NORTH LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Undoing a divide rooted in suspicion and distrust comes with its own difficulties.
In this case, police in North Las Vegas are also up against another barrier: The people they're trying to build trust with may not always be fluent in the same language.
With the goal of bridging that divide, the North Las Vegas Police Department formed its Hispanic Citizens Academy. Channel 13 reporter Jhovani Carrillo wanted to see firsthand what impact it had on the community, so he spent the past six weeks attending every session to hear from the students themselves. You can follow along with him below:
"As citizens, we can share the information with our Latin brothers and say, 'Hey, everything is OK with the police here in North Las Vegas.'"
- Hispanic Citizens Academy student Enrique Vega
The North Las Vegas Police Department welcomes one of its largest classes to the Hispanic Citizens Academy.
“I was surprised by the amount of work."
- Citizens Academy student Jennifer Escalante
Carrillo and the Citizens Academy got to see how 911 dispatchers work to get the North Las Vegas community the help it needs fast and in the right language.
"It allows us to understand the other side, the officers' side."
- Citizens Academy student Jesus Vega
In their second week of training, Carrillo and the students learned the training that goes into why police act the way they do — and how it's intended to keep them safe.
"The number of gangs that exist really surprised me."
- Citizens Academy student Jennifer Escalante
Hispanic Citizens Academy students (along with Carrillo) got an inside look at some of the more dangerous gangs in our community, how to identify them and where they are located.
"My intention is to participate and share a message to people to not drink and drive."
- Citizens Academy student Jorge Giron.
Carrillo and the students learned all about NLVPD's traffic division and how they enforce traffic laws, including laws against driving under the influence. Two students even volunteered to drink throughout the three-hour class so they could see the effects of alcohol on their judgment and motor skills in real time.
"Many times, as Latinos, we think the doors are closing when we have a problem. We don't know where to go. Having this information is important."
- Jennifer Escalante, Hispanic Citizens Academy student
Then, it was time to put everything they've learned into practice as students went through a traffic enforcement scenario.
"I had a good perspective of officers here in the U.S. but it has gotten even better. It also sparks an interest of what is beyond the academy."
- Jesus Martinez, Hispanic Citizens Academy student
With two weeks left of the academy, NLVPD's Victim Services Unit gave Carrillo and the students an inside look at what resources and rights they have if they're the victim of a crime.
