THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | FRIDAY, APRIL 25, 2008

---

Frisbie Seniors Learn Police-Work Firsthand

By BOBBY CHILVER

JOURNAL REPORTER

Forty-seven seniors graduated from the Des Plaines Police Depts.' Senior Citizens Academy Wednesday morning at the Frisbie Senior Center.

The eight-week course covered different sections of the police department and gave seniors the chance for some hands-on learning.

"We covered all facets of the police department," Officer Colin Johnson said.

Johnson, part of the force's community action team, worked with officers John Gitzinger and Tara Goble to give a weekly class on police activities.

The program gave seniors a chance to live the daily life of an police officer as their classes included holding a machine gun, putting on the SWAT gear, getting locked in a jail cell, touring the 9-1-1 center and riding in the squad cars.

Johnson said this is the first senior program the department has held in 12 years.

He explained that seniors are often targeted for crimes so the force decided a senior program, for only those 60 and over, would be a benefit to everyone.

"They knew seniors are usually at risk and wanted to get the word out to them," Melissa Cech, program manager at Frisbie, said.

Johnson said they weren't sure how many people would attend at first but they soon received a very good response, with about 50 seniors showing up for each class, which ran every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to noon at the Frisbie center.

"Everyone really enjoyed it," Cech said. "We had a good turnout every week."

Johnson said that the program was such a success, they are already planning a fall course, which will likely start around September.

He said those interested in participating can call the Police department's community action team at 847-391-5410.