A variety of motives inclined 11 community members to participate in the Oxford Police Department’s 24th annual Citizens Police Academy, a 10-week course that includes investigating a cold case and a demonstration of police special operations. 

Dan Sinetar, assistant director of international student & scholar services in the Miami University Global Initiatives offices, said he decided to participate both from professional interest and parental instinct.

“I work a lot with international students and part of my job is to help them understand the community resources,” he said.

As a parent of two children, he wanted to know about community services and law enforcement. 

“As they get older the stakes get a little bit higher,” he said.

The academy allows community members a peek behind the scenes of a small-town police force in a university town. They learn about day-to-day operations, investigating cold cases and about S.W.A.T. team situations. The participants will also have the opportunity to go to the firing range and talk to Butler County judge Dan Haughey. As part of the department’s community outreach initiative, the academy program is free for all participants.

“It opens your eyes to so many more things that may have been thought of as possible from our small department,” said Lt. Lara Fening. “It gives them a deeper dive into police work and the criminal justice system, it’s quite the education.”

The academy fulfills an internship requirement for the six Miami criminology minors enrolled.  

“Criminal investigation is a field I want to go into in the future,” said one of them, senior Jared Perkins. “I get to fulfill my minor, but also get some experience before I enter the field.” 

Fening said she “loved” the number of Miami students at the academy. 

“It’s a recruitment tool,” she said. “Even if they don’t end up working for Oxford Police, I want them to pursue a career in law enforcement, wherever it suits them.”