RUMFORD – The police department’s first citizen police academy turned out 11 graduates during a 30-minute ceremony Wednesday night in the municipal building. Each graduate received a certificate of completion and a coffee mug.

Graduates were: Curtis Rice, Shannon Hamner, Mitzi Sequoia, Denise Richard, Debra Buotte, Jason Jolin, Terri Palmer, Mark Thompson, Linda Westleigh, Barry Matulaitis and Burt deFrees.

Over the course of nine weeks, students gained a better understanding of the police department, its officers, their activities, and that of lawyers and prosecutors.

But for Hamner of Rumford, a car seat technician, and Jolin, a Rumford firefighter, it was the ride-alongs in police cruisers that they most enjoyed.

“It was exciting,” Hamner said about witnessing four arrests, two for vehicular violations, one involving fighting and another, the serving of a warrant. She took the course to better understand the other side of police officers, having worked with them through her car seats job.

Westleigh, an assistant manager at Franklin Savings Bank, said she took the course because the department is near the bank and she wanted to learn more about an officer’s job.

Getting to know the department, its inner workings and meeting police officers was what attracted deFrees, a retired 30-year English and theater teacher at the former Stephens High School in Rumford and Mexico High in Mexico.

“I got a much deeper understanding of what it’s like to be a police officer, one who never knows when he is in danger and, also, how articulate and interestingly intelligent our police force is, as well as dedicated,” deFrees said.

Palmer, a Rumford municipal secretary, said she had always had a lot of respect for police and, wanted to learn the types of things they have to deal with on a regular basis.

“They have to deal with people at the worst point in that person’s life, or after the person has just made the worst decision in their life,” she said.

Students learned everything from the history of policing to developing police department budgets and the processing of crimes in the judicial system, instructor Tracey Higley said. They also got hands-on experience with handcuffs, self-defense moves and weapons, police firearms, pepper spray, and more.

The idea behind the academy was to foster a better relationship between the community and the department. It was offered as a public service and was free.

“This citizen police academy is so vital, because it provides an education, it lets the citizens and community know what we do and why we do it,” interim Town Manager Stacy Carter said.

“It also gets rid of assumptions and beliefs from what they see and hear on TV. We had a great first class. They did learn a lot and met their expectations and, exceeded some and, that’s what we were looking for,” he added.

Each person interviewed said they’d recommend the program to anyone.

“They clearly put a great deal of work into it and, all the different speakers were outstanding. You learn better hands-on and, they gave us that opportunity. It was just wonderful,” Westleigh said.