Mayor Armondo Pavone introduced the crowd June 15 to the Renton Police Department’s first one-day community police academy at the City Council Chambers, a curriculum exploring the various units within the department, topics in law enforcement and resources for citizens.

The event included small business owners, a private investigator and school employees.

“It always surprised me talking to friends or people I knew, what they thought about … police (and) what the disconnect (is) between what people think that law enforcement (is),” Pavone said. “I get emails all the time (from) people asking me to do things that are state or federal laws. It’s like there’s a disconnect between what is actually possible for the city to accomplish, so this is just a fantastic program to connect.”

Experience in policing and criminal activity

Chief Jon Schuldt provided an overview of the Renton Police Department and the issues the department faces.

He spoke about the department’s perspectives on legislative changes regarding policing and police reform introduced in the Washington State Legislature in 2021, and the impacts — including public narcotic use and the requirement for an increased burden of proof for police to initiate pursuits.

Officer Ryan Rivera, a 23-year-old, is a recent recruit who provided an account of his experience as a police officer and his philosophy in policing.

“I grew up, I would say, in a very socially turbulent time, especially being in college when George Floyd was happening,” Rivera said. “When you look at the dynamics of not only being a police officer (and) being a Filipino American, holding that role of an authority figure enforcing laws, that kind of butted heads at times.”

Rivera wants to change the narrative of policing and engage in proactive versus reactive policing, with a focus on building relationships within the community, Rivera said.

“Reactive police officers will sit in a parking lot, they’ll respond to calls for service in their district, and that’s their day. I don’t like (that) for me,” Rivera said.

Officer Casey Procter, field training coordinator, provided a presentation on calling 911 and police response.

When initially calling 911, citizens will connect with a call receiver that inputs the initial information provided and transfers the information to dispatchers, Procter said. Dispatchers transfer the information to officers out in the field.

Procter said to call 911 regarding fires, criminal activity in progress, and suspicious behavior.

“We’d rather you err on the side of caution (and) get a hold of us,” Procter said. “Be able to explain what you are seeing, what you’re hearing, what you’re smelling.”

Procter emphasized the importance of knowing one’s location.

“We might be able to figure out the general area that you’re calling from, but try and do your best to know the exact location, the address you’re calling from,” Procter said. “Look at cross streets, big landmarks, surrounding businesses — anything is going to help us to find you.”

Procter also talked about describing the number of individuals involved and providing physical descriptions, vehicle descriptions, staying calm and allowing the call receiver to guide the conversation.

A typical response to in-progress calls involves two officers, with the number of officers potentially increasing depending on the nature of the incident.

Utilize the department’s non-emergency line to report incidents not in progress and to make reports regarding issues like abandoned vehicles, phone harassment and identity theft, Procter said.

Surveillance, Business Watch and prosecutions

Detective Jason Renggli of the department’s investigations units talked about the importance of video surveillance systems and the roles they play in criminal investigations.

Renggli recommended owners of video surveillance systems have a knowledge of their systems and keep directions readily available. Consider the placement of cameras, the retention period of video, and have the time stamp available and accurate, Renggli said. All factors help Renggli in court.

Renggli recommended that video surveillance system owners register with the Renton Police Department’s camera registration program, which creates a map for police of camera locations.

Sandra Havlik, communications and engagement coordinator, provided a presentation on the department’s Business Watch program. The Business Watch program is a crime prevention program encouraging collaboration between business owners and police. The program provides training on burglary and robbery prevention and protocol, workplace violence, personal safety, recognizing suspicious activity, and more.

Additionally, the department offers a security survey program that includes recommendations to make businesses less attractive to criminals, taking into account cameras, lighting, locks, visibility and landscaping.

Iva Clark, prosecution director for the Renton City Attorney’s Office, talked about the prosecution of trespass offenses.

She provided an overview of the Washington State Legislature regarding the process of prosecuting trespass offenses, criminal defenses against prosecution, the marking of private land and the removal of unauthorized persons through declaration forms.

Mass violence

Commander Tracey Wilkinson led a 75-minute program on surviving mass violence, examining mass shooting data, stress responses to survival situations, decision-making processes and protocol.

Wilkinson showed the academy a training video regarding “run, hide, fight” protocol to survive mass violence. The protocol tells victims of mass violence to first attempt to escape the situation, to hide second, and fight as a last resort.

Wilkinson introduced the deterioration of fine motor skills, complex motor skills, and cognitive processing as heart rate increases as a factor within survival situations.

Wilkinson described a four-step model to approach decision-making, the OODA Loop — observe, orient, decide, act.

Using the April 16, 2007, spree shooting on the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University campus as an example, Wilkinson used the OODA Loop as a framework to discuss the decisions and actions of classrooms barricading entrances and jumping out windows to survive.

The academy watched additional testimonies from survivors, including a woman who played dead and three men who tackled and stopped a shooter.

Shooting simulator and use of force

At approximately 2:30 p.m., attendants of the academy received the opportunity to try out the department’s shooting simulator, with pairs running through two scenarios. Feedback was provided for teams on performance within the simulations.

Attendants also received training in de-escalation in the workplace, led by Officer Clayton Davis of the department’s training unit.

Davis also led a presentation on law enforcement and use-of-force.

“This is one of the few jobs we’re allowed to (use physical force),” Davis said. “Even if you’re a bouncer at a bar … you’re not allowed to … physically grab and move a person, but with police, you are. So it’s … to be taken very seriously.”

Davis outlined the different types of stops officers make, including a social stop where officers have no lawful authority to make an arrest, a terry stop where officers have reasonable suspicion of criminal activity, and a probable cause stop.

According to the Renton Police Department’s data, in 2022, the department received 72,277 calls and made 1,292 arrests, and used force in 107 cases. In 8% of arrests, police used force, Davis said. Police used force in 0.1% of total contacts.

A majority of use-of-force cases for Renton police involved empty hand techniques — the use of bodily force, with tasers second, the aiming of a gun at a suspect third, impact munitions fourth, pepper spray fifth, and deadly force last.

Various factors contribute to the use and proportionality of use-of-force, Davis said. Factors include protecting against criminal activity with probable cause, protecting against an immediate threat of serious physical injury or death to the officer or another person, preventing an escape, and more as listed in Washington state law.

“(Use-of-force) is not a fun or easy thing to do,” Davis said.

Detective Meghan Braun of the department’s special enforcement team did the final presentation of the day alongside her K9 Zoey.

The presentation focused on an overview of the department’s special enforcement team, specializing in long-term investigations involved in organized retail theft, trafficking stolen property, store-front brothels and more.

The attendants examined narcotics, including black tar heroin, meth and cocaine, with gloves on. Braun described the effects of various narcotics including the aforementioned drugs and also psychedelics including LSD and psilocybin mushrooms.

K9 Zoey provided the academy with a demonstration of her ability to locate hidden narcotics and received playtime with a ball as a reward for her efforts.

Academies

At the end of the academy, every attendant received a certificate of completion and the opportunity to sign up for a three-hour ride-along with a Renton police officer.

The Renton Police Department aimed to target local businesses and organizations in partnership with the department for the one-day academy, said Sandra Havlik, communications and engagement coordinator said. Havlik oversees the Business Watch program.

“We were targeting businesses and organizations that I work with, or industries that we wanted to build a relationship with,” Havlik said. “For example, I made sure to invite gas stations (and) convenience stores to this event since they are seeing a spike in robberies. Not every business is aware of the services we offer, or our Business Watch program, so it’s an opportunity to spread the word.”

The Renton Police Department also holds several additional academies for various demographics, with new academies in the works for the future, Havlik said.

In addition to the One-Day Community Police Academy, in 2023, the department also offered the Senior Public Safety Academy — a four-week program held from May to June; and the Youth Academy — a three-day program for middle school students held June 26-28, according to Stephanie Hynes of the police department.

Hynes oversees the development and design of academy programs. She continues to modify and think of new ideas for academies for the future.

Previous programs include the Teen Academy, the Community Police Academy, and Advanced Community Police Academy.

Academies range from one day of condensed curriculum to 10 weeks of courses, including tours of the SCORE jail and Valley Communications Center, simulated firearms at the Criminal Justice Training Center, and ride-alongs with patrol officers, Hynes said in an email.

“All of our academies serve as an opportunity for community members to establish a stronger connection with law enforcement, learn about the complexities of policing, and foster positive relationships between the police and the community,” Hynes said.