• Contact Us
  • Events calendar
Entering Swellesley
Pinnacle, Wellesley

The Swellesley Report

More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.

  • Advertise
  • Wellesley Square
  • Deland, Gibson Insurance Athlete of the Week
  • Camp
  • Private schools, sponsored by Riverbend
  • Business index
  • Contribute
  • Eat
  • Schools
  • Top 10 things to do
  • Embracing diversity
  • Kids
  • About us
  • Events
  • Natick Report
  • Seniors
  • Letters to the editor
  • Guidelines for letters to the editor
  • Live government meetings
  • Raiders sports schedules & results
  • Fire & police scanner
  • 2023 Town Election
 
Needham Bank, Wellesley
Write Ahead, Wellesley

Wellesley Citizen Police Academy—A Memorable Experience

May 26, 2022 by admin 2 Comments

Special to The Swellesley Report from Thomas E. Peisch.

The professionalism of the Wellesley Police Department was on full display during a recent convening of the Wellesley Citizen Police Academy. After a COVID-related interruption, the Academy is now being offered twice a year to any Wellesley citizen interested in learning more about the Department’s operations. The Academy consists of nine two-hour sessions held on Wednesday evenings in the training room at the Police Station.

As a retired lawyer and long-time Wellesley resident, I was fortunate to attend the most recent edition of the Academy, along with a dozen or so other residents, young and old.

Each session featured a presentation by members of the Department under the watchful eye of Chief Jack Pilecki and his command staff. The subjects included:

  • the history of policing
  • community outreach
  • the court system
  • use of social media in law enforcement
  • traffic and pursuit
  • the use of defensive equipment
  • innovations in law enforcement practice

Two sessions featured talks by plainclothes detectives on crime scene analysis and investigative techniques. An early session was a demonstration of the Emergency Communications Center, a highly-sophisticated, state-of- the-art system at the police station that fields some 31,000 calls per year. The ECC is staffed 24/7 by dispatchers who are trained in responding quickly to what are frequently charged situations.

wellesley police communications center
Wellesley Police Emergency Communications Center

 

As noted, each presenter was an active member of the Department, and each spoke with insight and enthusiasm about his or her particular area of expertise. They are too numerous to name here, but each of them demonstrated an earnest commitment to the Department’s mission of keeping the citizens of Wellesley safe.

The Department’s status as one of the Commonwealth’s most forward-thinking police organizations is exemplified by its participation in the suburban Metropolitan Law Enforcement Council, which combines the resources of a number of law enforcement agencies to ensure that all have the resources they need at a reasonable cost. In addition, Wellesley is one the first departments to employ a part-time social worker and a full time comfort dog so as to be in a better position to defuse tense situations. Which is not to say that the Department is not prepared to act forcefully when circumstances warrant it. This was made clear by real time videos of pursuits and apprehensions of criminal suspects. Finally, all the presenters emphasized the benefits and importance of training, an aspect of police work that is front and center in Wellesley thanks to Chief Pilecki’s efforts.

The high point of the Academy for me was the opportunity to ride alongside a patrol officer in a cruiser during a typical shift. Although my shift was (thankfully) uneventful, it provided an “up close” look at how community policing should function.

In an era of increased scrutiny of police operations, the citizens of Wellesley can be assured that they are protected day in and day out by the best law enforcement officers in the Commonwealth. The Academy will be offered again in the fall, and I encourage all eligible citizens to sign up and attend it.

In conclusion, special thanks are owed to Academy Director Mike Pino, who did a great job coordinating enrollment and scheduling and looking out for the comfort of attendees.

https://www.facebook.com/WellesleyPoliceDepartment/posts/pfbid0VokrcCeKYTs5bLDzdc7Be5zCfmaUFrfKFxkHkqYKjTdRuVPJQLsyzjAbSDpL78Nvl


  • Subscribe to Swellesley’s daily email
print

Filed Under: Police

Comments

  1. Lady Wellesley says

    May 27, 2022 at 12:18 pm

    We have a lot to be thankful for.
    -Lady Wellesley

    Reply
  2. Hirschey Tarah says

    May 27, 2022 at 3:17 pm

    Mr. Peisch summed up the experience perfectly! The classes were informative. All of the officers were personable and engaging.
    I am so glad I attended. I highly recommend everyone signing up when they have the time. I think it is offered twice a year: Fall and Spring.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Linden Square, Wellesley
Riverbend, Natick

Tip us off…

Please send tips, photos, ideas to theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

 

Advertisements

Wellesley Square, Wellesley Merchants
Wellesley, Jesamondo
Beacon Hill Athletic Club, Wellesley
Fay School, Southborough
Sexton test prep
Feldman Law
Wellesley Theatre Project
Volvo
Cheesy Street Grill
Mature Caregivers
Admit Fit, Wellesley
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
Never miss a post with our free daily Swellesley Report email
Name: 
Your email address:*
Please wait...
Please enter all required fields Click to hide
Correct invalid entries Click to hide

You can subscribe for free, though we appreciate any contribution that supports our independent journalism.

Click on Entering Natick sign to read our Natick Report

Entering Natick road sign

Most Read Posts

  • Sign up now for summer camp in Wellesley (and beyond)
  • Letters-to-the-editor day in Wellesley—important election-time updates
  • Wellesley business buzz: Board business liaison phased out; Help ID top business leaders of color; Hospital taps new president
  • Wellesley Cotillion makes a strong comeback
  • Business buzz: Nantucket wine bar to boast Wasik's cheeses; Needham Bank has new Wellesley branch manager; Thanks to new sponsor Beacon Hill Athletic Clubs

Upcoming Events

Jan 26
9:00 am - 10:30 am

Select Board office hours—in-person or online

Jan 31
9:00 am - 11:00 am Recurring

Coffee and Conversation with the Wetlands Administrator and Staff

Jan 31
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Families Eat Together online presentation

Feb 1
11:59 pm

Deadline for Wellesley Hills Junior Women’s Club grants application

Feb 3
10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Sara Campbell winter warehouse sale

View Calendar

Popular pages

  • Wellesley’s 7 official scenic roads

Recent Comments

  • LADY WELLESLEY on Wellesley police officer injured in crash at intersection of Grove and Benvenue
  • Peggy Heffernan on Wellesley police officer injured in crash at intersection of Grove and Benvenue
  • Beth Dublin on Wellesley police officer injured in crash at intersection of Grove and Benvenue
  • Erika on Where to buy the Wellesleyest stuff in Wellesley
  • Alice Roy on Inside Track has jewel of a Wellesley engagement scoop

Links we like

  • Danny's Place
  • Great Runs
  • Jack Sanford: Wellesley's Major League Baseball Star
  • Tech-Tamer
  • The Wellesley Wine Press
  • Universal Hub
  • Wellesley Sports Discussion Facebook Group

Categories

  • 2021 Town Election (24)
  • 2023 Town Election (2)
  • Animals (428)
  • Antiques (49)
  • Art (592)
  • Beyond Wellesley (52)
  • Books (376)
  • Business (1,556)
  • Camp (11)
  • Careers/jobs (53)
  • Churches (82)
  • Clubs (236)
  • Construction (300)
  • Dump (130)
  • Education (3,189)
    • Babson College (252)
    • Bates Elementary School (18)
    • Dana Hall School (36)
    • Fiske Elementary School (11)
    • Hardy Elementary School (47)
    • Hunnewell Elementary School (46)
    • MassBay (57)
    • Schofield Elementary School (26)
    • Sprague Elementary School (19)
    • St. John School (2)
    • Tenacre Country Day School (11)
    • Upham Elementary School (35)
    • Wellesley College (613)
    • Wellesley High School (996)
    • Wellesley Middle School (204)
  • Embracing diversity (84)
  • Entertainment (814)
  • Environment (772)
  • Fashion (144)
  • Finance (15)
  • Fire (173)
  • Food (358)
  • Fundraising (641)
  • Gardens (164)
  • Government (604)
    • 2020 Town Election (47)
    • 2022 Town Election (15)
  • Health (866)
    • COVID-19 (203)
  • Hikes (6)
  • History (399)
  • Holidays (440)
  • Houses (162)
  • Humor (47)
  • Kids (867)
  • Law (8)
  • Legal notices (10)
  • Letters to the Editor (71)
  • Media (72)
  • METCO (4)
  • Military (13)
  • Morses Pond (109)
  • Music (579)
  • Natick Report (30)
  • Neighbors (280)
  • Obituaries & remembrances (86)
  • Outdoors (655)
  • Parenting (63)
  • Police (778)
    • Crime (395)
  • Politics (554)
  • POPS Senior Profile (10)
  • RDF (6)
  • Real estate (344)
  • Religion (138)
  • Restaurants (340)
  • Safety (155)
  • Scouts (2)
  • Seniors (127)
  • Shopping (163)
  • Sponsored (6)
  • Sports (1,012)
    • Athlete of the Week (12)
  • STEM (108)
  • Technology (165)
  • Theatre (397)
  • Town Meeting (23)
  • Transportation (240)
  • Travel (17)
  • Uncategorized (1,244)
  • Volunteering (350)
  • Weather (179)
  • Wellesley Election 2019 (21)
  • Wellesley Free Library (280)
  • Wellesley Holiday Gift Guide (2)
  • Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend (20)

© 2023 The Swellesley Report
Site by Tech-Tamer · Login