Six Weeks in the Shoes of a Police Officer

Six residents graduated Wednesday night from the Hermosa Beach Community Police Academy, a popular six-week program that offers a behind-the-scenes look at how the city’s police department operates from patrol to investigations and everything in between.

“I learned so much about what it’s like to be a police officer,” said graduate Ana Gallo. “The whole experience was really fun and informative.”

Launched over a decade ago, the program offers residents a rare behind-the-scenes experience with the Hermosa Beach Police Department. Through a mix of classroom sessions and hands-on demonstrations, participants learn what it’s really like to serve and protect in a small beach community.

“It’s a great background to understand the way we operate,” said Lt. Matt Franco, who coordinates the academy. “We don’t necessarily want fans of the department. We want people who have questions. This is their chance to see how and why we do what we do.”

Each week, participants heard from a different member of the department. The first session began with a tour of the station, including the booking area and jail. Then the class met patrol officers who explained their daily routines, uniforms, and the gear they carry.

Later sessions featured the department’s crime analyst and a detective, who explained how cases move from initial report to prosecution. A community services officer discussed parking issues and animal control, while a traffic officer explained what happens during traffic and DUI stops, Franco said.

For the final week, the participants headed to the department’s training range for a “force options” lesson, using a high-tech video simulator that put them in the middle of fast-moving police calls, everything from a suspicious person to a domestic dispute.

“You realize very quickly that you have to be ready for things to turn bad, or recognize when someone’s just talking,” Francosaid.

The program, which had been on a two-year hiatus, highlights the human side of police work and the unpredictability of the job. Its informal setting encourages dialogue and questions.

Lt. Franco said he plans to offer the academy next year, giving more residents the opportunity to experience a day, or six weeks, in an officer’s shoes.