Once a month, the Watertown Police Department invites the public in to learn about how the department works and what officers are doing around town. On Aug. 19, the Tuesday Night Talk features the WPD’s School Resource Officers.
The talks grew out of another Watertown Police Department community program, said Watertown Police Lt. Kevin McManus.
“We started running community police academies for years. We brought one back. We had a reasonable turn out, I think we had 12 people, but that was an eight week commitment, once a week for eight week,” McManus said. “In today’s world demands of work and family life it becomes a lot of people to ask people to participate for eight straight weeks.”
The two-hour Tuesday Night Talks cover many of the same areas.
“We thought, why not offer the same segments through community academy and make it more a la carte?” McManus said. “If someone is interested in a subject, come down. If they want all of them, come on down.”
McManus said the events will not just be a two hour lecture. There will be a presentation followed by a Q&A session and more.
The August Talk will be the third one. The first on in featured the WPD’s comfort dogs, and the second in featured members of the Detective Division.
“(Aug. 19) is going to be featuring the School Resource Officers,” McManus said. “With school coming back right around Labor Day week we thought it would be a good opportunity for parents (of students) moving up to middle school or high school. (The officers) will be talking about what their role is in the school. They provide a supporting function in the schools, not an armed security guard, per se, though they do have some law enforcement roles.”
They will also discuss some of the potential pitfalls facing students in middle and high school, McManus said, including the vulnerability of children to text apps and other technology, drugs, alcohol, vaping,
“They will provide information and things for parents to be on the look for,” McManus said. “Situations, even if (students) are not participating in, they will be exposed to in some degree.”
The Tuesday Night Talks take place in the Community Room at the Watertown Police Station, 552 Main St. The Aug. 19 talk runs from 6:30 p.m to 8:30 p.m. They are free but space is limited so participants are asked to register by calling 617-972-6537 or email Jpatenaude@police.watertown-ma.gov