascinating academy.

“All of the officers involved in the academy were engaging and showed great pride in how they performed their jobs,” Kershaw said. “It was informative, educational and I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in learning more about the service.”

Information about future sessions will be distributed through police service social media accounts.

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