Do you ever get that uneasy feeling when you're walking down the street alone after dark?
Well, as with every town, crime does occur here in Auburn, and the authorities are always trying to find ways to minimize it.
The Department of Public Safety and Capt. Tommy Carswell are hosting the 12th Citizen's Public Safety Academy since its origins in 1995.
The academy was started based on the efforts of the Orlando Police Department, which had come up with a similar system a few years earlier and had begun to see the benefits, Carswell said.
The academy begins on Feb. 28 and will meet every Thursday at the Public Safety building located at 161 North Ross St. There will also be two occasions where members will meet on Saturdays - one at the firing range and one at the fire department.
During the gatherings, the academy will be informed on issues such as crime prevention, fire prevention, firearm safety and a plethora of things that people can do to protect themselves and become safer, according to Carswell.
The academy will conclude on May 2 with a graduation ceremony. It is hoped that a group of people with an overall better understanding for their community's public safety efforts will emerge.
"We allow graduates to provide feedback on what they thought of the academy," Carswell said. "We will tweak some things based on what they said and try to figure out what subjects work well with each other."
At the conclusion of the academy, participants also have the opportunity to continue their efforts and join the alumni association, headed by President Jeri Earnest.
"The association seems to be a good thing for the members," said Bill James, public safety director. "It gives citizens a basic understanding of the people who work in the department and what we do as a whole."
They also do a multitude of things to help show their appreciation to both the police force and the fire department, according to Earnest.
"Just today, and for the past three days for that matter, we were delivering bags of Valentine candy all over town," Earnest said. "We took them to the fire departments, police stations and administration buildings."
The association also hosts luncheons for the authorities, who tend to be on call 24/7 during certain events such as the Alabama and Georgia football games.
They also provide safety education during the weeklong D.A.R.E. program. Each summer, a number of elementary school students are invited to participate in the program that advises youth to resist drugs and alcohol.
Anyone wanting to apply, over the age of 18, may do so at no cost. Applications are available online at www.auburnalabama.org or you may pick one up at the Auburn Public Safety building. For more information, contact Carswell by calling (334) 501-3122 or emailing tcarswell@auburnalabama.org.
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