The officer shouted at the suspect to stop but he wouldn’t obey. He just kept coming.

“Then he pulled a cell phone out of his pocket and I shot him right in the heart,” said Russ Warr.

But the “bullet” was a paintball, a police officer was portraying the suspect, and Warr, a member of the Astoria City Council, was participating in a role-playing scenario during the 2006 Citizen Police Academy.

The exercise illustrated how difficult it is to make split-second, life and death decisions, Warr said. If he hadn’t fired and the cell phone had turned out to be a gun, in real life, the officer could have paid for that decision with his life. Warr said he now has a much greater understanding of how the police department operates and “a real appreciation for the obstacles and frustrations officers run into on a daily basis.”

Detective Brian Slotte coordinated the Citizen Police Academy this year, the fourth since 2001. It is held in conjunction with Clatsop Community College. The academy met for three hours each Wednesday evening for eight weeks. Each week there were three one-hour sessions.

Positive approachOften, people’s dealings with law enforcement can be perceived as negative, because they occur during a traffic stop or a crisis, Slotte said. The academy is a chance for people to learn about law enforcement in a positive situation.

At the beginning of the academy, each class member received a notebook with a short biography of all of the officers, Slotte said. Class members toured the Clatsop County Jail and went to the firing range where they had the opportunity to fire the guns used by police officers. The rest of the time they spent at the police station, learning from presentations made by each officer, as well as by Circuit Court Judge Paula Brownhill and District Attorney Josh Marquis. Some of the topics covered were the court process, narcotics enforcement, a mock crime scene, hands-on defensive tactics and firearms, communications, the recruiting and hiring process and the budget. The final session was an overview.

Slotte said some topics, such as how the Astoria Police Department spends its $1.8 million budget, were “kind of dry,” for most class members, but many people were interested in the paint-ball scenario, the recruiting process, and how prosecutors decide which cases to take to trial and which will be settled by a plea bargain. On television it seems that every case goes to trial, Slotte said, but that’s not the way it works in real life.

Among the 18 citizens in this year’s academy, in addition to Warr, were former mayor Edith Henningsgaard Miller, City Manager Paul Benoit, mortuary owner Renee Caldwell, two firemen, the mother of one of the police officers, the daughter of a police department employee and a couple of U.S. Coast Guard members.

They all “graduated” Wednesday night, with several alumni from previous classes in attendance and a beautifully decorated cake to celebrate the occasion. Receiving certificates in addition to Benoit, Miller and Warr were Justin Brown, Renee Caldwell, Richard Covert, Terry Culver, Brian Dutton, Paul Gascoigne, Theresa Niemi, Laura Parker, Jennifer Peden, Katie Radu, Jacob Rummell, Kathleen Russell, Jessica Sanford, John Wareham, and Jan Worrell.

Calling them a very elite group, Astoria Police Chief Rob Deu Pree asked the graduates to use their knowledge to be better citizens. Unlike most law enforcement programs, which are oriented toward rehabilitating offenders, the academy is for the “good solid citizens who pay taxes. The idea was to make it an interesting, fun experience while educating them,” explained Deu Pree, who put on Oregon’s first Citizen Police Academy when he was chief of the Springfield department.

“This group has asked a lot of questions, a lot of ‘what ifs,'” said Slotte, who coordinated the academy. “They’ll take away a better understanding of how the police department works.”

Follow upSlotte said a couple of class members are sad it’s over, a couple of them are interested in the police reserve program, and one may come and volunteer with the support services group.

“It was so great. I would recommend it to every single citizen,” said Theresa Niemi, a staff member at Clatsop Community Action. Niemi said this academy “far surpasses” the one she took in 1998 in Leesburg, Va. It made her more aware of community issues and helped her understand the full scope of police officers’ duties, which include involvement in the community and volunteer work.

Benoit said he attended the academy because previous “graduates” had praised the program. He also wanted to know more about the everyday duties of officers because one of his duties as city manager is to oversee the police department.

Like Warr, Benoit was interested in the decision-making process police officers use to determine how much force to use in various situations and the tools available to them, such as voice commands, holds, batons, pepper spray, tasers and bean bag guns.

“They have to make decisions that match the situation, and the situation can escalate and de-escalate in a matter of minutes. It’s not something most of us see,” Benoit said.

He said the officers were very forthright and answered questions honestly. “It wasn’t a brainwashing exercise. It was very thoughtful,” Benoit said.

Deu Pree said that’s what the academy aims to accomplish. “It’s not an administrator standing in front of them, telling them what they want to hear. Police officers are generally very frank. The beauty of the program is that it shows the police department with all its warts and moles. That’s why it’s conducted for the most part at police headquarters, even though it’s a little cramped,” Deu Pree said.

“This is one of the best ways we have to keep our good citizens informed about how we operate and how we spend their tax dollars,” the chief added. “It is also an excellent way to get feedback on how we are doing from citizens who have an in-depth understanding of the job.”

Impressed and surprisedEdith Miller, the former mayor, said she was most impressed by the dedication displayed by the police officers and the amount of training they receive. Kathleen Russell, manager of the Astoria Mini Mart, said she was surprised at the volume of calls Astoria police officers handle, what’s entailed when they respond, “the fact that there are so few officers to cover so many calls, the life and death situations they put themselves in and the split second decisions they have to make.”

Jennifer Peden, whose mother, Terri Peden, works for the police department as an administrative assistant, has volunteered for the department in the past. “It’s kind of fun to see the other side, other than just the office portion,” she said. She said she learned that certain areas of the city generate a disproportionate number of calls and was surprised at statistics about alcohol and teenagers. “I knew it was bad, but I didn’t know it was that bad,” Peden said.

Richard Covert, who recently moved to the area from a much larger city, said he decided to take the class because he wanted to see how the police department works. “I was surprised at how small the staff is for the amount of people they have to serve. It was also surprising how technically oriented and efficient the department is,” Covert said.

For Caldwell, who often deals with police during the course of her business, the academy was an eye-opener and a chance to get to know all of the officers. She said the scenario involving a suspect who might be armed with a weapon was a little overwhelming, but she now feels more able to defend herself in a dangerous situation.

Although Caldwell deals with death every day, it’s different for police. “I admire them so much. Their job is so different and dangerous. They have to be sharp,” Caldwell said. “I’m really glad I don’t have to do their job,” she added, “and they said they wouldn’t want to do mine.”

A fifth Citizen Police Academy is planned for late 2007.