“University of Akron Police put everything they own on display for students Monday afternoon. The innaugural Police Showcase gave students the opportunity to talk with police and see exactly what they do on campus and how they train to keep students and the community safe.”
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University of Akron Police put everything they own on display for students Monday afternoon.

The innaugural Police Showcase gave students the opportunity to talk with police and see exactly what they do on campus and how they train to keep students and the community safe. Sgt. Chad Cunningham, one of the officers at the showcase, helped educate those in attendance.

I think it’s a great opportunity for students to come and see what the police department actually does, Cunningham said. I think a lot of times people have the misconception of what the police department actually does and what we can provide to our campus community at large.

The police displayed their various modes of transportation including an ATV, motorcycle, bikes and a Segway scooter to name a few.

The Segway, which can travel at speeds up to 12 mph, was available for students and others in attendance to try.

Guests of the event were also treated to a demonstration by the University police dog, Felay, a German Sheppard, along with dog handler Officer Pam Helmick.

She is trained in German and Czechoslovakian, Helmick said. We train them in a different language so that other people can not yell out a command and they respond.

Felay is trained in finding bombs, weapons and ammunitions and does work for UA and the surrounding area.

We do a lot of stuff for the City of Akron and we are also sworn in with the sheriffs department, she said.

Helmick said Felay is a friendly dog and she is only mean when she has to be.

She is here for the safety of the students, Helmick said. We spot check vehicles in parking lots for weapons and we also do locker checks.

Students also had the chance to shoot air soft guns, which as Cunningham pointed out are what UAPD uses for training.

Our officers use air soft weapons, Cunningham said. They can work on trigger manipulation, trigger management and we also use this for our force on force, which means when we practice our active shooter responses we can make it as realistic for our officers.

There was also a station to show what it is like to operate a vehicle intoxicated. The station included tasks such as operating a tricycle while wearing beer goggles and then being put through a field sobriety test.

To see what its like if you are under the influence and how easy and how much alcohol you don’t need in your system to be under the influence, Cunningham said.

Another exhibit at the showcase was something Cunningham called red man training. This teaches officers and members of the escort service how to handle non-confrontational situations and also how to use their batons.

There were also items from the tactical systems laid out for students to view including gas canasters and equipment.

Vice President for capital planning, Ted Curtis, was present for the demonstrations.

I wanted to see what they are doing, Curtis said. It gives good aspect for what they do and what they have to go through.

Curtis was a natural at the air soft range, telling stories of when he has shot a gun.

I have been around guns, I have hunted before, he said.

Cunningham hopes to duplicate this event in the near future, as soon as this coming fall semester.

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” #1.1361023:3039417189.jpg:20080429_student fighting_JH.jpg:Sgt. Cunningham shows student Alisha Greenawalt how to fight off patrolman Larry Kouri pretending to be an attacker. :”