When I applied to participate in Oakwood’s 10-week Citizen Police Academy program, I assumed its purpose was primarily to raise citizen awareness and build support for the Public Safety Department. Even though I already appreciated how quickly our officers respond to emergencies, patrol our neighborhoods, and attend block parties, I felt obligated to commit, thinking that if citizens don’t participate in community-building programs the City offers, such programs won’t survive. With that thought, I applied.

It took just one class for me to realize that I had a lot to learn about the department’s operations. Most importantly, I came to realize that our relatively small public safety department has an impact that reaches far beyond our community.

And what did I learn about the department that motivates this article?

• I now comprehend the tremendous economic advantages of a consolidated safety department. Had Oakwood not started its combined department of police, firefighters, and emergency services back in 1927, it is unlikely, due to the influence of labor unions, that we would enjoy the economic advantages our department ensures today.
• I understand how the department determines new hires. Candidates must have completed 12 months of employment as a full-time police officer, career firefighter, or paramedic. The average new hire has 6.5 years of service. Officer candidates submit to psychological testing, a medical exam, background investigation, and at least two oral interview boards. Rank and file officers serve on the interview boards because they have a vested interest in the skills and temperaments of new hires.
• I learned that members of the department rotate through specialized assignments: The Kettering Regional Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team, the Miami Valley Communication Council’s Tactical Crime Suppression Unit (TCSU), the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), and the TCSU Accident Investigation Team. Each of these assignments requires advanced, specialized training that far exceeds the training most police officers receive. These skilled teams have had high impact minimizing crimes within our city limits these past few years. Because the assignments rotate and our officer retention is high, our street patrol officers stay prepared for the extraordinary.

Given the training and the years of experience Oakwood officers have, one might wonder why an officer would want to spend a career in Oakwood. I concluded it is because Oakwood’s 29 officers spend the vast majority of their time helping people rather than enforcing the law. Last year officers responded to 5,751 citizen-initiated calls for service and 1,395 9-1-1 calls. They helped investigate 115 traffic crashes, answered 113 fire calls for service, and made 420 EMS runs. It must feel good to use one’s expertise to ensure others’ well-being.

Another reason for officer satisfaction is because there is a culture of professionalism and respect within the department. The officers I observed truly embrace their department’s motto, “Service Before Self,” and its core values. I saw the respectful manner in which officers shared information about each other’s training and years on the force. Their deep camaraderie evidenced by how they pool their resources to make the Citizen Police Academy instructive and enjoyable.

A third reason I suspect officers choose to work in Oakwood is that there are opportunities to advance their skills in firearm use, criminal investigations, crime analysis, particular response team protocols, technical equipment, and training and emergency management. Oakwood officers continuously train to maintain the high-level skills of investigators, analysts, and crises first responders. Their skills and knowledge extend to law enforcement and intelligence from across seven municipalities. Before my first class, I grossly underestimated the range of training our public safety employees receive. I didn’t appreciate how many Oakwood officers are considered an expert in their area and leverage that expertise to teach others in departments throughout the country.

The hours I spent driving a fire truck, taking fingerprints, using firearms, handling fire equipment, simulating traffic stop scenarios, and applying the “use of force” continuum were unique experiences for me. My real takeaway from the Academy, however, is that I