QUEENS — Police in Forest Hills want locals to get to know the ins and outs of the NYPD's work.
On Thursday, the 112th Precinct is organizing a trip to the newly opened Police Academy in College Point to engage residents and to "give people a better understanding of police work," said Heidi Chain, president of the 112th Precinct Community Council.
During the tour, the group, consisting mostly of residents attending the precinct's community council meetings who had to sign up for the trip in advance, will get a chance to see portions of the new $750 million academy where future officers are trained.
“It’s a tremendous facility and it’s a great place to learn,” said Capt. Judith Harrison, the precinct's commanding officer, at a recent community council meeting.
Harrison said the academy, which recently moved to Queens from its longtime home in Gramercy, features a lot of “realistic settings,” allowing cadets to practice various situations in an environment resembling reality, such as streets, courtrooms and apartment buildings.
“[Future officers] don’t just need to sit in the classroom — they need to see, to hear, to touch, to do,” Harrison said. “This new academy really is built around stimulating young adult learners.”
In March, the precinct is also hoping to organize a presentation of a firearms training simulator, Chain said.
