Written by Amanda Coers – The Brownwood Police Department graduated 22 community members from its 2017 Citizens’ Police Academy class during a ceremony held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 4th, at the Depot Civic & Cultural Center. Class members and their families were treated to a meal catered by Lemons’ Bar-B-Q and a cake decorated by Charla Airheart.

“I really want to thank you for spending the past 9 weeks with us,” Brownwood Police Chief Terry Nichols told the class at the commencement of the graduation ceremony. The chief also thanked Lieutenant Randall Krpoun for his efforts to organize the annual course.

“It takes a lot of work, and I really appreciate you Lieutenant,” the chief said. The nine-week course, which held classes every Tuesday, covered a wide-range of aspects including Active Shooter Events, DWI procedures and arrests, Narcotics Investigations, Crimes Against Children, Domestic Violence, Dispatch and Communications, a tour of the police station, and ride-alongs with patrol officers.

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“Hopefully you got a chance to see the ‘why’ part,” Nichols said. He went on to express his hope that class members got to know many of the local officers personally. “We are your preachers, your kids’ coaches, we are your neighbors, we’re real people. The police officers that wear the uniform day in and day out are regular humans, just like you. We just have a different job.”

“I could not be more proud of the men and women who work alongside me to serve this community,” the chief said in closing. He then invited class members to share what stood out to them during the weeks spent with the department.

Several class members shared they appreciated the time officers and detectives took out of their own busy schedules to teach the classes. Ride-alongs with patrol officers were another topic praised by the graduating class.

The ceremony concluded with a presentation of diplomas from the chief and Lieutenant Krpoun.

The 2017 Citizens’ Police Academy graduating class members are:

Charla Airhart, Tim Airhart, Andrew Carlson, Dan Childress, JoAnne Childress, Andrew Chisholm, Amanda Coers, Richard Delgado, Mitchell Dillard, Beverly Gasfinger, Robert Harman, Deborah Lawson, Steve Nash, Janet Nash, Wilson Owen, Jack Marx, Etta Faye McIntyre, Michael McWhirter, Lori McWhirter, Candance Rister, Priscilla Rogers, and Jack Staffelbach.