ROUND ROCK, Texas — For Earin Jackson, the community affairs officer at the Round Rock Police Department, building and maintaining relationships is at the heart of her mission in the Citizens Police Academy.
“It makes our job a lot harder if the community doesn’t have trust in their officers,” Jackson said.
It is a 12-week course that Jackson says has been around since the mid-90s. Forty-seven participants are enrolled in this new session from now until May.
“It’s very important that they know what we do to protect them. And it’s important for us to understand what they need, what we need from them and what they need from us,” Jackson said.
On the first day of the academy, participants spent time getting to know each other through an icebreaker game and getting some ideas of their curriculum.
“The basic functions of patrol and what they do on the street – we have a driving course. We also have a mental health course,” Jackson said.
Being part of the department is a goal for Jamen Boroski, who eventually wants to apply to be a police officer in Round Rock.
“I feel like the police officers in general face a lot of challenges that the public might not know about,” Boroski said. “I feel like these things would definitely help increase transparency.”
Breaking down those barriers is part of Jackson’s mission, with hopes that education can play a part in understanding each other’s stories. This way, the promise to protect and serve can be upheld.
“Get them to better understand things from our perspective,” Jackson said.
Upon graduating, the program gives participants the opportunity to become volunteers to help run their front desk or help with victims’ assistance.