BY LEW MOORES
The Cincinnati Enquirer
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP -- Charmagne Robinson was more than just a bit nervous Monday night when she held a semiautomatic handgun in her hand and fired.
"I was a little terrified actually," said Ms. Robinson, 35. "Holding that gun while it's loaded and being in the middle of the room with all the other people. I was the last one to go."
This week's firearms training was the fifth weekly class held by the township police department's citizen police academy.
The classes began Sept. 14, and have covered the history of policing in the township, community-oriented policing, ethics and internal affairs, uniform patrol and K-9 policing, physical fitness for officers and firearms safety.
There are about seven more classes, and that will take this academy to the end of November.
Future classes will deal with domestic violence, how the Hamilton County Coroner's Office conducts an investigation into a cause of death, traffic investigations, cardiopulmonary resuscitation training and how the courts work.
This class of about a half-dozen residents is the department's fourth citizen police academy class, which have lasted from 10 to 12 weeks.
The township's citizen police academy was one of the first in what is becoming a growing number of academies in the area.
Springfield Township Sgt. Scott Middendorf, who helped organize the academy classes, said it helps familiarize residents with how their police department works and also allows the department to get an idea of the concerns of residents.
About 60 residents have participated in the academies since they began about 18 months ago.
"I'm starting to feel pretty comfortable" approaching and talking with police officers, Ms. Robinson said. "I'm getting a lot out of the class. It's been real informative."
The police department also hopes the academies will help with a trickle-down effect, where residents participating will spread the word about policing and the police officers in the township. Many of the classes -- like the one Monday for firearms training -- involve hands-on demonstrations and participation, Sgt. Middendorf said.
