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Florida Delray police hope course puts Hispanics at ease

By Stephanie Slater

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Sunday, September 10, 2006

DELRAY BEACH ? Despite her son's ambition of becoming a cop, Ana Rodriguez is hesitant to ask police for help.

What if the officer who comes to her aid doesn't speak Spanish, she wonders.

Other Hispanics who live in the city share her concern, and many who are here illegally won't report a crime for fear of deportation.

In an effort to change perceptions, establish ties and reduce crime in the city's Hispanic community, the Delray Beach Police Department has started a citizens police academy just for them.

"We're the police department, not immigration," officer Andy Arena said. "We're here to make sure you're not a victim whether you're a citizen or not."

The academy, which begins Sept. 27, is similar to the department's Haitian Citizens Police Academy, started in 1995 to improve relations between the police force and the Haitian community, Arena said.

During the seven-week course, Hispanic residents will hear how the police department works from police officers. They'll meet the dive team, fire weapons, learn basic criminal law and role-play a traffic stop. And, if needed, volunteers from the department's newly formed Hispanic Roving Patrol will be on hand to translate.

Ana Rodriguez and her son, Jose Herrera, have signed up for the class.

"It's something I can do with her.... she can understand more about what police do and what I've been learning in school," Herrera said. The 23-year-old is earning a graduate degree in criminal justice and sits on the city's police advisory board. He hopes to one day work for the Delray Beach Police Department.

"Everyone has a right to be protected by the police," he said. "Hopefully, the academy will get that message through to the Hispanic community."

It's already been successful in the Haitian community, Arena said, adding that Haitians from Miami and Jupiter have asked to take the class. Around 400 Haitian residents have participated, and 16 more graduated from the academy Thursday night.

Ernstlyne Cadet, a patient care technician at Delray Medical Center, was part of the graduating class.

"In Haiti, people don't have good relationships with policemen," Cadet, 23, said. "Because of that, some of them here are still afraid to talk to police officers."

For the past six months, Cadet has volunteered for the department's Haitian Roving Patrol, spending three hours every Thursday night driving around the city's predominantly Haitian neighborhoods ? including Delray Estates, Delray Shores and Rainberry Woods.

She sees herself as a community liaison, often taking down information about crimes from Haitian residents and relaying it back to the police department.

Cadet said she encourages Haitians to participate in the academy by sharing with them what she learned: how to prevent crimes, how to detect gang problems; what happens when you call 911; and what to do if an officer stops you while driving.

"I always tell them it's a good class to go to, especially to know that the police department is there for them so that they are not afraid," she said.

The police department introduced its first Citizens Police Academy, which is open to all residents, in 1992. Annette Annechild, a Delray Beach therapist, is among the 1,000-plus who have participated.

"It makes you a more cooperative citizen," Annechild said. "When they handed us the diploma, I said, 'I want a badge.' "