[Citizens GRAD]
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IT'S THE SECOND ONE WE HAD THIS YEAR.
WE HAD ONE, UH, IN THE SPRING, AND UH, WE HAD ONE IN THE FALL TOTAL OF FOUR.
AND WHEN I TELL YOU IT'S BEEN SUCH A REWARDING EXPERIENCE FOR MYSELF AND FOR THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO SEE CITIZENS TO COME IN AND WANT TO LEARN ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT.
WANT TO SEE WHAT WE DO, WANT TO SEE BEHIND THE SCENES, RIGHT? SO EACH CLASS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AS TO WHAT WE CAN DO BETTER, WHAT WE CAN DO BETTER FOR THE CITIZENS ACADEMY.
I'VE GOTTEN SOME GOOD IDEAS OF BEING ABLE TO, UH, DO SOME THINGS BETTER THAT I CAN BRING TO THE NEXT CITIZENS ACADEMY.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING TO DO TOO IS DO A BUILD OUT WITH THE GROUP OF PARTICIPANTS BECAUSE THEY WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN BATON ROUGE AND IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
SO WE'RE LOOKING TO EMPOWER YOU BY CONTINUING TO BE A PART OF US IN OUR EFFORTS TO BRIDGE TOGETHER WITH THE COMMUNITY.
SO, I'D LIKE TO PERSONALLY THANK YOU AND GIVE YOU A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THE SACRIFICE, FOR THE COMMITMENT, FOR THE ACTIVITIES, FOR PARTICIPATING, AND FOR BEING A PART OF US TO LEARN OF BATON ROUGE POLICE, TO LEARN OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND LEARN OF YOUR COMMUNITY AND THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO TO EMPOWER YOURSELF.
SO WE'RE GONNA GET STARTED WITH A PRAYER.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US TOGETHER TONIGHT.
WE ESPECIALLY THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US THROUGH THE EIGHT WEEKS THAT WE ALL SHARED.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION THAT WAS GIVEN FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WERE OPEN TO US IN GIVING US INFORMATION.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE COMRADERY THAT WE'VE GAINED AND THE NEW FRIENDS WE'VE MADE.
AND WE ASK YOU TO GRANT US THE STRENGTH TO MOVE FORWARD IN OUR COMMUNITY, TO DO THE JOB THAT WE ARE NOW SUPPOSED TO DO AS CITIZENS OF THE POLICE ACADEMY.
WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND FOR THE NATIONAL ANTHEM POLICE SAY, CAN YOU SEE BY THE DANCER EARLY LIGHT WHAT? SO PROUDLY WE HAVE THE WHOSE CROSS DRIVE AND DRY SAUCE THROUGH THE, OR THE WE WANT.
SO KIND LEARN TO STREAMING AND THAT TH STILL THERE.
OH, SAY THE FREE AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE.
AND MY NAME IS COURTNEY SCOTT, AS HE MENTIONED.
I'M AN ASSISTANT CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER FOR THE OFFICE OF MAYOR, PRESIDENT SHARON WESTON BROOME.
WE ARE ALWAYS SO EXCITED TO SEE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TAKE A CALL OF PUBLIC SERVICE.
TO BE A SERVANT DOES NOT REQUIRE YOU TO ONLY BE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.
UH, SOME FOLKS LIKE MYSELF ARE APPOINTED, BUT THEN THERE ARE OTHER FOLKS LIKE YOURSELVES FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT FEEL A CALLING OF VOLUNTEERISM, A CALLING TO BE EDUCATED ABOUT WHAT YOUR COMMUNITY IS SUPPOSED TO DO FOR YOU AND HOW THINGS ARE SUPPOSED TO OPERATE.
AND NOW WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO GIVE YOU THE CHARGE TO NOT LET YOUR SERVICE IN TODAY.
THAT'S MY CALL FOR YOU TODAY, TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE CONNECTING TO YOUR NEIGHBORS, THAT YOU STAY IN TUNE WITH THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING, NOT ONLY, UM, INSIDE OF THE DEPARTMENT, BUT ALSO IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, IN OUR STREETS INSIDE OF BATON ROUGE.
PLEASE REFER OTHER PEOPLE TO ALSO GO TO THE NEXT CITIZEN ACADEMY BECAUSE TOGETHER, AS WE ALL HAVE IDEAS, CONCEPTS, YOU LEARN WHAT THINGS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE.
THOSE THINGS TOGETHER WEAVE THE FABRIC OF SUCCESS FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE TIME THAT YOU'VE
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SPENT OVER EIGHT WEEKS.I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT YOU COULD HAVE BEEN DOING, BUT THIS SERVICE THAT YOU HAVE DECIDED TO TAKE A CALL FOR AND TO CONTINUE TO BE AN AMBASSADOR, TO LEARN HOW THE DEPARTMENT WORKS, HOW THEY PROTECT AND SERVE THE CITIZENS OF BATON ROUGE ABSOLUTELY DOES NOT GO UNNOTICED.
AND WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
UH, DEPUTY CHIEF MYRON DANIELS, AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, MESSAGE FROM CHIEF PAUL.
HE REALLY WISHED HE COULD HAVE BEEN HERE TODAY, BUT TODAY IS A TRAVEL DAY FOR HIM.
SO SCHEDULE JUST DIDN'T LINE UP.
I'M GONNA GO A LITTLE OFF SCRIPT LIKE I ALWAYS DO THAT.
I DON'T KNOW WHY I WRITE THINGS DOWN 'CAUSE I NEVER SEEM TO FOLLOW
ALL RIGHT? UM, BUT SITTING HERE AND JUST LISTENING, AND I CAN TELL YOU YOU'RE THE FOURTH B, CA, THAT'S WHAT I COME FROM A TRAINING BACKGROUND.
WE CALL OUR REGULAR ACADEMIES, BTA FOR BASIC TRAINING ACADEMY BASIC CITIZENS ACADEMY.
SO YOU'RE THE FOURTH B, C, A TO ME.
AND I HAVE TRULY THOROUGHLY ENJOYED WATCHING YOU.
I HAVE WATCHED YOU THROUGHOUT THESE WEEKS MORE THAN Y'ALL REALIZED THAT WE WERE KIND OF SPYING ON Y'ALL THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
THE BEST PART ABOUT THIS WHOLE PROCESS IS I SEE THE GROWTH.
IT'S AMAZING SEEING THE DIFFERENCE, UH, WHETHER IT'S IN YOUR ATTITUDES, YOUR OPINIONS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT.
IT'S AMAZING SEEING HOW DIFFERENT YOU ARE AFTER THIS TRAINING.
I LOVE IT BECAUSE ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL THINGS THAT MY MOTHER ALWAYS TAUGHT ME WAS INFORMATION WAS KEY.
AND I'LL TELL YOU, LIEUTENANT NEELEY DOES A GREAT JOB OF ENSURING THAT YOU GET THE EDUCATION AND GET A GREAT GLIMPSE INTO WHAT LAW ENFORCEMENT IS REALLY LIKE.
AND IT IS TRUE AND IT'S HONEST.
AND I CAN HONESTLY TELL YOU WHEN I SIT HERE AND I WATCH AND I SEE THE SMILES AND I LISTEN TO THE STORIES AND HOW EVERY GRADUATION, THERE IS ALWAYS A DESIRE FOR SOME TYPE OF CONTINUANCE OF THIS PROGRAM, ALWAYS WANTING TO GROW IT TO BE MORE AND MORE.
AND I CAN TELL YOU, YOU'RE GONNA HEAR THE WORD AMBASSADOR A LOT.
YOU'RE MORE THAN JUST OUR AMBASSADORS.
YOU, YOU LITERALLY BECOME FAMILY.
AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION AND MY CHARGE IS THAT YOU RECRUIT, AND THIS IS A MURPHY PAUL CHARGE THAT YOU RECRUIT ONE PERSON IN YOUR COMMUNITY THAT YOU THINK CAN BE OF SERVICE TO LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND YOU DIRECT THEM TO OUR AGENCY.
SO I'M GONNA ADD THAT ADDITIONAL CHARGE.
SO THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
ALL RIGHT, Y'ALL, WE HAVE TWO, UH, BRAVE, UH, PARTICIPANTS, UH, WHO ARE IN THE CLASS, AND THEY WOULD LIKE TO, UH, SHARE SOME INSPIRING WORDS, UH, TO YOU ABOUT, UH, THE CITIZENS ACADEMY AND, AND SOME OF THEIR EXPERIENCES.
LADIES, FIRST, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, TODAY WE GATHER HERE AS GRADUATES OF THE EIGHT WEEK LONG BATON ROUGE POLICE ACADEMY CLASS OF 2023.
IT IS A MOMENTOUS OCCASION THAT FILLS US WITH PRIDE AND GRATITUDE.
THROUGHOUT THESE PAST EIGHT WEEKS, WE HAVE GAINED INVALUABLE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE THAT TRULY IMPACTS US AND SHAPE US INTO THE DEDICATED ACADEMY OF 20 20 20 23 COHORT.
ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR TIME AT THE ACADEMY WAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO TOUR THE REAL TIME CRIME CENTER.
WITNESSING THE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY AND THE DEDICATED INDIVIDUALS WORKING TIRELESSLY TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE WAS TRULY INSPIRING.
IT GAVE US A FIRSTHAND GLIMPSE INTO THE INNER WORKINGS OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND THE REMARKABLE EFFORT PUT FORTH TO PROTECT OUR CITY.
WE WERE ALSO FORTUNATE TO HAVE MS. TANJA MILES SHARE, SHARE HER EXPERTISE ENLIGHTENING US ABOUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF OVERDOSES AND THE DEVASTATING IMPACT THAT THEY HAVE ON INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN THE BATON ROUGE AREA.
HER POWERFUL PRESENTATION SERVED AS A STARK REMINDER OF THE STRUGGLES OUR COMMUNITY
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FACES AND THE IMPORTANCE THE ROLE OF THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT, SHERIFF'S OFFICE, DEA, AND HEALTH AND HOSPITALS PLAY IN COMBATING SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN OUR CITY.SPECIAL AGENT SINGLETON'S, DEA PRESENTATION WAS EQUALLY INSIGHTFUL.
HIS IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE, SHED LIGHT ON ALL OF THE COMPLEXITIES INVOLVED IN THE FIGHT AGAINST DRUG RELATED CRIMES.
IT WAS AN EYE-OPENING TO UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES OFFICERS AND AGENTS ENCOUNTER, AND THE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF THIS DISRUPTING THE DRUG TRADE TO ENSURE THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF OUR CITIZENS.
ON A 24 7 BASIS, THE FIREARM SAFETY CLASS LEFT A LASTING IMPACT ON EACH OF US LEARNING THE HANDS-ON MECHANICS, AND KNOW-HOW OF FIREARMS WENT BEYOND UNDERSTANDING THE WHEN AND HOW AND WHY LAW ENFORCEMENT USE DIFFERENT AND CERTAIN TYPES OF WEAPONS IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS.
CHIEF PAUL MURPHY JR DESERVES OUR UTMOST APPRECIATION FOR HIS OPEN AND TRANSPARENT APPROACH.
HIS COMMITMENT TO KEEPING THE CITIZENS INFORMED ABOUT CERTAIN, UM, ABOUT ALL CURRENT ISSUES HAS EARNED OUR RESPECT AND ADMIRATION.
HIS TRANSPARENCY HAS BEEN A REASSURING FACTOR FOR ALL OF US.
AS WE STRIVE TO BUILD A COMMUNITY BASED ON TRUST AND COOPERATION, WE MUST ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THE VITAL CONNECTION AND COLLABORATION WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
THE SEAMLESS PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IS A TESTAMENT TO THE SHARED GOAL OF ENSURING THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF OUR COMMUNITY.
TOGETHER, THEY BOTH WORK HAND IN HAND, FOSTERING A STRONG AND UNIFIED APPROACH TOWARDS A COMMON OBJECTIVE, WHICH IS SAFETY AND PEACE FOR ALL CITIZENS.
THE CITIZENS ACADEMY WAS TRULY ENRICHED BY THE EXPERTISE OF TWO EXCEPTIONAL OFFICERS, WHICH IS LIEUTENANT LEONARD HARRY AND CORPORAL WALLACE BRITTON, WHO SERVE AS SOME OF THE MAIN INSTRUCTION INSTRUCTORS THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM.
THEIR COMMITMENT AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL ENSURED THAT EVERY PARTICIPANT RECEIVE A COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF LAW ENFORCEMENT TECHNIQUES, SAFETY PROTOCOLS, AND BEST PRACTICES.
THESE INSTRUCTORS, INSTRUCTORS DEMONSTRATED THEIR INSIGHTFUL KNOWLEDGE IN A MANNER THAT WAS BOTH ENGAGING AND OFTEN HUMOROUS, FOSTERING AND ENVIRONMENT THAT ENCOURAGE ACTIVE PARTICIPATION AND LEARNING.
WHILE THEIR OCCASIONAL LIGHTHEARTEDNESS WAS APPRECIATED, THEY REMAIN STEADFASTLY SERIOUS WHEN IT CAME TO TEACHING CRUCIAL TECHNIQUES AND EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF SAFETY.
THEIR EXCEPTIONAL ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS WERE EVIDENT AS THEY FLAWLESSLY EXECUTED THE PLANNED AGENDA EACH WEEK, ENSURING THAT EVERY SESSION LEFT PARTICIPANTS FEELING INFORMED, INSPIRED, AND EQUIPPED TO BE ACTIVE AND RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
LET US NOT FORGET TO RECOGNIZE THE EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP OF SERGEANT LJ MCNEELY.
HIS TRANSPARENCY, EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE AND UNWAVERING PATIENTS HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN GUIDING US THROUGH THESE EIGHT WEEKS.
NO QUESTION WENT UNANSWERED AND NO TOPIC WAS EVER RUSHED OR AVOIDED.
HIS DEDICATION TO OUR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN TRULY REMARKABLE.
AS A DEDICATED AND PROUD CITIZEN, I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING A PART OF THIS CITIZEN'S ACADEMY.
IT IS OUR CLEAR PATHWAY TOWARDS BUILDING A STRONGER AND SAFER COMMUNITY.
THROUGH THIS INVALUABLE PROGRAM, WE GAINED A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE CHALLENGES OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT FACE.
THIS DAILY FORGING MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS AND FOSTERING TRUST BETWEEN OFFICERS AND
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CITIZENS.IT EQUIPPED US WITH FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE AND EMPOWERS US TO ACTIVELY CONTRIBUTE TO THE BETTERMENT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
BY PARTICIPATING IN A POLICE CITIZENS ACADEMY, WE BECOME THE EYES, EARS, AND VOICES OF OUR COMMUNITY WORKING TOGETHER WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT TO CREATE AND SECURE AN ENVIRONMENT FROM ALL FROM THE 2023 COHORT CLASS.
WELL, IT, IT WAS LIKE IT WAS PLANNED BECAUSE MY, MY REMARKS ARE MORE OF A SUMMARY NATURE.
SHE GAVE US AN IN-DEPTH REVIEW OF WHAT WENT ON DURING OUR EIGHT WEEKS, AND IT BROUGHT BACK A LOT OF MEMORIES THAT SHE ENUNCIATED AND, UH, REPEATED EACH IDEA THAT WE ENCOUNTERED DURING OUR TIME.
IF YOU NOTICE, WE DIDN'T PLAN IT THIS WAY, BUT SHE WAS WEARING BLUE AND I'M WEARING BLUE, AND WE BACKED THE BLUE.
SO, UH, IT WAS INTERESTING, JUST AN ASIDE THAT TODAY MY WIFE GOES TO THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE, BATON ROUGE CLINIC, AND WE'RE WALKING INTO THE CLINIC AND THERE'S A-B-R-P-D UNIT PARKED RIGHT IN FRONT.
I'M SURE IT'S EXTRA DUTY OFFICER.
HE HAS HIS UNIT PLAYING CHRISTMAS MUSIC WHERE HE CAN HEAR IT IN THE PARKING LOT
AND THAT'S THE KIND OF ATTENTION THAT OUR BRPD NEEDS SO THAT PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY'RE CITIZENS JUST LIKE US.
I MEAN, IT, IT JUST FELT GOOD TO LISTEN TO IT AND IT, IT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION.
AND, AND I THINK THAT'S, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO AS REPRESENTATIVES OF OUR ALUMNI CLASS TO GO OUT THERE AND BRING ATTENTION TO BRPD.
UH, I THINK ALL OF US HAVE GREAT ADMIRATION FOR THE TWO MEMBERS OF OUR CLASS THAT GOT TASED
I MEAN, THEY, THEY WERE COURAGEOUS.
I COULD USE THE EXCUSE, I WAS TOO OLD, BUT I, I REALLY COMMEND THEM FOR WHAT THEY DID AND SH SHOWING VOLUNTEERING TO DO IT.
WE HAD A GENTLEMAN AND WE HAD A LADY AND BOTH OF THEM DID A TREMENDOUS JOB ACCEPTING THE PAIN.
SO MOVING FORWARD, I WANT TO THANK BRPD FOR THE ATTENTION AND TRAINING THAT ALL THE OFFICERS PROVIDED.
EVERY PLACE WE WENT, THEY WERE JUST SO INTERESTED.
YOU WERE OBVIOUSLY AWARE OF THEIR PASSION FOR THE JOB THAT THEY DO, THE ORGANIZATION THAT THEY RECOGNIZE, AND THAT WILL CARRY FORWARD WITH ME.
AND I THINK EACH ONE OF US AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
UH, I WANT TO EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION ON, ON OUR BEHALF TO THESE OFFICERS, TO EVERYTHING THAT THEY DID.
I KNOW MOST OF THEM ARE NOT HERE TONIGHT.
I THINK MANY OF US STRIVE TO TELL 'EM THANK YOU AS WE WENT THROUGH THE DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES.
AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE NEED TO DO IN LIFE, IS RECOGNIZE PEOPLE WHEN THEY DO SOMETHING THAT HELPS US.
UM, I THINK WE WANT TO WISH THE VRPD OFFICERS THE VERY BEST IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL LIVES.
I CERTAINLY GREAT, UH, GAINED A GREAT APPRECIATION FOR THE TRAINING THAT THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND THE CHALLENGES THAT THEY HAVE TO FACE EVERY DAY.
SOME OF 'EM NOT SO BIG, SOME OF 'EM TREMENDOUS.
AND I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WOULD BE EASY FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND, EXCEPT YOU NEED TO TALK TO A POLICE OFFICER.
YOU NEED TO EXPERIENCE THAT THEY'RE CITIZENS JUST LIKE US.
AND SO I WANT TO WISH THE VERY BEST TO THE VRPD OFFICERS, ALL OF THEM IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL LIVES ON BEHALF OF OUR CLASS.
AND IN CLOSING, I WANNA SAY THANKS FROM A HUMBLE
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CITIZEN.ALRIGHT, WELL, IT'S TIME FOR THE PROCESS OF THE CEREMONY OF GRADUATING
SO WE'RE GONNA ASK MS. TOSON COME UP AND ASSIST US WITH THAT.
DEPUTY DAMES, SHE'S GONNA CALL YOUR NAME, WALK UP, GET YOUR CERTIFICATE.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A, UH, A PICTURE.
DO WHAT NOW? YOU GET OUT THE PICTURE.
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YEAH.COURAGEOUS AS MUCH GERALD PAIN.
ALRIGHT, YOU READY? JOE STEVENS ALL