Explore the roles of Public Safety in Woodstock
- Rachael Cushard
- Aug 12, 2018
- 6 min read
By RACHAEL CUSHARD
The Woodstock Citizens’ Public Safety Academy provides an environment where citizens gain basic knowledge of how the city’s police and fire departments work together to better the city.
WOODSTOCK, Ga. -- In case of an emergency, what’s the first number people call? 911. Policemen and firefighters are more than our first responders. They have various tasks and departments in the workplace just like most ordinary jobs.
The Woodstock Citizens’ Public Safety Academy is a series of classes designed to cover a variety of law enforcement and fire safety subjects instructed by various personnel from each department.
The City of Woodstock offers a 10-week program that educates members of the general public about the various roles of their public safety administration. During the 10 weeks, the class will meet weekly in the evenings, with instruction alternating between the police and fire departments. The Academy is held twice a year in the spring and fall.
Brian Thomas has been a resident in the city for roughly nine years. He found out about this course being offered through Facebook. He wanted to take a more active interest where he lives and be educated about being a citizen in Woodstock.
“I want to gain more knowledge about how the police and fire departments work, how difficult their job is... getting a great understanding of all that,” said Thomas.
Most of what is seen on the news or on television is not always what is happening in your local neighborhood.
“We want the citizens to understand what we are going through in our job so that when they see us respond they know why we do things and what we’re doing them for,” said Sgt. Randy Milligan. “That way people aren’t left out there in a gray cloud of mystery of what we’re doing, and they have a better understanding of our goals as a department and city as a whole.”
Spring 2018 Woodstock CPSA Schedule
Week 1: Opening Night - March 1st
Week 2: Fire Department Education / WPSF - March 8th
Week 3: CID / Patrol Functions - March 15th
Week 4: Fire Station Tour - March 22nd
Week 5: Police Traffic Presentation - March 29th
Week 6: C.R.A.S.E. Presentation - April 5th
Week 7: Thermal Imaging / Search & Rescue - April 12th
Week 8: K9/ CMANS Presentation - April 19th
Week 9: Extrication Demo / Accident Reconstruction - April 26th
Week 10: Judgmental Shooting - May 3rd
Police Functions
The City of Woodstock Police Department core values are based on professionalism, integrity, service and teamwork. As a paramilitary organization, routine services are provided on a daily basis to promote coordination and efficiency. Some of the departments are uniform patrol division, special operations, specialized units and administrative services division.
In 2017, the Woodstock Police Department responded to 32,200 dispatched calls averaging 2,683 calls a month. The average response time for Priority 1 calls - the most serious - was 2 minutes, 44 seconds. The department is divided into four reporting zones. Emergency calls are handled by Cherokee County and officers are dispatched accordingly to the corresponding geographic area of responsibility. Typically, an officer is assigned to each zone while supervisors serve as floaters for providing additional back up.
Woodstock was named the 17th safest city in Georgia in 2017out of nearly 700 cities according to The National Council for Home and Safety and Security. Elite Finance ranked Woodstock as the 16th safest city in Georgia overall and the fifth safest city with a population exceeding 30,000. In the 2018 survey reported by The National Council Home Safety and Security, Woodstock climbed the charts landing as the 10th safest city in Georgia is 2018.
Police officers of Woodstock are constantly engaged with the community. Throughout 2017, they participated in 133 community-oriented events.
They are also growing their online presence and engagement. There was a significant increase in public use of social media to gain awareness of developing events, traffic diversions and incidents that impact the general public of Woodstock. Overall, social media use in 2017 has increased 23 percent and now reaches more than 25,000 individuals.
The Woodstock Police Department strives to prevent crime while improving the quality of life through its core values. The department welcomes comments and suggestions and invites the public to become involved in Woodstock’s growth and success.
Online marketplaces have become increasingly popular, like Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp, LetGo, etc. Sometimes these transactions in person can be awkward or unsecure. In a proactive effort to safeguard the citizens of Woodstock, the police department welcomes the public to the department to close their online transactions in a safer way.
Milligan suggested the Transaction Safe Place initiative that enables the public to take advantage of the department’s lobby or exterior to meet and handle their transactions. Woodstock police officers are available at any time needed to stand by to increase the buyer’s and seller’s sense of security.
The department is also able to verify if merchandise is stolen or if serial numbers are clear and not reported as stolen merchandise through local and national databases. Buyers or sellers who want to utilize this service being provided can schedule appointments during or after business hours.
Fire Functions
The Woodstock Fire Department also serves as a paramilitary organization. Its objectives within their mission statement is to commit the training, knowledge and skills, and to respond quickly, make every effort to help, and be respectful.
Firefighters answered 5,670 total calls in the 2017 incident history for the city of Woodstock. This was a three percent increase from 2016, with calls totaling 5,497. Some response details included the average response time for 2017 was five minutes with Friday being the busiest day of the week.
This job requires 24-hour shifts with 48 hours off. Firefighter Phillip Smith described what it’s like working at a fire station.
“You live at work,” said Smith, who has been a firefighter for more than six years.
“There’s a family atmosphere. We spend a third of our lives here,” said Smith. He’s been a firefighter for over six years. Firefighter Aaron Lasenyik has been a firefighter for over 13 years.
“It’s not always just fires and accidents,” he said. “There’s quite a bit that our job encompasses.”
He mentioned all of the calls they respond to outside of fires and vehicle accidents.
“People will see firetrucks going down the street thinking that we’re going to a fire or a wreck but that’s not always the case,” Lasenyik said. “There’s many things that we do from medical calls to helping community centers with smoke alarm blitzes. We’re doing a little bit of everything. We do things like water main breaks, hazardous materials calls.”
Each truck facilitates different emergency responses. The fire engine responds to motor vehicle collisions, fires of any kind and fire alarms. They also respond to calls involving hazardous material spills and leaks, any minor or major rescues or manpower assistance on any major emergency medical service call.
Ladder trucks respond to all structure fires, major incidents, rope rescue incidents and any call where man power is needed. “There is so little firefighting actually involved,” Smith said. “Our job is primarily focused around fire education and prevention. We love to fight fires and want to be the ones that are there should it happen.
Some rescue responses include things like patient assists of people who have fallen and can’t get up, unlocking of vehicles if child or animal locked inside, and all structure fires.
This fire station, in particular, includes more than just the bay area for the emergency vehicles. There are offices, a gym and locker room, living room and kitchen area and even rooms that are similar to college dorms.
“Sometimes it’s pretty chill with the daily chores,” Smith said. “Then it goes zero-to-100 within a matter of seconds. A burning building or someone crushed under a slab of granite. That was actually a call we had earlier today.”
How to Enroll
The Citizen's Public Safety Academy is designed for any person who expresses an interest in the City of Woodstock contingent upon their application process. Participants receive a certificate upon completion of the CPSA program at their graduation ceremony. The ceremony takes place the following week of the last class.
Enrollment is limited. Potential candidates must be at least 19 years old and pass a background check. They must live, work or have an expressed interest in the city of Woodstock. Applicants cannot have felony convictions or a criminal misdemeanor conviction within one year of applying.
Applications are available online. They are also available at the front desks of both the police and fire departments, and also available at Woodstock City Hall. Completed forms must be delivered in person to the Woodstock Police Department because they must be notarized.
For more information, please contact Officer Ryan Blaseith.
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