On Tuesday night, Bristol Police Lt. Brian Burke spoke to the class about what he says is a prevalent issue across the country. Domestic violence, the act of willful intimidation, physical or sexual assault on a spouse, family member or someone you reside with, is not only a separate crime from assault, but it also is treated very uniquely by law enforcement. Unlike most crimes where a complainant must press charges for police to take action, domestic violence cases allow police to decide whether or not a person will be arrested on a domestic charge. "Police take the burden of pressing …

On television, crime investigations are exciting and keep viewers on the edge of their seats. In a half-hour show you can play detective, follow the clues and know who the bad guy is in just 28 minutes. It's just that simple! Well, not really. Detectives Keith Martin and Adam Clifford of the Bristol Police Department shattered some myths portrayed by television shows during Tuesday night's Citizens Police Academy. According to Clifford, one misunderstanding is how long it takes to process evidence.  Clifford says that all fingerprints and potentially identifying evidence must be sent to the …

During the third week of Bristol's Citizens Police Academy, Patrolman George Lefebvre explained the use of tools in traffic enforcement and the usefulness of accident reconstruction. According to statistics presented during the class, the leading causes of fatal accidents are speeding, driving under the influence and usage of cell phones (texting). "Fatalities are definitely higher when speeding is involved," said Lefebvre, who pointed out that although speeding in a passenger vehicle is dangerous, speeding on a motorcycle is even more hazardous. "The bikes today can go so fast and everyone …

In week two of the Bristol Citizens Police Academy, Patrolman Greg Silvia and Sgt. Steve St. Pierre spoke to the class about the role of the patrol division in the Bristol Police Department, including an overview of all of the equipment that patrol officers have on hand and may use on a daily basis. According to Sgt. St. Pierre, all Bristol Police activity begins and ends with the Patrol Division. He called the patrol unit the "heart and soul" of the police department.  Sgt. St. Pierre explained that the duty belt that all officers wear provides officers with the basic essential equipment …

In an effort to raise your awareness, as well as my own, about the nature of local law enforcement officials' work, I signed up for the 9th annual 10-week Citizens Police Academy with the Bristol Police Department. Over the next 10 weeks, the course, taught by various law enforcement officers, should give an inside look at topics such as domestic violence, DUI investigation, underage drinking, animal control, narcotics, use of force, and crime scene investigation, to name a few.  The first class held on Tuesday night was an introduction to the police department. We were introduced to Chief …