Mildred Little graduated from the Citizens Police Academy (CPA) around 1999, one of the earlier graduates. In June of 2005, 25 more received their diplomas from Police Commissioner Lawrence and their individual precinct commanding officers at a ceremony held at the Nassau County Police Department's Police Academy on Franklin Avenue in Mineola. The course is by invitation only and demands a 13-week commitment once a week for three hours. A new CPA class began Wednesday March 15 and that class is full. Anyone interested in participating can make a request in writing to his/her precinct commanding officer.

Individuals from all walks of life sit elbow to elbow each week at the Police Academy digesting such topics as departmental organization, constitutional law, search and seizure, laws of arrest, critical incident stress, domestic violence investigations, arson, canine unit and drugs of abuse. Many are civic leaders and after their education at the academy, hopefully, are better prepared to pool their resources with their neighbors to make their community a better place.

Graduates have the option of continuing in the alumni association which meets once a month, where, over time, the focus has changed and currently the group is rewriting the bylaws, to better reflect the organization as it exists today. The document states, "The graduates formed the association to foster the aims of community policing and to develop working partnerships between the police and our communities."

When Mildred Little graduated in 1999 she said, "It was different. We traveled all over Nassau County as a result of different problems we each had and we assisted the police. We were able to help the police with problems in the community because we operated in the community ourselves. The travel resulted because we often supported other members when they faced problems in their towns. "I miss that." Chester McGibbons, also an early graduate and still very active, commented that the group was valuable because you learned of potential problems and possible solutions from members in neighboring towns. "Personal conversation led to action," he said. Over time, the more seasoned members commented, "The meetings became more structured as lectures and continuing education were exclusively substituted for the 'field work.'"

In January Richard Schary of Massapequa was elected president following in the footsteps of Sol Perlman who had led the group during the previous three or four years. Schary said the alumni association "will continue to feature exciting new learning experiences, ongoing training and positive outreach to the communities and precincts. Off-site visits to other facilities are also being planned." At the January meeting Corey Alleyne presented a lecture on gangs that was informative and sparked a discussion on the growth of gangs in the area.

In February Joe Spinoza, alumni association vice president, and also a resident of Massapequa, provided a slide show on weapons of mass destruction with an emphasis on chemical warfare and the equipment fire departments and police have at their disposal as first responders. The March program introduced Gary Hudes, chairman of the county's graffiti task force. People create graffiti for recognition so the best defense is to remove it immediately, at least, Hudes instructed, "box it out" until you can remove it. "They're not artists," he said, "they're vandals."

Both Richard Schary and Joe Spinoza are determined the organization will continue to be viable. Spinoza sees three areas of effectiveness: continuing education; roundtable discussion of problems in each precinct; and the dissemination of information to local community groups as an extension of the training received at the academy. In other words, Spinoza said, "The student becomes the teacher in the transfer of their knowledge to the community."

"The fact that the police department commits significant funds to the program is a reflection of their continued support and commitment to the growth and success of the Citizens Police Academy," Schary said, "and those graduates will swell the ranks of the alumni association."