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Law Enforcement Torch Run for the Special Olympics

Citizen's Police Academy

    Law Enforcement Torch Run for the Special Olympics

In 2007, officers of the North Ridgeville Police Department initiated and participated in the Lorain County leg of the Law Enforcement Torch Run for the Special Olympics. The Torch Run is designed to raise awareness and donations for the Special Olympics. In addition to officers from North Ridgeville, officers from the Avon Police Department, the United States Coast Guard, and the Elyria post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol also participated. Since 2007, this event has grown to include officers from the Avon Lake, Elyria, and Case Western Reserve University Police Departments, the United States Marshal's Service, and students from the Lorain County Community College Police Academy. To date, over $8,000.00 has been raised for Special Olympics. A large percentage of these donations have come from the citizens and businesses of North Ridgeville. 

The Torch Run began in 1981, when Wichita, Kansas Police Chief Richard LaMunyon saw a need to raise funds for, and awareness of, Kansas Special Olympics. He felt that Special Olympics was a fitting cause to unite local law enforcement officers, giving them closer ties to the community and to a very special population.

After three successful years, Chief LaMunyon presented his highly successful Torch Run program to the International Chiefs of Police (IACP). With the support and endorsement of the IACP, the idea was launched nationally, and today involves law enforcement officers from all fifty states and over 25 countries around the world. What began as a local fundraiser has become the largest fundraising program in the world to benefit the Special Olympics.

Special Olympics Ohio is a not for profit organization that provides year round sports training and competition in a variety of sports to over 20,000 adults and children with developmental disabilities. Special Olympics provides them with continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness and demonstrate their courage.  

 For the Ohio Special Olympics web site, click here.

Citizens Police Academy concludes

Chief Richard Thomas (on left) with graduates of the Citizen's Police Academy

(Photo courtesy of North Ridgeville Press) 

For the past two years, the North Ridgeville Police Department has conducted a Citizen Police Academy. The class is held in the fall, is free of charge and open to adults who reside or work in North Ridgeville.  

The academy is designed to provide the students with a better understanding of what the police department does and how it operates. This is accomplished by using a mix of lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on experiences. The class is taught by North Ridgeville officers and guest speakers. 

Some of the topics that are covered included an overview of the criminal justice system, including Miranda warnings and probable cause, court procedures, evidence collection and processing, self-defense, and radar and laser operation. The students also have an opportunity to sit with a police dispatcher during a shift, ride with a police officer on patrol, and learn how firearms and Tasers work. They may also receive hands on experience with the FATS (Firearms Training Simulator) and observe a demonstration from the department's K-9 teams. In addition, they learne how prisoners are processed and housed in the city jail and take a tour of both the Lorain County Jail and the Lorain County Justice Center. 

The academy is highly successful and has elicited many positive comments from graduates. One graduate wrote ""the desire to help make our community better and safer by providing professional police services fairly and impartially, was obvious."" Another student commented that they "clearly saw the impartial application of the law administered in a caring and responsible manner,"" referring to their observations during a ride-along with a North Ridgeville officer. 

Each student received a certificate of completion at the end of the Academy and was encouraged to remain involved with ""their"" department through a variety of volunteer activities.