SUN CITY – For many citizens, summertime activities, such as fireworks and barbeques, are the time to be carefree. However, for members of the Huntley Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association, summer social gatherings are the time to serve.
That serving follows learning, according to Jim Burgess, president of the Huntley Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association. Participating Academy members not only receive an education about the police department, but they can also exercise what they have learned. Members can do this by aiding police officers during community events and fundraisers.
“Through ongoing educational programs, what we endeavor to do is find topics and situations that are not only of interest to the Association but are also a continuing education into a lot of what the police department does,” Burgess said.
According to vice president Ronda Goldman, this organization includes many members like her who are residents of Sun City.
“The police department was looking for a balance between those who are retired and those who are young and working, all of whom are very community-minded. About half of the membership is from Sun City,” she said.
Laura Prigge is another Sun City resident who recently joined the Association.
“I wanted to help the community, and it sounded really interesting,” Prigge said. “I actually wanted to be a police officer a long time ago.”
According to Goldman, those who wish to join the Huntley Citizen Police Academy must enroll in a 12-week class, which occurs each spring.
“In the class, you learn everything. You learn the overview of the police department, take a tour of the police station, and learn who the officers are. My class in particular learned about the fingerprinting process and other CSI-type stuff,” Goldman said.
Once students graduate from the Academy, they have the opportunity to join the Alumni Association. Members assist the police department in real-life situations, ranging from traffic control at the Fourth of July fireworks to educating citizens on how they can protect themselves.
Summer, according to Burgess, is a busy season for the Association. In addition to monthly meetings, the bounty of outdoor activities in the community, such as 5k runs, parades, and National Night Out, provides ample opportunities for the Association to assist the police.
The major event, said Burgess, is the National Night Out, which occurs every year in August. It is a nationwide initiative that sponsors block parties as a way to promote safety strategies. The theme is “Lock it up and light it up,” encouraging citizens to lock cars and homes for safety and use house lights to deter crime as well.
“On that night, what we will do, at the direction of the department, is drive out to various locations with the police officers, not only to promote and underline what the police department does, but also to encourage many interested residents to get involved in the Academy,” Burgess said.
It is the sense of duty, Burgess feels, that gives the Association its purpose. While he explains that the Association members are not police officers, they are there to cover any of the officer’s needs.
“I became more and more interested in what these brave men and women go through on a daily basis as police officers. So I thought, It’s the least I can do to try and contribute something. They’re reaching out to help us, and we’re going to help them watch out for everybody else,” he said.
Goldman feels similarly.
“I just have profound respect for the Huntley Police Department, and it’s important to be a support to them. We are their foot soldiers,” she said.
