Back to the Academy

Photos by John Rech

Back to the Academy

West Memphis Enforcement/Criminal Investigation Division commander Captain Joe Baker pointed out the DETER Program chronic offenders bulletin board. The DETER program, now in its third year in the city brings special focus from patrol officers to a 0.3 square-mile area of West Memphis responsible for more than 40 percent of the city’s violent crime. Officers must make regular personal contact with people in the DETER zone as part of a shift to community policing efforts.

Community members sat in the West Memphis Police squad room for a start of shift briefing Tuesday evening. Ten officers took to the streets for a busy twelve-hour shift which included a shooting call at the Steeplechase Apartments.

West Memphis Police Lt. Gardener demonstrated a breath alcohol test to city employee Rex Suggs during the second session of the citizens academy. Suggs is part of the WMPD’s Citizens’ Academy getting an inside look at department operations during June and July. This week’s session about the patrol division included show-and-tell with personal police equipment, a window tint test tool, stop-stick deployment (below) and the ins-and-outs of a patrol vehicle.