By Staff
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Tracy B. Cieniewicz, Hartselle Enquirer
The Hartselle Police Department Citizens Police Academy first session graduation took place Nov. 21 at Hartselle City Hall.
Chaplain Alan Host led the invocation and benediction for the ceremony and Chief Ron Puckett welcomed the academy’s 19 graduates.
Upon graduation, academy alumni are offered a variety of opportunities to volunteer with HPD. Alumni can file paperwork, help at the front desk, supervise jail visitation, assist victims of domestic violence, conduct traffic watches, assist in event traffic control, participate in a ride-along program with patrol officers, and organize fundraisers to fulfill department needs.
Lena Wallace, a National Citizens Police Academy Association board member, said alumni volunteers will be trained in privacy protection before working with HPD and will never be involved in any dangerous situation.
Capt. Tom Sparks thanked Wallace for her time and guidance with the HPD’s first citizens police academy, a project he said the department has envisioned for many years.
Morgan County D.A. Bob Burrell, guest speaker, also thanked graduates for their 30-hour commitment to the program.
Sparks and Puckett presented a special award to Leada Gore, Hartselle Enquirer publisher, for the newspaper’s financial support and weekly coverage of the inaugural HPD Citizens Police Academy. He also thanked Hartselle Utilities for the use of its training room during the academy.
Sparks and Puckett presented the following academy students with graduation certificates: Nancy Busby (Top Gun award, female), Tracy B. Cieniewicz, Xmore and Quanza Coleman, Beverly Davis, Marcie Drummond, Kathy White Goodwin, George Herring, Bob Jaques (Top Gun award, male), Wallace Johns, William Lampkin, Gracie Orr, Charles Pointer, Jerry Putman, William Rabb, James Rieger, Bryan Smith, Tim Swims and James Wallace.
Graduates concluded the ceremony with the presentation of a plaque to HPD for its continued service to community education and policing.