LYNNFIELD — The police department’s first Civilian Academy is giving residents a clear picture of what it is like to be a Lynnfield police officer.
Now entering its fourth week, participants say they are already learning a great deal about all aspects of police work and gaining a true understanding of the day-to-day lives of Lynnfield’s police officers.
Cheryl Monzione said she signed up for the academy after her son Dom, a 2015 Lynnfield High graduate and former wrestling standout, entered the Lynnfield MPTC (Municipal Police Training Committee) Police Academy. He successfully completed his training as a member of the academy’s first class of graduates is now a police officer in Everett.
“When my son entered the police academy, it was very intriguing to me. I wanted to learn more and kept asking him questions,” Cheryl said. “Then I saw it in the Weekly News newspaper and asked him, ‘Should I do this?’ And he said, ‘Absolutely!’ “
“It’s been an amazing, amazing experience and I love it. I wish I knew about this when I was 18. You know how kids don’t know what path to take, boy, if this had been offered to me when I was in high school maybe I would have made a different decision. The course is very exciting.”
Dom said that Everett has a similar program and he believes it is important for the public to know what police officers do.
“Police are people, too, and they just want at the end of the day to go home to their families,” he said.
2022 Lynnfield High football captain Chase Goldberg said he is considering a career in law enforcement and thought the academy would be a good opportunity to learn more. He will be studying criminal justice (and playing football) at Westfield State University in the fall.
“It’s a four-plus-one program which means I will condense six years into five and leave with a masters,” he said. “I hope to become a police officer and wanted to learn as much as I can knowing that to do so means I will have to attend the police academy.”
During week one, Capt. and Attorney Christopher DeCarlo gave an overview of the inner workings and makeup of the police department. He walked the group through a couple of real-life crimes that happened in Lynnfield and what the department did to solve them.
“These were actual crimes and we showed videos of an actual robbery at Pump n’ Pantry and how we used fingerprinting and shoe prints to solve it as well as how we generally investigate and process crimes. In Lynnfield, you don’t think these things happen […] but we solve a lot of crimes that way,” said DeCarlo.
Participants also learned about how Civil Service works and the department’s hiring practices.
In week two, participants heard from Assistant Superintendent Moe Pratt of the Essex County Sheriff’s department. They also learned about the FTO (Field Training Officer) program from Officer James Caponigro and the department’s health and wellness policies and issues from Officer Franco Pisano.
“Moe gave his perspective on how we work with Essex County from a law enforcement perspective but also what happens when we transport our prisoners over there and how they operate,” DeCarlo said.
On Thursday, March 16, the class was treated to a tour of the new Municipal Police Training Committee facility located on the site of the former Boston Sports Club. Essex County Assistant District Attorney Ceara Mahoney walked the class through the criminal court process, from investigation through conviction.
The class moved on to the police station where Sgt. Jonathan Santos lectured on patrol procedures and the booking process after an arrest has been made.
Next week’s class, led by DeCarlo, will focus on criminal law and procedure. Officer Jon Duzz will lead a session on traffic stops and operating under the influence procedure and issues. The session will conclude with a discussion about NEMLAC (North Eastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council) operations and service from Officer Scott Fitzemeyer.
Week five topics include the role that school resources officers play, led by Lynnfield School Resource Officer Alex Doto; domestic violence, led by Detective Marco DePalma; and opioids, led by Firefighter Jeff Fiorentino.
The program wraps up on April 6 with a discussion about the future of policing, led by Police Chief Nick Secatore and DeCarlo, and graduation.
“We are excited about this new program that will take our community outreach efforts another step further,” said DeCarlo. “The community and our administration has given us a lot of support and this is a great opportunity to give back and give the citizenry an idea of what it is like to be a police officer in Lynnfield.”
