Published: January 17, 2009 02:25 pm      

Heath DPS Citizens Academy graduates first class

Department of Public Safety officer Brian Burton described for the city council of Heath, his first graduating class of the Heath DPS Citizens Academy.

He, the graduates, and chief of Heath DPS, Terry Garrett, were recognized at the Jan. 6 Heath city council meeting.

Graduates are Robert Hille, Rich Krause, Les Horvath and Jack Ream.

“I will not quickly forget wearing the 80 pounds of equipment of a fireman, the use of his breathing apparatus and the difficulty in trying to move the dead weight of a 175-pound person,” Hille said in an interview prior to the meeting. “I am proud of the people who do such things. This is a program that I want to see grow and recommend it to all citizens of our community,” Hille said in a separate interview.

Hille, council man, also told the council he would like for each one of them to take the class. “The people in that department have great capabilities,” he said.

Garrett noted that developing the one-on-one contact between the DPS and the citizens is very helpful for the citizens and the officers, and Mayor John Ratcliffe noted that the graduates become ambassadors of DPS and the city.

“I gained an appreciation for the high caliber of our officers and the sophisticated equipment they use to maintain a safe community for all of our citizens,” said Ream, also in a separate interview.

“I signed up for the DPS Citizens’ Academy because I wanted to learn more about the activities and services provided by our officers and share this with friends and neighbors,” he added.

The Citizens’ Academy was designed to offer a view into the inner workings of public safety in Heath through classroom instruction and hands-on experience with public safety equipment and vehicles. Participants also learned about specialized units within the department.

“Through discussion, example and practical exercise, we were able to experience a taste of what our officers may be called upon to face at any moment,” Hille noted.

The Citizens’ Academy will be presented again in 2009. For information or to sign up, contact the Community Resource Officer, Brian Burton, at 972-961-4900.