September 4, 2007 > Hayward Community Academy Hayward Community Academy Youth and adults can learn about partnering for a better community By Venkat Raman It is September and time is ripe again for a fresh crop of citizens to become informed of law and order issues to lead a better life. Hayward Police Department is offering a set of parallel courses to cater to adults as well as youth in understanding police matters and how they affect our lives. While the normal community academy course typically deals with issues that influence adults, there is a special course offered at Hayward to touch upon issues specific to youth. Both of these courses are free of cost and require registration with the police department. The governing principle behind the academy is that collaboration and partnering among residents, business owners, police and service organizations will lead to a better and safer community. The 8-week adult course starts on September 17 and meets every Monday evening, covering topics such as community-oriented policing and problem solving philosophy, Hayward Neighborhood Alert, how to effectively use community resources, community preservation services, beat health, Police and Fire communications, personal safety, narcotics and drug awareness. The 6-week youth academy course starts on October 3 and meets every Wednesday evening. Topics include gang and violence awareness, drugs and alcohol awareness, traffic safety, Internet / MySpace safety, dealing with bullying and harassment. It also includes a tour of the police department. This course is designed for youth between 14-18 years of age, and participants must be students in grades 8-12. The Academy fosters skills including problem-solving, leadership, critical thinking, conflict resolution and community involvement. You can register for either course by contacting Angela Irizarry by phone at (510) 293-7151 or by email to angela.irizarry@hayward-ca.gov. You can also write to Angela Irizarry (Crime Prevention), Hayward Police Department, 300 West Wynton Avenue, Hayward, CA 94544. These courses are free of cost. Space is limited, so early application is recommended.