Citizen Police Academy gives a peek into life as a law enforcer

By Drew Teague

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In this year’s second meeting of the Citizen Police Academy, police engaged a crowd of nearly 20 with tales of their experiences as enforcers of the law.

Sgt. Brad Kinckiner with the UK Department of Crisis Management and Preparedness, as well as Sgt. Evan Ramsay with UK Police, covered topics including the Clery and Minger laws and what their departments do.

“Minger was a student at Murray State (University) and he chose not to evacuate when there was a fire alarm in the building,” Kinckiner said. “(Minger) ended up perishing in the fire and when all the details came to surface, turned out there had been several arsons on Murray State’s campus.”

The Minger Act requires fires on campus to be reported to the state fire marshal.

Ramsay added that students should always take fire alarms seriously because they never know if they are real or false until they get outside.

“That’s the most frustrating thing ever for someone like me,” Ramsay said. “(It) is going into a fire alarm and someone is sitting in their dorm room looking on the Internet.”

In regard to the Clery Act, which requires UK to disclose information about campus crime, Kinckiner described instances when UK will issue UK Alerts and Crime Bulletins. They have been issued for crimes at Newtown Crossing Apartments but not most recently for a crime on Maxwell Street.

“Newtown is right there at Scott Street and that area is primarily used for the purpose of students coming onto campus. When you move to the incident on Maxwell Street, and you look at it on a map and the proximity, there was no need for us to report it,” Kinckiner said, in reference to the assault that was reported earlier this month.

Ramsay used an analogy to help people understand what officers have to do to get a conviction.

“In order to get a good conviction, it’s the same thing as baking a cookie,” Ramsay said. “You have to have the right ingredients. If you mess something up in your ingredients while baking, you’re going to come out with some mush.”

Ramsay said that the Miranda Rights read on television are often incorrect

Ramsay covered other topics, including the difference between an interview and an interrogation, mind states, search warrants and what gives an officer the right to arrest and detain a suspect.

DJ Pressley, a forestry and community leadership and develeopment senior, thought Ramsay’s talk was the most interesting thing about Tuesday’s class.

“Listening to Ramsay talk,” Pressley said. “I just loved the logistics and legal aspect.”

Pressley found out about the course via Facebook and is looking forward to the firearms and self-defense courses to come.

“I originally found out about it when I did S.T.A.R.R (program),” Pressley said, “but recently I kept looking for it on the Facebook page and signed up for it the day it came out.”

The CPA class continues every Tuesday night, with increased hands-on participation starting next Tuesday.

Participants will continue to meet officers and get familiar with resources, such as the UK Police dogs and their various jobs.