BELCHERTOWN, Mass. (WWLP) – A Hampshire county town is informing residents of its emergency services to get a better understanding of their day-to-day tasks.
The Belchertown police and fire departments hosted a joint public safety citizens academy Wednesday evening, to better educate not only residents but other department staff on their daily operations. Topics discussed include information on inspections and smoke detectors, court procedures, and mental health.
“I’ve heard nothing but positive feedback from the past about our program. people come here and they don’t really know what we do every day,” said Vinnie Daponte of Belchertown Police. “They just see what they see on tv, tv shows, and the media. they come here and they gain a lot of insight into what we actually do.”
Wednesday night was the first public safety academy meeting. It runs for the next 12 weeks, every Wednesday night.